It is someone amusing and ironical that MGM which had for its slogan Art for Art's sake in Latin did a comedy based on just that premise. Live Love And Learn stars Robert Montgomery as the Bohemian artistic type and Rosalind Russell as the society girl who falls for him. They marry and he goes about trying to get people to notice him.
When critic Monty Woolley does notice him Montgomery and his work get taken up by the rich and famous. In the process though he loses his muse and Russell. Around to catch him is Russell's society pal Helen Vinson playing one of her patented 'other woman' roles.
A cast of familiar players step into roles like Vinson that are easily identifiable. Such wit that is in the script is provided by Robert Benchley as the hero's perpetually inebriated friend who seems to have moved right in with them.
Today Benchley's character would be treated exactly as he is, gay. A closeted gay to be sure as this was the era of the newly adapted Code in Hollywood. His character seems to have deliberately been put in the film in order that someone get to say witty things. If you've seen the film Remember? that starred Robert Taylor and Greer Garson also from MGM Lew Ayres was playing a similar role to Benchley's.
Montgomery and Russell starred in Night Must Fall which won for Montgomery critical praise and an Oscar nomination. But the public stayed away in droves. I'm guessing that Louis B. Mayer wanted to showcase his stars in more traditional roles for them when he assigned them Live Love And Learn.
Tradition was preserved.
When critic Monty Woolley does notice him Montgomery and his work get taken up by the rich and famous. In the process though he loses his muse and Russell. Around to catch him is Russell's society pal Helen Vinson playing one of her patented 'other woman' roles.
A cast of familiar players step into roles like Vinson that are easily identifiable. Such wit that is in the script is provided by Robert Benchley as the hero's perpetually inebriated friend who seems to have moved right in with them.
Today Benchley's character would be treated exactly as he is, gay. A closeted gay to be sure as this was the era of the newly adapted Code in Hollywood. His character seems to have deliberately been put in the film in order that someone get to say witty things. If you've seen the film Remember? that starred Robert Taylor and Greer Garson also from MGM Lew Ayres was playing a similar role to Benchley's.
Montgomery and Russell starred in Night Must Fall which won for Montgomery critical praise and an Oscar nomination. But the public stayed away in droves. I'm guessing that Louis B. Mayer wanted to showcase his stars in more traditional roles for them when he assigned them Live Love And Learn.
Tradition was preserved.