Every preconception about how bad films were in the very early thirties is realized in this: slow stagey acting, theatrical delivery of lines and a complete lack of any engagement whatsoever with the viewer. You might also conclude that A. I. must have existed back then because surely only a computer program could churn out such a dire, cliched and predictable story as this.....apart from the ridiculous ending of course which seems like one of those old TV shows where the audience used to vote on what ending they'd like. Holy mackerel, this sure is a wrong 'un.
There were so many fantastic movies made in 1931 - Rouben Mamoulian, Frank Capra, William Wellman, Mervyn LeRoy were producing some truly amazing, innovative and imaginative pictures but they weren't crippled by the constraints of working at MGM. Director Jack Conway wasn't just handicapped with a lousy story but also couldn't really show any signs of individuality - he had to stick to rules and make to the MGM house style. In 1931 MGM was easily the most successful studio financially - Irving Thalberg knew exactly what the people wanted and that's exactly what MGM gave them. Obviously there were exceptions but ninety years later so much of that bland, corporate fodder which MGM manufactured for mass consumption simply cannot connect with a modern audience with more sophisticated expectations. Although this picture is all about desire, disappointment, hope and despair it doesn't actually have any emotion, it just goes through the motions.
What's utterly mind boggling is that Constance Bennett became the highest paid actress in the world in 1931 for making this - yes, making this! Why? Wistful silent stares into the distance every three minutes might have worked for Lilian Gish in the old silents but this isn't a silent picture. She was OK in WHAT PRICE HOLLYWOOD made a year after this (by a decent director) but she's absolutely awful in this. After enduring this I'm definitely avoiding anything with her ever again. I just don't get why she was so incredibly popular - it certainly can't have been on her acting skill. I don't see it myself but apparently she was considered a great beauty at the time - but then again so was Jean Harlow and she always reminded me of a bloke in drag. (It's a shame gorgeous Anita Page didn't get a meatier role in this.) The rest of the cast are also just as flat and unconvincing (or maybe just under-directed) as Miss Bennett, Adolphe Menjou is predictably his usual annoying slimy self but he's probably the only person who you actually feel anything about - even if it is just wishing you weren't having to watch him. Even Clarke Gable is just a boring one-dimensional guy who works at the laundry.
There were so many fantastic movies made in 1931 - Rouben Mamoulian, Frank Capra, William Wellman, Mervyn LeRoy were producing some truly amazing, innovative and imaginative pictures but they weren't crippled by the constraints of working at MGM. Director Jack Conway wasn't just handicapped with a lousy story but also couldn't really show any signs of individuality - he had to stick to rules and make to the MGM house style. In 1931 MGM was easily the most successful studio financially - Irving Thalberg knew exactly what the people wanted and that's exactly what MGM gave them. Obviously there were exceptions but ninety years later so much of that bland, corporate fodder which MGM manufactured for mass consumption simply cannot connect with a modern audience with more sophisticated expectations. Although this picture is all about desire, disappointment, hope and despair it doesn't actually have any emotion, it just goes through the motions.
What's utterly mind boggling is that Constance Bennett became the highest paid actress in the world in 1931 for making this - yes, making this! Why? Wistful silent stares into the distance every three minutes might have worked for Lilian Gish in the old silents but this isn't a silent picture. She was OK in WHAT PRICE HOLLYWOOD made a year after this (by a decent director) but she's absolutely awful in this. After enduring this I'm definitely avoiding anything with her ever again. I just don't get why she was so incredibly popular - it certainly can't have been on her acting skill. I don't see it myself but apparently she was considered a great beauty at the time - but then again so was Jean Harlow and she always reminded me of a bloke in drag. (It's a shame gorgeous Anita Page didn't get a meatier role in this.) The rest of the cast are also just as flat and unconvincing (or maybe just under-directed) as Miss Bennett, Adolphe Menjou is predictably his usual annoying slimy self but he's probably the only person who you actually feel anything about - even if it is just wishing you weren't having to watch him. Even Clarke Gable is just a boring one-dimensional guy who works at the laundry.