User reviews

This first film version of the Rachel Crothers play finds Robert Montgomery as the irrepressible playboy who will do just about anything to win Myrna Loy back from the clutches of married publisher Frank Morgan. Even if that means bringing Morgan's wife Ann Harding into the picture. And When Ladies Meet, watch out.

A later version was done by MGM but with more of an emphasis on the mistress than the wife. Joan Crawford had Myrna Loy's role and Ann Harding's part was done by Greer Garson.

Robert Taylor played Montgomery's role and the difference between the two films is the quality of their performances. Taylor had developed a real gift for light comedy, but for Robert Montgomery this kind of part was what made his reputation.

Frank Morgan was far better than Herbert Marshall because he played the role as the two timing rat he was. You watch Marshall's performance and you'd think he was the wronged party. As for Morgan, no one loved him more than I in the role of the inept bumbler he usually played, but parts like in When Ladies Meet and also in Hallelujah, I'm a Bum do show him to good advantage in other kinds of roles.

It's hard to choose between Garson and Harding though. Both of them have the best part in the film and both make equally good use of it. Each are the best in their respective casts.

Eliminated from the second version is a great deadpan performance by Sterling Holloway as the allergy prone golf caddy who destroys Montgomery's game as he's playing with Harding.

The original play ran on Broadway for 191 performances in the 1932-1933 season and starred Walter Abel, Frieda Inescourt, Herbert Rawlinson and Selena Royle. Ironically all of these folks had substantial film careers, but could never be classified as any kind of box office.

When Ladies Meet is witty and bright and a great example of the sophisticated type comedy that's just not being done any more.

Though dated by modern standards, When Ladies Meet carried a popular message in the early part of the 20th century. It also carried a controversial argument, and both sides are explored in the film: can a wife and a mistress calmly and rationally solve their differences? If that seems interesting to you, rent this version-not the remake.

Myrna Loy stars as a young, modern authoress who has fallen in love with her publisher, Frank Morgan. He's married, but Myrna's never met his wife, and from her point of view, he's unhappy at home. She decides to prove her point to the world by writing her next novel based on her current situation with a twist ending of wishful thinking; in the end of her novel, the young woman confronts the man's wife and explains how much she loves him. The wife is gracious and realizes the sensible thing would be to give her husband a divorce, and all parties are happy. The trouble is, no one likes Myrna's unpublished manuscript. Frank claims it's unrealistic, as does Myrna's ardent and often rebuffed suitor, Robert Montgomery.

I won't tell you exactly what happens next, but I will say that Myrna gets a chance to test her theory with Frank's wife, Ann Harding. Before I saw this version, I tried watching the 1941 remake but couldn't get through it; now I know it was because the film was badly cast. In place of him who's so innocent she doesn't really know what she's doing is Joan Crawford. In place of the man so in love with her he refuses to look at another woman is Robert Taylor. In place of the married publisher who gets caught up in his emotions and isn't capable of rationality is Herbert Marshall. In place of the discarded wife who couldn't keep his interest at home is Greer Garson. How are any of these choices believable?

The 1933 original is very well cast and very believable. Myrna nails the attitude of a young person certain in her convictions without knowing what they are, and yet she's not so irritating you can't forgive her for her ignorance. Frank Morgan seems troubled, and it's totally believable he might not know exactly what he wants. Ann Harding is plain enough to make you understand why Frank has strayed, but she's strong enough to make you believe she'll put up a fight. This version is very good, so if you want to watch a representation of a bygone era check it out.

.....that you can't help but like. Whether it's her unusual beauty, her sensuous speaking voice, her obvious intelligence - all together she has enormous appeal. She was extremely popular in the early thirties before fans tired of her "stiff upper lip" portrayals and they found favourites with more down to earth appeal. Her best known film is probably "The Animal Kingdom" and the cinema rivalry in that film between Harding and Myrna Loy was such a hit that they were paired again in "When Ladies Meet", a scintillating comedy adapted from Rachel Crothers play.

