THE DIVORCE OF LADY X

UK, 1938, 92 minutes, Colour.
Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon, Binnie Barnes, Ralph Richardson.
Directed by Tim Whelan.

A pleasing English pre-war comedy. One of the earliest British films photographed in colour, it is a drawing-room comedy of the style popular on the London stage of the time and of the succeeding years. The strength of the film is in the performances of Merle Oberon, embodying the light heroine quite attractively and Laurence Olivier, early in his career giving strength and solidity (although not the light comic touch most of the time) to the central role of the hero. The film plays with mistaken identities in an intelligent and enjoyable kind of way as well as making strong points about public and private morality. Oberon and Olivier were to star the next year in the United States in Sam Goldwyn's production of Wuthering Heights.

Ralph Richardson has quite a good supporting role in this film. The music is by Miklos Rosza, who was to go to Hollywood and be famous for such rousing scores as Quo Vadis and Ben Hur. The film in of interest especially for an early Olivier role.

1. An entertaining comedy? Of its period, in the forties? Now?

2. The styles of British film-making in the thirties? The productions of Sir Alexander Korda? The use of colour? early British colour cinematography? Drawing-room comedy? The atmosphere of London between the wars? The particular qualities of editing, pacing? How do these stand up in comparison now? The quality of the stars and their contribution to the film's success?

3. The film as an early vehicle for Laurence Olivier? His presence, acting manner, articulation, comedy style? Merle Oberon as a star of the times? Ralph Richardson in supporting comedy role?

4. British manners and morals in the thirties? External morality, marriage and divorce, propriety? The quality of wit, repartee? Qualities of observation of British upper-class life? The critique of standards and morals? The presentation of men and women? Logan and his being enmeshed in a strange situation, changing his life and attitudes and a moral fable in his comeuppance?

5. The portrait of men and women and their relationships? Expectations of behaviour, propriety? The film's sympathy towards women? The presentation of men as chauvinist? The importance of Logan's speeches in the court against women? and Lesley's being in the gallery listening to them and her reaction? His change of heart after his experience and unmasking? His final pro-women speech?

6. Merle Oberon's presence and style as Leslie? A British heroine of the thirties? Laurence Olivier and his balancing her as Logan? Strong presence, articulation, set speeches? A serious and hard comedian? Their handling of the farcical situations, the romantic interludes, the serious undertones?

7. The film spent the first twenty minutes in the bedroom mix-up in the hotel. Proportion of farcical comedy, establishing the characters clearly with their traits, establishing the British setting, the British manners, English wit, interaction, the two characters getting to know one another well, credibly falling in love, the audience getting to know them and believing their falling love? The quality of the writing and the sustained interest in the location of the first twenty minutes?

8. The humour of Logan's mistake? His handling of the situation, feelings of guilt? His loving Leslie despite his thinking she was Lady Mere? The importance of the talks with Lord Mere and his ambiguous behaviour? His confessing to his assistant? The encounters with Leslie and treating her as Lady Mere? What he believed about her as Lady Mere? His foolishness in coming to these conclusions, motivations, dilemma? His decision to go ahead with the marriage? The humiliation and his response to it?

9. The portrait of the Meres? British aristocracy, types, talking, Lady Mere's American background and marriages? Lord Mere and his drinking, court case, easy divorce? The presentation of the country estate, the hunt? Lady Mere as a type and her rendezvous with lover? The comment on this type-of marriage? The contract with Logan and Leslie?

10. The portrait of Leslie? as wilful, scheming at the ball in order to get the room, her contrivance and domination of Logan, her series of manoeuvres to get the bedroom to herself? Her manner in the morning? She being agreeable and Logan being disagreeable and his reaction to this? Her decision not to reveal the truth? Her motives in this? Her presence at the court, her relationship with her grandfather and his knowing about everything? Was she right to continue to pretend? Her grandfather warning her that she might otherwise be unlovable? Her teasing of Logan in the various meetings? Her decision to pursue him? Her manner at the hunt? At the final revelation of the truth and sharing his humiliation?

11. How convincing the reconciliation? The light touch in Logan's final speech in the court? The serious undertones of romance and marriage in the light touch?

12. The contribution of the minor characters? the people at the ball at the hotel, the people in the court especially the women in the box, the judge, the people at the office, the office boy and his announcing of the two ladies, the people at the hunt? Authentic English background of the time?

13. The overall effect of entertainment? Of a humorous and light glance at the issues of love and marriage and propriety?