THE LAW AND THE LADY

US, 1951, 104 minutes, Black and white.
Greer Garson, Michael Wilding, Fernando Lamas, Marjorie Main.
Directed by Edwin H. Knopf.

The Law and the Lady is based on a play by Frederick Lonsdale (The Last of Mrs Cheyney, The Maid of the Mountains). It is a light Greer Garson vehicle – not so well known in later years. She joins Michael Wilding as a conman travelling the world to con people at cards – especially Marjorie Main. However, she begins to fall in love with Fernando Lamas.

The light touch, amusing dialogue, seeing Greer Garson in a different light. This was the period for Michael Wilding in transition from many English films with Anna Neagle to a Hollywood career and marriage to Elizabeth Taylor.

1. How enjoyable a comedy? What conventions of comedy were used and how well? The tone of the title?

2. The comedy styles of the early fifties? The light touch, the Greer Garson elegance, wit and manner?

3. Was it evident that the film was based on a play? The structure of the scenes, the locations, the emphasis on dialogue, the farcical ?situations, the Edwardian atmosphere? San Francisco and costume comedy?

4. How much of a satire was the film? On the English way of life at the turn of the century, on the international luxury set, on America, on San Francisco pretensions?

5. How much satire on class and money? English, American, Latin American? What points were being made via the satire?

6. How attractive a character was Jane? Greer Garson's style, her role as a maid and her self assertion, the personal vindication and revenge, her being fascinated by Nigel, the attractiveness of swindling people, moving on around the world, finding a place in American society, playing up to Julia’s pretensions, the change of atmosphere in Juan and falling in love, the presentation of her choices as regards love, robberies? Her coming good at the end, reversing to a ‘nice’ criminal? How seriously should the character be taken? How lightly?

7. Nigel as an attractive rogue? The introduction and his stealing, his likeness to his brother? His charm, falling in with Jane, the success of their tour in swindling? His capacity for fulfilling the ‘butler’ role? The jealousy? His skill in stealing? His manoeuvring the truth about all the characters? The happy ending for him?

8. What points were made about character, good and bad, the making and holding of money, truth, pretensions? The satire on American heritage?

9. How attractive a character was Juan? the Latin American style, the humorous presentation of this, the romance, the importance of the sequences with the grandmother? The truth about him? His gallant leaving Jane to Nigel?

10. How important for the impact was Julia? Her place in San Francisco society, her wanting to do the right thing, her snobbery, the ball, her jewels, friendship with Jane, the truth about her and the humorous ending?

11. The significance of the truth about the guests and their background?

12. The effectiveness of the resolution and its staginess and talkativeness?

13. How dated does the comedy seem? Does this matter for its enjoyment?