A WOMAN OF AFFAIRS

US, 1928, 91 minutes, Black and white.
Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Lewis Stone, Johnny Mack Brown, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Hobart Bosworth, Dorothy Sebastian.
Directed by Clarence Brown.

A Woman of Affairs is a Greta Garbo vehicle. However, she is teamed with John Gilbert with whom she appeared in The Flesh and the Devil and with whom she was to appear in Queen Christina. It is also an early film for Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

The film was based on a novel by Michael Arlen but commentators noted that the film was considerably adapted, possibly because of the developing code in Hollywood.

Three friends from childhood grow up, Diana (Greta Garbo) hoping to marry Neville (nicknamed Nevs). However, his father is opposed to the marriage. She marries David who commits suicide – and, ultimately staying away from England, misses the opportunity to marry Nevs who is about to marry Constance (Dorothy Sebastian).

Though made in Hollywood, the film attempts to recreate upper-class England, the world of mansions, elegant living of the 1920s.

The film is lovingly photographed, especially the focus on Garbo herself, directed by Clarence Brown with whom she made a number of films including Anna Christie. The film was also made at the end of the silent era and so its main sound mix is a musical score with sound effects.

1. The title an explained? Its significance for the plot, the moral fable tone of the film?

2. Comment on the silent techniques on the late period of silent film making. Photography, acting styles and the stagebound nature of the film?

3. The significance and style of the captions, their tone – moralizing tone and judgments on society and character? Hollywood’s attempt at re-creating England in the studios? The status of the stars and their impact in the time, seen in the retrospect of their careers?

4. The focus on the Merricks: the introduction to Diana and her attractiveness, carefree attitudes, two men vying for her attentions? The contrast with her brother and his drinking, his low self-image, his talk about his father, his friendship for David? The contrast with Neville and his lack of wealth but with his strict businesslike father? The inevitability of the temperaments and the clashes?

5. How credible was the basic plot? Diana’s character, her love for Neville, marriage, the suicide, her cover-up and her public licentious life, Neville's marriage, his temptation and her final decisions and death? The irony of her brother and his death? Realism, symbolic characters. types? Representing moral stances and issues?

6. Greta Garbo's style as Diana? A credible character, her love for Neville and the tenderness of their scenes together? Her consenting to marry him and her reaction to his going away to work for his father? Her marriage and the dramatic impact of the suicide sequence? The reporting in the papers of her life for seven years? Society's reaction to her and her decision to return to England, especially for her brother, his refusal to see her? Her reliance on the doctor and the telling of the truth? Her illness, the possibility of happiness with Neville, her decision especially when confronted by Constance? Her reconciliation with Neville's father after the truth was told? Washer death credible?

7. The contrast of the men: Neville and John Gilbert’s style, conventional, loving Diana (and the significance and humour of their flashback to childhood sequences), his reliance on his father, his missing Diana and the engagement to Constance? The confrontation with Diana the pain for Constance, his going to Diana, decision to go away, his reaction at the end? The contrast with Diana’s brother and his hero-worshipping of David - as exemplified in the rowing? His turning against Diana? The contrast with David as the debonair charming man about town. his moralizing and helping Diana’s brother especially with the drink? His seeming to be an ideal - especially for decency? The mystery of his death? Was the screenplay right in keeping the audience in suspense as regards the truth?

8. Neville's father and his snobbery and ruling his son's life, his devotion to Constance, his reaction to the truth and reconciliation with Diana?

8. The character of the doctor, his constant help, his knowledge of the truth, his decision to tell Neville?

9. How credible and attractive a character was Constance? her chatter at the table, her wanting to see Diana, her knowledge of the truth and standing by her husband, going with him to the hospital, the final confrontation? A strong character despite initial appearances?

10. The presentation of English society in the drawing room manner? As representing the style of the twenties? Indications of wealth, education? for example the rowing sequences and the talk about Cambridge (and Neville and Diana sublimely disinterested?), newspaper reports, the atmosphere of wealth?

11. The melodramatics of the plot especially the suicide and its visualizing? The decline of Diana’s brother and the morbid death? Diana’s illness and seeming madness? Self-sacrificing even to death?

12. The appeal of soap operas and melodramas over the decades? The standards of right and wrong, good and evil ? audience response to the plot styles of character and the melodramatic presentation of values?