Talk About Jacqueline

This is a different version of the previous German film Man spricht über Jacqueline from 1937. It is, though, quite different apart from the basic plot lines. This English version is undoubtedly a comedy, while the German one has a considerable amount of drama.

Jacqueline is a rich young woman who travels around Europe seeking adventure and having fun, occasionally returning home to England, only to soon leave again. Men fall for her and one after another go after her, but she loves no one, leaving as soon as they try to catch her. She does not care if people talk about her -and they do. No regrets and no compromise. That is, until she meets Michael Thomas, a mysoginous doctor back from the wild who has strict moral views on how women should be like -precisely what his mother wasn´t- and does not react to her charms. Jacq makes a point to get him, despite her cousin Leslie´s warnings, and feels increasingly attracted to him. Yet knowing how he feels she decides to hide her past, relying on her otherwise discrete sister June for help.

The main difference between the two versions relies in the approach to this situation. This 40s version takes profit of the honest try on June´s side to help Jacq (Carla Lehmann) out of trouble, even if this means take the blame herself for her sister´s misbehavings in order to preserve her chance of happiness, and we can also see the troubles she gets into to convince Michael (Hugh Williams) that she is a "woman of the world". Joyce Howard makes the most of it, and offers us a comedic vein really enjoyable to see. Even so, sooner or later Jacqueline will have to tell Michael the truth. Will she run as she has always done or will she face it?

Having watched both versions I´ve also written a review on the German one where its different approach is addressed.