Mary Howard (Myrna Loy) is a best selling author who is seeing a lot of her publisher, Rogers Woodruf - for business purposes!!! Her dizzy friend Bridgit (Alice Brady) tells her she should "go for it" after all his wife is an "awful dub"!! "He's a married man" - "I know, the best ones always are"!! Unbeknownst to everyone they are having a very secret affair. Her new book is very close to her heart - it is about a woman, having an affair with a married man, who wants to confront his wife and have a heart to heart talk - her lover is against it, much the same as her real life situation.

Meanwhile, Jimmie Lee (an annoying Robert Montgomery), who spends a lot of his free time proposing to Mary, who rejects him just as frequently, starts spending time with Claire (Ann Harding), Roger Woodruf's wife, who is more darling than dub!!! Knowing that Mary is staying at Bridgit's for the weekend, he "accidentally on purpose" brings Claire for a visit. Even though their friendship is platonic, for a gag, Jimmie suggests they give the impression that they are... .... to make Mary jealous -"I'm dust under her feet - not the cream in her coffee"!!! Claire throws herself into her role with great gusto - "Jimmy-Jimmy, did I leave my handkerchief with you, when we were waiting to be alone!!!"

The film only picks up when Ann Harding appears - even though she didn't appear until almost half an hour into the film. MGM was just starting to realise what they had in Myrna Loy. Even though she is the second billed actress - she is the main character. But Ann Harding was a real delight, I agree with some of the other reviewers, she steals the movie with her elegance and sophistication, the scenes between her and Myrna Loy are riveting to watch. The first half hour was pretty "talkie" without much being said. Robert Montgomery, who has never been a favourite of mine, played his usual type, shallow playboy who never seems to have employment (he is supposed to be a reporter and he occasionally mentions deadlines, but never meets them)!!!! Frank Morgan plays Rogers Woodruf, the publisher both women seem to be crazy about. But apart from Alice Brady as balmy Bridgit, together Ann Harding and Myrna Loy wipe everyone else off the screen. The conversations they have "When Ladies Meet" make for essential viewing.

Highly Recommended.

What a thought provoking and stimulating movie. One begins to sense what was lost due restriction of the Hays Commission. The svelte Ann Harding steels the show. She literally makes you fall in love with her character. Frank Morgan's role was very different from those that he later played. The sincere caring that the two female characters had for one another shows a sophistication that is as entrancing as it is admirable.

I wonder if millennials have even heard of the double standard. It used to be a real thing and a well-know phrase. It underlies one of the threads of this film's plot. Simply put, it meant it was OK for a man to have sex before marriage but if a woman did she was "a fallen woman" "a tramp" and some worse names. This begs the question of with whom the males were supposed to romp, but that's in tomorrow's lesson.

The central character is Mary (Myrna Loy), a successful novelist, unmarried and in love with a married man. She has based the protagonist of her latest, almost-finished, novel on herself. In the end of the novel this character gets the man and all concerned, even the wife, approve because their love is something so wonderful. This makes for a clever plot device in the film, as Mary gets to discuss the work in progress with various people with various degrees of understanding how autobiographical it is. One of these conversations leads to the film's climax and is a genuinely unsettling scene.

The hero, Jimmie (Robert Montgomery), is a type common in 1930s films, The Idle Rich Playboy With a Heart of Gold. He lectures her sternly on the importance of the double standard, gallantly explaining "Gosh, I've persuaded so many women and hated them afterward." The noble virtuous sort. Naturally he has an ulterior motive, namely Mary, whom he wants for himself, but only if legitimized by the marriage ceremony, and of course undefiled.

Jimmie's efforts don't stop there. He manages to intrude or otherwise disturb Mary and her lover whenever they have a moment together. It took me a while to realize that he was doing so to prevent their affair from being "consummated" as they used to say, since in the year 2020 I at first assumed it had already been consummated.

So, like many early-30s films, it's not only well done but gives you some insight into what was going on in those days. And as in many such, the final twists and turns look predictable but turn out be not exactly what you expected.

Definitely not an "action" film and a bit of a talkfest at times. Sometimes the characters seem to be debating rather than conversing. Lightened a bit by Alice Brady as a ditsy middle-aged rich woman with a boy toy. Her character helps move the plot along in places by blabbing people's secrets, then pretending it was an accident. You know the type.

