EVELYN PRENTICE
US, 1934, 79 minutes, Black and white.
William Powell, Myrna Loy, Una Merkel, Rosalind Russell, Isabel Jewell, Harvey Stephens, Frank Conroy.
Directed by William K. Howard.
Evelyn Prentice is one of those films that Hollywood likes to make with the names of a woman: Stella Dallas, Mildred Pierce, Norah Prentiss, Hilda Crane…
Evelyn Prentice is played by Myrna Loy, the wife of one of the best defence lawyers in the city (William Powell). He is very busy at his job, unable to pay much attention to his wife and daughter. A conman, also a poet (Harvey Stephens) decides to target Evelyn Prentice and strikes up an acquaintance with her, she writes him letters, he decides to use these for blackmail so that they would be misunderstood and her reputation ruined. When she goes to get the letters back, there is a scuffle, she fires a gun and assumes that she has killed him. Soon another woman is arrested, his regular girlfriend (Isabel Jewell). Evelyn Prentice is so concerned that she urges her husband to defend the accused woman. The culmination of the film is in the courtroom, with a confession by Evelyn Prentice but with a strange twist concerning the evidence, the murder is not quite a clear-cut as was thought.
William Powell and Myrna Loy had appeared in The Thin Man and were to appear in several of The Thin Man series as well as fourteen films together. Una Merkel is the chatty best friend, Rosalind Russell appears in a minor role, playing suave and sedate rather than the lively character she was in later films, as a femme fatale.
The film was directed by William K. Howard, a director of small films except for Fire Over England, the Elizabethan Story with Flora Robson as Queen Elizabeth.
1. An entertaining drama, court drama, murder mystery?
2. Black and white photography, the American city settings, affluence, prisons and the court? The musical score? The short running time?
3. The title, the focus on Evelyn? Myrna Loy, Evelyn’s character, love for her husband, feeling neglected, socialising, her love for her daughter? Friendship with Amy? The chance meeting with Lawrence Kennard? The discussions, seeing him again, socialising, the movement towards more intimacy? Her writing letters? Her feelings for her husband, his going to Boston, the watch with the inscription “To Nancy from John”? Her suspicions? The plan for the trip? Her going to Kennard, to get the letters back, his blackmailing her, her seeing the gun, pulling it on him? The audience not seeing what happened but hearing the shot? Her assuming that she had killed him? The newspaper headlines? The injury to her lip? Her husband’s questions? Her confiding the truth to Amy? Her urging her husband to defend the accused woman? The arrival of Mrs Blake, the comparisons to the other woman with Evelyn? Going to the court, encouraging her husband? Her wanting to confess the truth, listening to the prosecutor summing up? Her confessing the truth, the judge’s response, her husband reading the diary? The cross-examination, her telling the truth? The sudden change of evidence, the two shots, the fact that she had not killed Kennard? Her going home, with Amy, with her daughter, thinking that John had rejected her, the image of the broken vase by the daughter, fixing it? The reconciliation between the two, the trip, the future?
4. John Prentice, his skills as a defence lawyer, with Mrs Harrison? Her behaviour towards him, on the train, the advance, the watch? John and his integrity? His neglecting his family, calling in for the socials, with his daughter? His interest in the trip, the possibilities of being with his wife and daughter? Evelyn and her persuading him to take on Judith Wilson’s case? The interviews in the prison, his right-hand man and getting the evidence, ultimately finding the diary, reading it in the court? His reaction to Evelyn’s confession, trying to get a stay, his cross-examination, her confession, the evidence of the two bullets, the inconsistencies in Judith Wilson’s answers? His cross-examining her, getting her to confess, then his plea for the brutality exercised on her by Lawrence Kennard? Her acquittal?
5. Lawrence Kennard, targeting women, his charm, the poetry, going out with Evelyn, the letters, the blackmail, his death? His treatment of Judith? Of the other women?
6. Judith, her love for Kennard, trying to be good to him, her exasperation? In jail, her saying she did not kill him, the discussions with John Prentice? In court, the cross-examination, the truth? Her being freed?
7. Amy, her French affectation, friendship? Confidante for Evelyn? Being told the truth, accompanying her to the court?
8. The court sequences, the determination of the district attorney, elections, his hard-hitting speech against Judith Wilson? His reaction to what had happened, withdrawing the charges?
9. Family drama, troubles between husbands and wives, careers and home life? The aspect of the murder mystery? Courtroom drama?
