LADY OF THE TROPICS
US, 1939, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Taylor, Hedy Lamarr, Joseph Schildkraut.
Directed by Jack Conway
Lady of the Tropics is a glossy MGM production for a creaky old Indochinese melodrama of the late '30s. Surprisingly, it was written by the celebrated Ben Hecht.
The film is a star vehicle for Robert Taylor and one of Hedy Lamarr's earliest films. (She was not as assured on screen as she was in later films.) Joseph Schildkraut, recently Oscar-winner for The Life of Emil Zola as Dreyfus, is the villain.
The film's screenplay has a great deal of early dialogue about mixed-race people - from a particularly condescending point of view judged from later decades. The film highlights the superiority of the Americans - and, at times, only European and American visitors seem to be seen in Saigon of the '30s. However, the plot takes us up-country towards Cambodia, enabling some reconstruction of ancient sites and a bit of local colour. However, it remains a very dated curiosity item of the period. Direction is by veteran Jack Conway.
1.Popularity of this kind of romantic melodrama in the '30s? Americans and Asians? Eurasians? Mixed-race love? Self-sacrifice?
2.Black and white photography, MGM production values? Studio sets - suggestion of Saigon, of Asian ancient monuments? Musical score? Songs - and the opera interlude?
3.The title and the focus of Manon, the Eurasian caught between races?
4.The focus on Manon, Hedy Lamarr's screen presence? The explanation about mixed-race people in Indochina. Fish out of water, not accepted by either tradition? The French background? Her place in society, with Delaroch? The Harrisons and their suspicions of her? Her clothes from Paris? The encounters with Bill, the attraction, dancing? The romance? Delaroch and her relationship with him, wanting a passport? Sailing up-country, the romance on boat with Bill? As a princess, the rituals and ceremonies? Her decision to go with Bill? With Father Antoine, the marriage? Getting Bill the job, the pressure from Delaroch, the opera, the newspaper reports? Her passport? Delaroch planting the information, Bill's acceptance, suspicions? Her hurrying to Delaroch, confronting, shooting, her own death? With Bill, the blessing of the priest? The picture of the Eurasian - and the ideal of becoming European, marrying the American, escaping from Indochina? Self-sacrifice for the man the only possible dramatic escape?
5.Robert Taylor as Bill, American hero, with the Harrisons, the playboy, attracted to Manon, defending her against the Harrisons? The romance, shipboard, discovering who she was, the pressure on her, leaving, the marriage? Hard work, the return, suspicions and putting them aside, disappointment, going to confront Delaroch? Manon not wanting him to go to jail for Delaroch's murder? Her dying in his arms?
6.Delaroch, wealthy, mixed race? Despised by people yet his facility in moving in society? The relationship with Manon, getting the promise from her to marry him? Her escaping him? The pressure, the opera, the passport? The final confrontation and his death?
7.Nina, in Saigon, friendship with Manon? Her songs, support?
8.The Harrisons - Americans on tour in the '30s? Fascinated by the Oriental? Their superior attitudes? The young girl and her sarcastic comments? The discussions with Manon - especially about shopping?
9.Popular melodramatic ingredients for exotic melodramas of the period?