I was so prepared to fall in love with this film, after hearing glowing remarks about it from other people. So I sat down to watch, expecting a real precode treat, and what I saw was a very unrealistic and rather silly scenario of two women appearing to like each other, one who is married and has children (Ann Harding) by the other lady's publisher (Frank Morgan), while he conducts a secret affair with the writer (Myrna Loy). Sound complicated and sleazy already? You're starting to get the picture.

Bob Montgomery plays a real airhead here and I had no patience with him. He is in love with the Myrna Loy writer character who is having the affair with the married man, and is low down enough to bring the publisher's unsuspecting wife to the trysting place of her husband and his paramour, knowing that eventually there will be a major confrontation and people he supposedly likes will be hurt. I usually love Bob Montgomery, but he really tried my patience here with this character. He behaves like a spoiled kid who whines because he can't have a lollipop he's always wanted. I also usually love Myrna Loy, but her character here was an idiot. I kept talking to her through the screen, "Wake up! You know you don't really believe all this 'live and let live' nonsense you're spouting." (Yes, I know, I'm losing it, talking to dead actors on a screen, but hey, it takes all kinds to make a world). ;)

Ann Harding was the only one who showed some dignity in this story, and I enjoyed her performance. One wonders how her character was so stupid to marry this publisher in the first place though.

Comic relief was also supplied by fruitcake Alice Brady and her ever-present, obvious lover, the piano player Walter (played delightfully by an actor named Martin Burton, who had me giggling like crazy; would love to see more of his work).

7 out of 10.

I saw this movie on TCM about a week ago, I had a blast. Ann Harding and Myrna Loy was excellent in this movie. Ann Harding may have stolen the show because she had the stronger role, I guess she was a bigger star than Myrna Loy at the time. Myrna Loy did a superb job with the role she was given by her MGM bosses. I never saw Myrna Loy cried in movie before, so she cried in this movie I was take aback, I said "Man she is good", she was very believable. I won't spoil it for you, but if you can get a copy, buy it. I am looking for one myself. Robert Montgomery proved to me that he is a fine comedian and a fine actor, because he more than held his own with the likes Ann Harding and Myrna Loy, but the stars of this movie are Ann Harding and Myrna Loy. This Movie is a Classic, I can't stop watching it.

Why is it that, these days, the term "sophisticated comedy" is synonymous with "something that isn't at all funny?"

Back in the seventies, Norman Lear made TV sitcoms more "sophisticated" by making them "socially relevant." This became all the rage. As a result, there hasn't been a genuinely funny American sitcom since Green Acres. Thank goodness for the BBC, with such gems as "Keeping Up Appearances."

"When Ladies Meet" goes even beyond these doldrums, however. I can't see why it's classified as a comedy at all. While it's not a tragedy in the Greek sense, where everyone is dead by the end, it certainly deserves to be classed as a drama rather than a comedy. Sure, there are some funny lines, mostly provided by Luis Alberni and Alice Brady, but they are much more like comedy relief than any kind of main flow of the story. I wouldn't even say there was much of a happy ending, although the finish is ambiguous enough that one can easily be imagined, a very trite one, at that.

Myrna Loy monopolizes the show, and handles this meaty role quite capably, although I much prefer her in comedy roles, particularly as the unparalleled Nora Charles in the "Thin Man" series (which are genuine "sophisticated comedies" by the pre-1971 meaning of the term).

Frank Morgan plays his brother Ralph, staid and serious. In fact, I had to look back at the credits more than once to make sure it was indeed Frank and not Ralph. There is nothing in his performance of the bubbly, bumbling, endearing character that he has played in so many other movies, notably "The Affairs of Cellini," and, of course, "The Wizard of Oz."

Robert Montgomery plays a conservative, stuffy "Family Values" type, once again quite out of character for the sprightly devil-may-care youthful adventurer that he has played so often in film. In fact, I found his stodginess to be quite at odds with his young age, and rather unbelievable. He plays a typical hypocrite who sees nothing the least bit wrong with men having multiple extra-marital affairs, but feels it is absolute anathema for a woman to even contemplate doing so. His character is abrasive and unpleasant throughout. He is thoroughly detestable.

The story is perhaps sophisticated for its time, but is barely so today. While these issues must still exist in our modern world, it is hard for me to believe that they would be handled with the same Biblical, Victorian attitudes that calcify the plot and especially the dialog in this movie. At least, one would hope not.

