NO OTHER WOMAN started out as an interesting drama of a young woman and man in a steel town in love but with different ideas and different levels of intellect but startlingly turned midpoint into the most sexist film of the 1930's, with a jaw-dropping climax matched only by an equally outrageous finale.
Irene Dunne is a lovely sensitive young woman in a steel town in love with the somewhat likable but coarse Charles Bickford. Irene dreams of escaping this dead end life but Bickford has no dreams other than being a big shot at the plant. Irene finds a soul mate in the somewhat younger Eric Linden, who studies and experiments with formulas on the side which Bickford ridicules. Dunne and Bickford marry but Irene hasn't quite given up on her dreams, taking in boarders and penny-pinching for the day they can move away. When Linden tells her of his discovery of a permanent dye she is thrilled that this may be their chance and wants to invest in it. Unfortunately, Bickford has had an apparent bad day at the plant and comes home in an angry mood and they have a big fight (apparently their first) and Bickford storms out to get good and drunk.
Repentful the next day, he listens again to Irene's idea and becomes enthusiastic when he sees Eric's formula first hand and they start a business that brings them all fortune within a few years. Eventually the couple have a son but Bickford's business ventures keeps him away from home more often than not. While in New York, he falls into the lure of predatory Gwili Andre and they have a long-running affair which climaxes in Andre eventually demanding they end it or he leave Irene to marry her. After initial resistance, Bickford agrees but Irene, even after being publicly ridiculed (everyone knows about the affair it seems) refuses to grant him a divorce because she "loves" him to much to let him go.
Things really start to get nasty when Bickford then sues her for divorce, alleging adultery on HER part and dragging her through the mud with paid-off "witnesses" who claim knowledge about Irene's "affair". Masochistic Irene however refuses to bring out HER knowledge about his affair into the proceedings since she is fighting the divorce. Bickford's lawyer paints her as a grasping, money-loving woman and even her earlier savings are used against her as "proof" of her love of money (quite oblivious to the fact that this money was the means to build Bickford's fortune.) When Bickford's lawyer announces Bickford is seeking full custody of their son and startled Irene erratically "admits" to the affair and then in hysteria proclaims their son is not Bickford's, no doubt in a desperate attempt to keep the child. Bickford finally is broken by his own selfishness and announces to the judge his story has all been a lie. Bickford is sentenced to a year in jail and their business collapses into bankruptcy over the scandal. Once released, Bickford goes back to work as a steel miller and is startled to find an all-forgiving Irene waiting to take him back as are his old friends, including Linden whom he has obviously also driven into bankruptcy.
This is the ugliest "love story" I have ever seen in a film! Based on a 1916 play, this jaw-dropping tale of a woman who loves no matter what is just pathetic and it's horrible to see the lovely Irene Dunne in such a degrading role. This movie is ridiculous beyond belief. How is Irene able to save over $6,000 in a few years from her lower-working class husband's salary in the 1920's even with taking in boarders? How is the crude, unambitious, and unschooled Bickford able to have the brains to get a major corporation off the ground? Bickford gets only a year for such blatant premeditated perjury? And frankly given his selfish core, I couldn't help but think his ultimate confession was not caused by shame over what he had done to his wife but the possibility that his son would not be recognized as his own.
The only good things I can think of saying about this film is the atmosphere in the early scenes is excellent, fully capturing the hot, steamy ambiance in a steel town, and Irene looks a vision in the glamorous fashions during the "rich" years. Seeing this beautiful, intelligent woman degraded with this story was too much for me but frankly I was just as disgusted with her character's all-forgiving attitude. Bickford gives a tired, rather over the top performance and it's no surprise he wasn't used very often as a leading man. Watching this unpleasant travesty would make even the most devoted film archivist wish this one were among the lost films.
Irene Dunne is a lovely sensitive young woman in a steel town in love with the somewhat likable but coarse Charles Bickford. Irene dreams of escaping this dead end life but Bickford has no dreams other than being a big shot at the plant. Irene finds a soul mate in the somewhat younger Eric Linden, who studies and experiments with formulas on the side which Bickford ridicules. Dunne and Bickford marry but Irene hasn't quite given up on her dreams, taking in boarders and penny-pinching for the day they can move away. When Linden tells her of his discovery of a permanent dye she is thrilled that this may be their chance and wants to invest in it. Unfortunately, Bickford has had an apparent bad day at the plant and comes home in an angry mood and they have a big fight (apparently their first) and Bickford storms out to get good and drunk.
Repentful the next day, he listens again to Irene's idea and becomes enthusiastic when he sees Eric's formula first hand and they start a business that brings them all fortune within a few years. Eventually the couple have a son but Bickford's business ventures keeps him away from home more often than not. While in New York, he falls into the lure of predatory Gwili Andre and they have a long-running affair which climaxes in Andre eventually demanding they end it or he leave Irene to marry her. After initial resistance, Bickford agrees but Irene, even after being publicly ridiculed (everyone knows about the affair it seems) refuses to grant him a divorce because she "loves" him to much to let him go.
Things really start to get nasty when Bickford then sues her for divorce, alleging adultery on HER part and dragging her through the mud with paid-off "witnesses" who claim knowledge about Irene's "affair". Masochistic Irene however refuses to bring out HER knowledge about his affair into the proceedings since she is fighting the divorce. Bickford's lawyer paints her as a grasping, money-loving woman and even her earlier savings are used against her as "proof" of her love of money (quite oblivious to the fact that this money was the means to build Bickford's fortune.) When Bickford's lawyer announces Bickford is seeking full custody of their son and startled Irene erratically "admits" to the affair and then in hysteria proclaims their son is not Bickford's, no doubt in a desperate attempt to keep the child. Bickford finally is broken by his own selfishness and announces to the judge his story has all been a lie. Bickford is sentenced to a year in jail and their business collapses into bankruptcy over the scandal. Once released, Bickford goes back to work as a steel miller and is startled to find an all-forgiving Irene waiting to take him back as are his old friends, including Linden whom he has obviously also driven into bankruptcy.
This is the ugliest "love story" I have ever seen in a film! Based on a 1916 play, this jaw-dropping tale of a woman who loves no matter what is just pathetic and it's horrible to see the lovely Irene Dunne in such a degrading role. This movie is ridiculous beyond belief. How is Irene able to save over $6,000 in a few years from her lower-working class husband's salary in the 1920's even with taking in boarders? How is the crude, unambitious, and unschooled Bickford able to have the brains to get a major corporation off the ground? Bickford gets only a year for such blatant premeditated perjury? And frankly given his selfish core, I couldn't help but think his ultimate confession was not caused by shame over what he had done to his wife but the possibility that his son would not be recognized as his own.
The only good things I can think of saying about this film is the atmosphere in the early scenes is excellent, fully capturing the hot, steamy ambiance in a steel town, and Irene looks a vision in the glamorous fashions during the "rich" years. Seeing this beautiful, intelligent woman degraded with this story was too much for me but frankly I was just as disgusted with her character's all-forgiving attitude. Bickford gives a tired, rather over the top performance and it's no surprise he wasn't used very often as a leading man. Watching this unpleasant travesty would make even the most devoted film archivist wish this one were among the lost films.