THE GAY SISTERS
US, 1942, 110 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp, Gig Young, Nancy Coleman, Gene Lockhart, Donald Woods, Grant Mitchell.
Directed by Irying Rapper.
The Gay Sisters is one of those best-seller, soap opera films from the '40s. It is the portrait of a dynasty, a presumptuous American family which had to come face to face with the 20th century and the '40s. It is a star vehicle for the three sisters played, as usual, with determination by Barbara Stanwyck, with intelligence by Geraldine Fitzgerald and emotionally by Nancy Coleman. . George Brent is a regular Warner Bros. hero and fits quite well here. There is a strong supporting cast led by Donald Crisp, Gene Lockhart. There are the usual Warner Bros. qualities: Max Steiner score and atmospheric black and white photography.
1. Interesting story? Piece of Americana? Best-seller material?
2. Warner Bros. production values: black and white photography, New York, Vermont? The atmosphere of 1918? Of the '40s - and the flashbacks? Max Steiner score?
3. The title and the focus on the sisters? The pride of the Gaylord family? The mother dying on the Lusitania, the father going off to World War One, his bequest to Fiona - and the history of the Gaylords and their pride, wealth, ownership? Fiona not wanting to sell the house? Legal entanglements and the sisters handling these? Their own lives?
4. The film as a piece of Americana: the focus on such families as the Gaylords and their heritage, people like Charles Barclay up and coming, new money? The Americans and the English - and titles? The outbreak of World War Two? The changing values and standards? Financial and legal difficulties?
5. Barbara Stanwyck as Fiona: the little girl who had to be head of the family,? Her fierce determination? Her relationship with her sisters - suspicion of Evelyn, concern for Susanna? Her staunch attitudes in the courts? The behaviour of the lawyers? Her having Austin in the home? The irony of the information about the marriage, to Charles Barclay, the child? Her telling her sisters the story - and its ironic tones, her own judgment and letting herself off the callousness of playing with Charles' affection? The secret of the child? Contesting the court order? Her fainting at the court? Her sending Austin away, standing against Charles? The legal difficulties, her blindness about Evelyn and Gig? Her change of heart with Susanna's grief, confronting Evelyn, bringing Austin back, signing him away, her motives in wanting Austin to have one parent? Her grief, drinking with Susanna? The irony of Charles' return, his treatment of her, her staying with him? A future?
6. Evelyn and her English background, the broken marriage, her playing with Gig's affections, callous as regards Susanna? Looking after Austin? her attitude towards the legal case, towards Charles Barclay? Going off with Gig, the confrontation with Fiona? How contrived her grief at her husband's death? Gig telling her to go back to England?
7. Susanna and her marriage, the need for an annulment, her desperation about the court case, falling in love with Gig, her fears of Evelyn, her going to see Charles Barclay, her giving him the information? Her hurt by Evelyn, her grief, Fiona's help, the happy ending?
8. Charles Barclay - and his behaviour in court, the charity, his legal ideas, his business sense? His lawyers? Confronted with Fiona in the lift? The irony of Fiona's story - his working on the roads, falling in love with Fiona, being led on by her, the marriage, the dinner, her leaving and giving him the money, the conception of Austin? His not knowing? His dealings with Gibbon? The contending the custody of Austin? Fiona’s capitulation? His return - his love for Fiona?
9. Gig as an artist, his work, love for Susanna, flirting with Evelyn, taking Austin to the country, the news of Evelyn's husband's death, with Susanna?
10. The world of law - Gibbon and his exploiting the case, going with information to Barclay? Padloch and his integrity, working with Fiona, his impatience with her about the news and her withholding information? Wheeler and his work for Barclay? The judge?
11. Austin and his background, living in the home, his regard for Fiona? His being used by the adults? The happy ending?
12. Popular ingredients of family sagas? Romance? Money? Scandal? Entertainingly done in the '40s style?