An interesting story, well developed, well acted, with almost no surprises. And definitely not a comedy, by the definition "something that will make you laugh."

New York City reporter Robert Montgomery (as Jimmie Lee) is in love with novelist Myrna Loy (as Mary Howard), but she won't accept his marriage proposals. She's in love with married publisher Frank Morgan (as Rogers Woodruf). In order to make Ms. Loy jealous, Mr. Montgomery persuades Mr. Morgan's wife Ann Harding (as Clare) to pose as his love interest "Mrs. Clara Clare". Loy's socialite friend Alice Brady (as Bridget Drake) offers advice and plays host to the cast at her country home. Rachel Crothers' sophisticated stage play retains a few amusing elements, after all these years. Would like to have seen more of Ms. Brady with companion Martin Burton (as Walter Manners). Enjoyed seeing Sterling Hayden as a caddy spreading hay fever.

***** When Ladies Meet (6/23/33) Harry Beaumont ~ Robert Montgomery, Myrna Loy, Ann Harding, Alice Brady

I saw and reviewed the 1941 remake of "When Ladies Meet" almost three years ago. I was a bit cold on the film--and thought it should have been much better considering the star-filled cast. However, when I saw the 1933 version today, I really appreciated it. This leads me to wonder--is the original version that much better or has my taste just changed over the last few years? I am not sure which--but I can highly recommend this earlier film.

The film is about adultery--a common topic during the Pre-Code era (up until mid 1934 when the new Production Code tightened the moral code within Hollywood's films). At first, it appears to actually endorse it or take a judgment neutral view--as Myrna Loy and Frank Morgan prepare to run off together even though Morgan is married. However, Loy's friend (Robert Montgomery) inexplicably loves her and wants to split the pair up because he feels this relationship is wrong. So, he connives to have Loy meet the wife (Ann Harding). What happens here is what makes the film so good--the women don't know who the other one actually is and they become friends. Only later do they discover the truth. I loved this final portion and I'd say more, but I don't want to ruin it. Suffice to say, it handles this moral quandary in a responsible and satisfying manner.

Aside from a few quibbles (such as why Montgomery wants Loy is she shows such selfish behaviors), I really enjoyed the film. Fine acting and a nice script make for an adult film that really is as good and hard-hitting today as it was back in 1933. Well worth seeing.

Adapted from, and probably not that different from, a Rachel Crothers stage play of the previous season, this marital trifle wants to be a sophisticated comedy, but isn't that comedic and isn't that sophisticated. The tale of a writer (Loy) pursued by a playboy (Montgomery) but having an affair with her publisher (Morgan) in front of his wife (Harding)'s eyes, it's agreeably pre-Code in that there's much unapologetic drinking and much fairly frank discussion of adultery, but the jokes are mostly variations on somebody's-in-bed-with-somebody-they-shouldn't-be-in-bed-with, and Alice Brady, as the ditsy socialite meddling in everybody's affairs, is one-note, the same note she plied in many similar performances. We're supposed to root for Montgomery, but he's rather smirky, and Loy, while beautiful and accomplished, is a little hard to believe as having the wit and thoughtfulness to pen one bestseller after another. Harding's intelligent and feminine, as always, but she's played this part before and isn't adding anything new to it. It's stagy and static (and where, oh where, did they get the idea that that's what a Lower East Side apartment would look like?), and the ending's unsatisfyingly ambiguous--so, do they end up together or don't they? Not that one cares much.

1933 comedy isn't too creaky, despite its age. Droll adaptation (the first of two) of Rachel Crothers' play about a female writer who has penned a fictional account of an affair she had with a married man, later unknowingly befriending the jilted wife at a dinner party. Some very tart lines and smart performances by Ann Harding, Myrna Loy and Frank Morgan, but the direction (reportedly troubled) is somewhat sluggish. Robert Montgomery is an acting casualty, and the 85-minute film takes a good 45 minutes to warm up. Later remade in 1941 with Joan Crawford, and perhaps was the starting point for Allan Burns and Mary Tyler Moore's "Just Between Friends". ** from ****

I had a blast watching this sparkling and affable MGM classic - the first and best adaptation of Crothers' luridly sophisticated play, beautifully shot in black and white with some stylish Cedric Gibbons art direction. Elegant and effervescent, this pre-Code film is a triumph of casting: Myrna Loy, Ann Harding, Robert Montgomery, Alice Brady, and Frank Morgan all in top form. Loy is surprisingly enjoyable as the lady novelist Mary who is deeply in love with the publisher Rodge (Morgan). I agree Ann Harding steals the show; she never looked beautiful and radiant as the wife of the publisher. Alice Brady is a revelation as the whimsical society matron Bridget. The film sometimes feels too gabby but it is aided by the stars' charisma and a tremendously witty dialogue.

