LIBELED LADY

US, 1936, 98 minutes, Black and white.
William Powell, Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow, Spencer Tracy, Walter Connolly.
Directed by Jack Conway.

Libeled Lady is a rather elegant screwball comedy, not like those from other studios, but with MGM polish. Black and white photography, musical score, stars – and an Oscar nomination for best film. This was a film about relationships, introduced after the code, but with the light enough touch to touch on more serious subjects, especially concerning relationships and sex.

The film has a very strong cast, William Powell was Oscar nominated this year for My Man Godfrey and appeared in the Oscar-winning film, The Great Ziegfeld. He partnered Myrna Loy in fourteen films including the Thin Man series. Spencer Tracy has a lighter role than he was accustomed to play in subsequent films. This was one of Jean Harlow’s last films, playing similar kinds of roles, the hardboiled blonde, but with some comedy flair.

1. A film of the 30s, comedy, screwball touches, MGM gloss?

2. American society, after the Depression, the millionaire world, New York, the liners, the countryside and rivers, newspapers? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Connie, her wealth, the news scoops, the role of the papers, the suing of the paper, the schemes to thwart the suing?

4. The introduction to Gladys, Warren? The wedding, the awkwardness, her being dressed, his hesitations, relief when the paper called, the crisis, his leaving the wedding, Gladys and her reactions, tough style, Walter and his happiness in working for the paper?

5. The scandal, the scoop, the paper being wrong? Stopping the run, catching the delivered papers, not all of them? The boss, his concern about Allenbury, the hostility? Walter and his trying to cope? The decision to call in Bill Chandler? Searching the world, the humour of the various places where he might be? The young man knowing he was at the Plaza? Warren meeting Bill, their talk, the situation, the deal, Bill’s awkward financial situations, his wanting to write the book? The plan to trap Connie?

6. Gladys and Bill, the fake wedding, the effect on Gladys, the ceremony, going to the hotel, living there, her angers and eruptions, her being calmed, going to Connie’s house, going dancing with Bill, Bill able to persuade her, Walter and the confrontation, Gladys and the revelation about the divorce in Reno, the annulment? The retrospective legislation? The fight, her wanting to care for Warren?

7. Warren and his plans, the paper, using Bill? The urgency, visiting Connie, her giving the money to charity for the workers? The set-up, his planning the headlines, his being foiled by Bill, listening at the keyhole?

8. Connie and her wealth, at the wharf, besieged by the press, Bill saving her, his being invited to drinks, her not really listening, her father and his attitude? Society, going on to others, criticising? Fishing, Bill reading all the angling books? The set-up for the neighbours for dinner and Bill saving them? Connie saying he was a fortune hunter? Going fishing, the comedy in his chasing the trout? Connie and her change, falling in love, the meeting and the effect, the father and betting against Bill? The truth about his marriage, asking him for the answer, the wedding, the ceremony, the confrontation in the hotel, Connie and her kindness to Gladys?

9. Bill, suave, saving Connie, the drinks, the discussions about fishing, talking with Connie, the set-up to trap her? The alienation of affections? Bill and his pursuit of Connie, falling in love, the fishing comedy, foiled and Walter discovering him at the house? With Gladys and smooth-talking her?

10. The ceremony, the confrontation in the hotel, the truth? The fight between the two men, Warren and his nose, Gladys punching Bill?

11. The battle of the sexes, 30s screwball comedy type?