A surprising switch for the usual women's film theme, sending away a very selfish woman (Helen Vinson) from struggling businessman husband Paul Lukas and their young son, David Holt. Vinson remarries (to the extremely wealthy Ralph Forbes), and it's only after her new mother-in-law, the demanding May Robson, demands that she bring her son for a visit, that Vinson goes to see him. But the relationship between father and son has become very close, so Holt declines, and by chance encounters Robson while sledding on Christmas vacation in the mountains.
Of course, in stories like this, there's always the loyal secretary standing by, and it's Madge Evans, billed second to Lukas, and as she becomes her boss's confident, the inevitable occurs. The highlight of the film is the comical encounter between Robson and Holt where the feisty old lady gets on the sled and laughs in joy when she flies head first into the snow. This is definitely Grandma's second childhood, typical of the types of roles that Robson and other loveable senior actors inevitably were cast in.
So while this is not a great film, it is a fun one, sincerely acted, and showing a divorced couple in communication as they should be. Like the same year's "I Live For Love" (with Joan Crawford), there's a comical version of "Silent Night", surrounding a great holiday sequence where Lukas and Evans discover their growing love. Comparisons to "Kramer vs. Kramer" cover the basic plot, but they are two very different films. Robson's obsession with Holt becomes rather perplexing since she is absolutely no relation to him, and seems rather forced. In spite of that, there is genuinely good acting, maybe not one of MGM's top A films of 1935, but pleasant.
Of course, in stories like this, there's always the loyal secretary standing by, and it's Madge Evans, billed second to Lukas, and as she becomes her boss's confident, the inevitable occurs. The highlight of the film is the comical encounter between Robson and Holt where the feisty old lady gets on the sled and laughs in joy when she flies head first into the snow. This is definitely Grandma's second childhood, typical of the types of roles that Robson and other loveable senior actors inevitably were cast in.
So while this is not a great film, it is a fun one, sincerely acted, and showing a divorced couple in communication as they should be. Like the same year's "I Live For Love" (with Joan Crawford), there's a comical version of "Silent Night", surrounding a great holiday sequence where Lukas and Evans discover their growing love. Comparisons to "Kramer vs. Kramer" cover the basic plot, but they are two very different films. Robson's obsession with Holt becomes rather perplexing since she is absolutely no relation to him, and seems rather forced. In spite of that, there is genuinely good acting, maybe not one of MGM's top A films of 1935, but pleasant.