When Ladies Meet (1933) : Brief Review -

Women don't fool women.. about women! That's how one of the quotes goes in the film, which vibrantly presents some honest and daring statements without losing its comedic touch. This film deserves to be recognized as unique for finding the right motive by the end, even though for most of the time, it plays like a typical romantic comedy. Let me share the story because I think it's very interesting and will pique your curiosity. A so-called smart and clever writer falls in love with her novel publisher, who is married. She is writing a novel about a love triangle that mirrors her own life, where a woman falls in love with a married man. She believes that these two women should sit down and talk this out sensibly. The man who loves this writer decides to bring her fictional thoughts to life and introduces the publisher's wife to her, presenting her as his cousin. The writer, unaware that this woman is her lover's wife, tells her about her novel and asks for her opinion since she is stuck with the ending and seeks another woman's perspective. These two exchange many sensible thoughts, but they are contrary to each other. What happens when the husband/publisher arrives on the scene and the joke turns into a real chapter from a fictional book? In the end, we see a fine conclusion that showcases powerful feminism (and I, being a man, saying this means a lot). Some independent women's thoughts are disclosed and accepted here, and throughout, we are enjoying the comedy. It's such a perfect blend. Robert Montgomery, Ann Harding, and Myrna Loy complement each other beautifully, and the screenplay is fantastic. Harry Beaumont and Robert Z. Leonard's adaptation does full justice to the original play. I don't really mind if the pre-code comedies are not original and are adopted from the plays, because if this is how it's done, then they should adopt/remake the good plays out there (and Hollywood did that quite often).

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

I never found a dull moment in this film. Every scene and line is significant in the delivery of the story. It deals with themes of romance on the surface, but at its heart it examines the nature of interpersonal relationships in a very thoughtful way, and it is still very relevant today. This film may not be everyone's cup of tea, and it requires undivided attention (and maybe subtitles) to pick up on all that's going on-you really don't want to miss any lines-but if you enjoy classic cinema, you should definitely check this one out.

I absolutely adored this film.

The female parts, in particular, appealed to me. Especially Myrna Loy & Ann Harding, playing interesting, intelligent, thoughtful, basically kind and compassionate women, even if Loy's Mary was naively blind to her lover's duplicity. After all, that snake was a convincing liar.

Alice Brady's Bridget was the kind of ditzy character who could very easily be annoying & unlikeabke, but I didn't find her so. Fine comic relief in this drama.

Robert Montgomery's Jimmie was irritating, but not awful, and Frank Morgan's Rogers was awful but, in the end, got what he deserved, which was satisfying.

No doubt, the setting, both time & place, added to my enjoyment. I think the 30s may be my favorite period for fashion, architecture, interior design (Bridget's country home was gorgeous) and, well, films.

Jimmie Lee (Robert Montgomery) is in love with writer Mary Howard (Myrna Loy) but she's attracted to her publisher Rogers Woodruf (Frank Morgan) who is married to Clare (Ann Harding). The two women don't know each other. Jimmie is desperate to break up Mary and Rogers by putting the ladies together.

I love Myrna Loy and she's blonde in this one. Problem is that I hate both guys. Jimmie is too clingy and Rogers is a cheater. She's also not that innocent. It leaves me thinking if this is actually a comedy. I don't really like these characters. It doesn't prevent it from being funny but it's not funny. Maybe it's not a comedy after all or maybe it's a comedy of manners. The best scene is "When Ladies Meet". The two women have the big conversation by themselves. They don't actually know each other's identity as they talk about their situation. It's not funny but it is a compelling exchange. This is pre-Code and I assume the subject matter would be rejected by the code.

