WHEN LADIES MEET
US, 1941, 108 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Greer Garson, Spring Byington, Herbert Marshall.
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard.
When Ladies Meet was a popular entertainment from M.G.M. of the early '40s. It was a remake of a 1933 film with Ann Harding, Robert Montgomery, Myrna Loy and Alice Brady. The film is based on a play by Rachel Crothers; other credits include co-writing by Anita Loos, direction by Robert Z. Leonard (who directed Greer Garson in Pride and Prejudice at this time) and music by Bronislau Kaper. The film is an entertaining romantic comedy-drama - with a lot of earnest talking. The film is primarily of interest for its casting and the opportunity to see Joan Crawford and Greer Garson together - an unlikely combination. Robert Taylor is happily bland in the central role. Herbert Marshall is sinisterly two-faced. There is an enjoyable performance by Spring Byington. The film is dated but an enjoyable example of M.G.M. glossy film-making of the '40s.
1. Production values: M.G.M. gloss, black and white photography? Musical score? The stars? The film of historical interest because of the careers of its stars? A film of its time? Impact now?
2. How evident that the film was based on a play? Transferred to the screen? The scenes, the characterisations, the speeches? The confined sets? The American equivalent of drawing-room comedy drama?
3. The title and its tone? References to the stars? The role of women? The battle of the sexes? Love, betrayal, reconciliation?
4. The film and its artifices? The stereotype characters and situations? The appropriate solutions? The amusing background of novel-writing and theory about real life - and real life as portrayed in an artificial film? The talking out of theories of art and reality? The contrivances for illustrating the ironies of fiction and real life? The ironies in the final message?
5. Themes of love and reality? The focus on women and their response to heroes? Male charm and excitement - and male cowardice? The wife and her being used to being betrayed? Becoming victim? Never meeting the other woman? The other woman and the excitement, never enquiring about the wife? The romanticising by the other woman? The impact when such ladies meet? The fictional background and the reality with the Garson Crawford confrontation?
6. The focus on Mary and Joan Crawford's refined style? Her work, career, fame? Jimmy and his devotion, romantic interlude? Her putting him off? Her falling in love with Rogers - his talk, style? Talking herself into love with him? Meetings, dinners? The irony of Jimmy's interventions? Weekends? Declarations of love? Her being convinced that she was in love? The meeting with Claire and the repercussions? Jimmy and the set-up and having to cope with it? Joan Crawford's style - smart, singing with Greer Garson, talking? Discovery of the truth? Honour? Her eyes being opened?
7. The contrast with Greer Garson's Claire - happiness, the yacht interlude with Jimmy, her being neglected. her being open about it, enjoying the trick, charming Mary? Her listening to Mary? Her wisdom and the audience knowing she was right? The discovery of the truth? Her handling of the situation - facing Rogers? The taxi? Her stopping loving Rogers? The future? The complementarity to Mary and the experience of seeing the other woman?
8. Robert Taylor's Jimmy with debonair charm? At work? Scheming? In love with Mary? Meeting Claire - and the humour of the yacht sequence? His contriving of the situation, getting Claire in on the act? The joke backfiring on him? His behaviour and the revelation of the truth?
9. The contrast with Herbert Marshall's style as Rogers? His infatuations with charming women? Seeing him in action - the audience not persuaded even though Mary was? Hearing about his style and career? Hearing about his wife and then meeting her? His willingness to abandon Claire? The final confrontation and the truth being told?
10. The comedy interludes with Bridget - her scattiness, putting her foot in it, setting up situations? Her designer friend and the ambiguity? Her trying to be friends with everybody and save situations?
11. How much did the rely on the conventions of the screwball comedy? Farcical situations - with serious talk? M.G.M's serious treatment of the '30s screwball comedy conventions?
12. The themes and moral standards of the times? Marriage, fidelity, affairs, divorce? The frank tone of the discussions? An interesting film in view of the stars? As a reflection of enjoyment patterns and moral insights of the time?
