I happened to see this and three other Kay Francis films recently when they were shown on TCM. And, surprisingly, all four films were about adultery and three of them had Kay playing a horrid skank! So, when I saw her appear on the screen, I just KNEW she was no good!!! This sort of type-casting must have been what killed Ms. Francis' career--that and the more restrictive and less sleazy style of films that were mandated by the new Production Code in 1934.
In this film at least, Kay does not play an obvious adultress. In fact, she isn't a major player in the first half of the film--which was by far the best portion of this movie. Kay Johnson plays a rich woman who marries her chauffeur (Charles Bickford). Her father disowns her because of this and the first portion is all about this nice couple struggling to barely get by.
Unfortunately, after five years of marriage and struggle, they agree to move into a wonderful ranch owned by Kay Francis and her husband (Lewis Stone). This is because although the marriage of Bickford and Johnson seemed loving and good, Ms. Francis began making overtures towards Bickford and he eventually gets him to leave his family. It was interesting to see how a seemingly decent man could make a series of bad choices that made the affair seem almost inevitable, though this also undid so much of the rest of the film--and this was irritating to me. I really wish the film hadn't gone this direction or that the basic selfishness of Bickford had been more apparent sooner--I'd invested a lot in the family and this disruption just didn't ring true. If Bickford really was the nice guy with integrity we'd come to like and respect, then why this change?!
FYI--Late in the film, look for a young and easy to miss Ray Milland as a guest at the party. It's obvious this is early in his career and it's just a bit part. Also, keep an eye on Zasu Pitts in the film--she's hilarious as the most glum and depressing supporting character I have seen in years!!
In this film at least, Kay does not play an obvious adultress. In fact, she isn't a major player in the first half of the film--which was by far the best portion of this movie. Kay Johnson plays a rich woman who marries her chauffeur (Charles Bickford). Her father disowns her because of this and the first portion is all about this nice couple struggling to barely get by.
Unfortunately, after five years of marriage and struggle, they agree to move into a wonderful ranch owned by Kay Francis and her husband (Lewis Stone). This is because although the marriage of Bickford and Johnson seemed loving and good, Ms. Francis began making overtures towards Bickford and he eventually gets him to leave his family. It was interesting to see how a seemingly decent man could make a series of bad choices that made the affair seem almost inevitable, though this also undid so much of the rest of the film--and this was irritating to me. I really wish the film hadn't gone this direction or that the basic selfishness of Bickford had been more apparent sooner--I'd invested a lot in the family and this disruption just didn't ring true. If Bickford really was the nice guy with integrity we'd come to like and respect, then why this change?!
FYI--Late in the film, look for a young and easy to miss Ray Milland as a guest at the party. It's obvious this is early in his career and it's just a bit part. Also, keep an eye on Zasu Pitts in the film--she's hilarious as the most glum and depressing supporting character I have seen in years!!