"Oh, that's Victorian bunk. You're even out of touch with your own sex, Jimmie."

There are some really nice elements in this film, starting with the power trio of Myrna Loy, Ann Harding, and Alice Brady (Brady especially!), and including some open questioning of conventional morality. Unfortunately, the film's also got Frank Morgan who is woefully miscast, Robert Montgomery as a smarmy guy mansplaining things to his friend when he isn't hitting on her, and a feel-good, unsatisfying resolution that ultimately doesn't really challenge anything, despite giving us a few cathartic moments.

My favorite character here was Bridgie (Brady), who early on questions why women shouldn't take lovers, even married men if they'd like: "Well after all, why control yourself? Nobody else does. I know I'm a fool being so decent about Walter. Everybody else does exactly as they please, so why shouldn't I? But I don't. And the funny thing is that I actually don't know whether it's because I'm too good, or I, I haven't got the nerve.... I tell you, this is an awfully hard age for a good woman to live in. I mean, a woman who wants to have any fun. The old instincts of right and wrong merely hold you back."

She's consoling her author friend (Loy), you see, because the latter is carrying on an affair with her publisher (Morgan), who is married with children (Harding plays the wife). The author is naïve about two things, (1) that the publisher truly loves her, and (2) that if she just talks to the wife rationally about the situation, they can come to an amicable agreement. She also happens to be writing a book about the same subject, one that her friend (Montgomery) says doesn't ring true. He tells her how a "decent" woman shouldn't give in to a man's physical advances in the first place, because he'll get bored of her afterwards. "Gosh, I've persuaded so many women and hated them afterwards," he says crudely while thinking about swatting her behind with a daffodil (ugh). He also happens to have feelings for her that are unreciprocated, so naturally schemes to break up her affair.

One of the issues with the film is that Morgan and Loy make an odd pairing, as aside from the 15 year age gap between the two, they don't have chemistry together. Morgan is simply miscast, as when Harding's character describes him as "a man who can no more help attracting other women than he can help breathing," I mean, please.

Another problem is where the film goes once all of these characters inevitably meet. Harding does have some fine moments describing how she's coped with the serial adultery her husband has committed over their marriage, which was poignant, but it was also irritating that this intelligent woman, who thinks at times she has to pretend she isn't as talented as he is for the sake of his ego (like at golf), stood by him for years. She speaks emotionally and takes a swipe at not only male wandering but also the "ghastly" institution of marriage: "You can't hope to hold him with just yourself. I don't care how beautiful or clever or wonderful you are, he has to have something in him that will make him stick. Nothing else can pull a man and a woman through the ghastly job of living together."

She also tells the author that if she knew the mistress, "I'd loathe her with a deadly hate that would shrivel her up. I'd call her a vile, brazen..." which was certainly an honest moment. Her feelings don't last long, however, leading to a calm scene between the two women when the truth is out that feels as false as the book Loy's character is writing. We get that beautiful moment when she leaves her husband, fed up with him at last, but there is also the sense that he's learned something and will patch things up for the sake of the children, meanwhile, whaddya know, Loy is now amused by Montgomery, and will probably end up together with him too. It's far too tame and nice, if you ask me, just giving a married man carrying on an affair some temporary comeuppance, and an education to a "modern woman" who naively thought free love could be so easy, thus delivering a dose of traditional morality after all.

I still liked it for its amusing moments, however. You get a cameo from an uncredited Sterling Holloway as a sassy caddy with hay fever, for one thing. Frank Morgan impersonates a horse, and apparently has a foot fetish, as we come to know that long ago he complimented his wife's feet, and also admires Myrna Loy's (to which she says is an "odd compliment, I like it"). You also get many delightful moments from Alice Brady, including these quotes:

"You know, you can't get men to come out to the country and stay there. Of course, I could fill the house full of women easily, but oh my goodness, I'm so sick of females."

"Don't be an ass, Walter"

(woken up at 2am) "What's the matter with you people? Don't you know what beds are for? Or do you? (implying they've slept together) Or is that the wrong thing to say?"

"Well I'm going back to bed, come along Walter," then breaking the 4th wall and telling the audience "Oh, I didn't mean that!" and giggles before leaving. She was such a pistol.