THE BIGAMIST
US, 1953, 79 minutes, Black and white.
Edmond O'Brien, Joan Fontaine, Ida Lupino, Edmund Gwenn, Kenneth Tobey, Jane Darwell.
Directed by Ida Lupino.
The Bigamist is a brief film about an ordinary salesman who finds himself, in an attempt to keep to his conscience, marrying for a second time. The film seems extraordinarily well-mannered by contemporary standards. In fact, it comes as something of a surprise to find that Ida Lupino is actually pregnant. Ida Lupino, after an acting career in the 30s and 40s, began to direct brief social-conscious films in the early 50s. They were only a few - although she directed The Trouble With Angels in the 60s. She appears as one of the wives, Joan Fontaine at her most elegant being the other. There is a framing investigation of the situation by Edmund Gwenn, an official from an adoption agency. (In the Hollywood homes tour that Edmond O'Brien and Ida Lupino do, there is a humorous in-reference to Edmund Gwenn and his home and his appearing in Miracle on 34th Street.)
The film raises the issues of looking behind the objective facts of a situation to the mental and moral attitude of the person convicted.
1. Impact of the film? In the 50s? It receiving adult and X certificates? Society and the issue of bigamy? By comparisons with later decades?
2. Black and white photography, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hollywood settings, authentic locations? Musical score?
3. The title and its focus on the issue? The moral stance taken, the point made about the difference between bigamy and taking a mistress where the latter would be considered all right but the former a crime? The perceptions of the judge at the end of the film?
4. Ida Lupino, her direction, feminine sensibility, her performance?
5. Harry and his situation, his nervousness at the adoption centre, Mr Jordan noticing? At home with Eve? Going to Los Angeles, being discovered with Phyllis? The baby? His telling his story - a confession - to Mr Jordan? His situation with Eve, love, eight years of marriage, her inability to have a child, her hardening, doing the office work, setting up the company? His absences from home? His loneliness in Los Angeles, the Hollywood tour, meeting Phyllis, talking, going to the restaurant, the friendship, the dates, their enjoying each other's company, her falling in love, his telling Eve about her in general? His birthday, deciding to cut things off, Phyllis's gift - and it emerging later that she became pregnant that night? His trying to do the right thing, her pregnancy? His visit to her room, his dilemma, deciding to divorce Eve, marry Phyllis for the sake of the baby? His inability to tell the truth? His marrying Phyllis, the birth of the child? Phyllis discovering the truth, his moral dilemma, his decision to confess, his talking to Mr Jordan? In court, declaring himself guilty? The court's judgment, audience judgment on him?
6. Eve, glamorous, unable to have a child, eager for adoption? Her initial hesitance, he being hard and bitter, devoting herself to her work? Her father's illness, being away from home? In the court, hearing the news from her lawyer friend, looking back at Harry?
7. Phyllis, on the bus, lonely, hard-boiled? Taking Harry to the restaurant? Their talking, dates? Her falling in love, her story of disappointment during the war? His birthday, the gift, her being pregnant? Harry coming back after several months, the birth of the child, the wedding? Her discovering the truth and her reaction? In court?
8. Mr Jordan, doing his duty, suspicions of Harry, the questions, the companies in Los Angeles, finding him at home, hearing the baby, his dilemma about not wanting to shake his hand but feeling pity for him?
9. The friend, the lawyer, the advice, the plea in the court? The judge's comment?
10. A perception of the 50s and its moral stances and tone?
