Madame X

A woman (Gladys George) is forced to leave her baby to avoid scandal when her husband (Warren William) throws her out for being unfaithful. Her son grows up thinking she is dead. Twenty years later she kills a blackmailer who threatens to expose her secret. The son (John Beal) is now an attorney and is assigned to represent the woman, with no idea that she's his mother.

Gladys George is amazing in one of her best roles. Good supporting cast includes Reginald Owen, Henry Daniell, and George Zucco. Ruth Hussey has a single but important scene. It's always nice to see her. Only weakness in the cast is John Beal. He's out of his depth and it shows. Best of all the film versions of Madame X. It's one of those "power of a mother's love" tearjerkers that were so popular in the 1930s.

Not many cheers in this picture but lots of drinking, and drinking, etc. This must be Gladys George's best performance, even better than in "Valiant Is The Word For Carrie" (1936), for which she won an Oscar nom but is rarely on TV. The picture depicts the precipitous fall from grace of a Parisian socialite, who is turned out of her home by her unforgiving husband after an adulterous affair.

So good is she in her role as a fallen woman that the movie is almost unwatchable at times, and the lower she descends the more sympathetic she becomes. Her portrayal of a floozy is perhaps the best characterization you will ever see, especially when she is drunk. There was not one scene in which she was off the mark in this picture - she was 'spot on', as they say.

The film has a 'B' picture feel, with Warren William and John Beal in crucial roles, although I think it was probably an 'A' in its time. I was very surprised and was not expecting George's extraordinary performance. I thought she was better here than Stanwyck was in another soaper, "Stella Dallas" (1937), and she gives you a better rooting interest.

I loved the decency of this movie. The issues were sensitive for the time period. But, the story did show that there is a price to pay for every mistake. Although the mother/wife was briefly involved in an adulterous relationship it was not glorified or flaunted. It was a mistake that she spent the rest of the movie hiding and paying for.

There were some unexpected plot turns. At different points in the movie, I was able to sympathize with each member of this tragic family. Every character was believable. I found a reason to like or dislike each one of them. I loved how this movie made each villain a victim. It was very easy to follow each character through their lives. Although the mother/wife had many faults, the love for her son makes you love her and feel for her.

Just a few days ago on TCM, I saw this version of Madam X. Gladys George's portrayal of Jacqueline Fleuriot was incredible! Her moving performance brought me to tears and this is not an easy thing to do. I felt her performance was natural and sensitive. Even in her darkest moments she emoted an incredible strength in the shadows of her fallen past. Warren Williams' flowing performance moves from frigid anger to final moments of self reproach. The pain in his eyes dominated the screen. What a marvelous performance!

Both these actors were supported by a cast of some of the best actors of their time.

I have read the play and wish to give this movie a standing ovation!

The numerous versions of "Madame X " were based on French Alexandre Bisson's play ,which is totally forgotten in his native land ;besides ,to my knowledge, they never made an adaptation of this tear-jerker over here .

I'd seen the 1966 color version before ,which should have been directed by the great Douglas Sirk who eventually gave up .This version featured the heroine' s mother-in -law ,who became her enemy at first sight.

Not only the in-law is ruled out ,but the movie begins with the scene of the murder , followed by the father who took cruelty to knew limits ,even though his wife he probably neglected cheated on him.

In the color version,Lana Turner did not surpass Gladys George ,by a long shot ; George runs the whole gammit,from a frivolous chic young woman to a human wreck ;all she does backfires on her : should she find a governess job, the cops are not far away .

The piece of resistance is of course the trial ,guaranteed to make the audience tear and sob through an entire box of kleenex ; John Beal as the lawyer/son is so convincing he would be able to move the most adamant juror ,;his over-the-top performance matches George's and easily outdoes Keir Dullea' s in Lowell Rich 1966 version.