Unfaithful

The plot and title for this film, "Unfaithful", is clearly the sort of thing that was very popular in the Pre-Code era, a time in filmmaking when all sorts of adult topics were the rage. In this case, the story is about adultery and an open marriage....pretty adult stuff indeed!

When the story begins, Fay (Ruth Chatterton) marries a rich British man and she's deliriously happy. However, she soon discovers that her husband has a mistress....and he has no intention of giving her up. So, Fay decides to stay married but to also live a gay lifestyle...with lots of men and excitement. Soon she meets an artist, Carl (Paul Lukas), and the two fall in love. He wants to marry her. She, oddly, wishes to remain married and carry on an affair of her own. When he doesn't agree, she dives into the wild life with both feet...all in an effort to upset her husband's stuff friends and to distract herself from a bum marriage.

So is it any good? Well, not particularly. The worst part is hearing Chatterton sing...it almost made me want to loud out loud AND hit fast forward! As far as the story goes, it was okay but had one major problem...I didn't care about anyone. Additionally, it's never at all apparent why Lukas' character falls in love. Otherwise, it's watchable and a decent enough time-passer.

Ruth Chatterton (Fay) marries everybody's favourite high society hero Paul Cavanagh (Ronnie). As charming as he is, however, he is also pretty adept at deception. Chatterton realizes that all is not as it seems when it comes to marital fidelity. What she does as a reaction to her discovery is totally bizarre but it's done in good faith to protect her emotionally unstable brother Donald Cook (Terry). What I like about pre-code films is that you can end them how you like. Will the truth be revealed?

Well, I didn't expect that ending. I think there is quite a lot of plot that unravels during this film. It is a soap opera story that manages some complicated plot twists during its short running time. The problem is that the male characters are difficult to differentiate at the film's beginning, it's slow to get going and the storyline is just complete nonsense. The line deliveries of Ruth Chatterton and Donald Cook are way over the top - spoken as if acting in the case of Chatterton and as if trying to act in the case of Cook. I'm afraid that people have just never spoken like that in reality.

It's funny when you look back on the fashion styles of the time. Those pencil moustaches and slicked back hair just make all men look the same. It's similar to women who tie their hair back taught against their foreheads into a ponytail (the Essex facelift) - you all look the same as each other!

American heiress Ruth Chatterton (as Fay Houston) marries likewise wealthy Englishman Paul Cavanaugh (as Ronald "Ronnie" Kilkerry). The marriage seems like a match made in societal Heaven, but not after Ms. Chatterton discovers Mr. Cavanaugh isn't willing to give up his long-term mistress, Juliette Compton (as Gemma). Since her husband's lover is also the wife of her beloved brother, Chatterton is forced to keep mum about the affair. She's afraid already unstable brother Donald Cook (as Terrence "Terry" Houston) might go off the deep end. So, Chatterton becomes a gossiped-about party girl. In Paris, she meets lonely Paul Lukas (as Carl Heiden), a struggling artist. Will Chatterton become "Unfaithful" too?

Later, a tragedy brings many truths into the open…

"Unfaithful" is witty in spots - we learn, for example, that Chatterton's husband is the second most popular man in England, after Maurice Chevalier - but, the film is not much more than an opportunity for its star to model the latest fashions, while acting out its targeted audience's fantasy. There are times when you can almost - but not quite - hear directions for her to turn and pose for the camera. With the exception of her matronly wedding dress, Chatterton looks fine.

**** Unfaithful (3/14/31) John Cromwell ~ Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas, Paul Cavanaugh, Donald Cook