FERNANDO’s CORNER ~ posted August 21st, 2017
(Pathé Exchange) (Dir: Edward H. Griffith)
I watched this film adaptation of Philip Barry’s stage play with Ann Harding and Fredric March, who are a perfect match and made a wonderful couple. It is a pity that they did not make another film together until the secondary roles they had in the 1956 “The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit” as husband and wife (for one last time).
In this 1929 film, they play newlyweds who vow to be together for keeps, be faithful to each other, but at the same time, keep a certain independence. Years pass, they have a kid and some “issues” appear. In spite of the terrible condition of the film (which was thought lost until the late 1990s), I very much enjoyed it, and Ann Harding’s (Mary) and Fredric March’s (Jim) portrayals, come across as modern and very natural (as opposed to the performances given by other stage-trained actors that same year, when Hollywood was full of stage-bound, stiff talkies).
Ilka Chase made her debut in this film as one of Harding’s friends and her performance is winning.
Touching and sincere performances are given by George Irving and Charlotte Walker, who play Jim’s divorced parents. Carmelita Geraghty plays a woman who carries a torch for March’s character and Leslie Fenton plays a composer who secretly loves Harding, and they are good.
It would be great if this film could be restored.
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