Change of Heart

Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, James Dunn, and Ginger Rogers all experience a "Change of Heart" in this 1934 film about college graduates moving to New York City to "make it." It's the last of 12 pairings of Gaynor and Farrell.

I love old films because of what they tell us about the past - you could read it in a history book, but somehow, it's not the same. It took FIFTEEN HOURS to fly coast to coast in 1934. And I complain that it takes five now. Outrageous. If you look really fast when they're on the plane, you'll see Shirley Temple getting a paper airplane. Those curls are unmistakable.

Gaynor is in love with Farrell, Farrell is in love with Rogers, Dunn is in love with Gaynor. Rogers is a golddigger and takes off early on to be with rich and important people who can further her acting career. You can guess all of the rest.

Rogers is beautiful and vivacious in her role, Gaynor is sweet and likable, Dunn is charming and cuddly, and Farrell is mysterious and handsome. It's really a lovely movie with an attractive cast that captures the excitement of young people starting out in the big city.

I thought this was a sweet and sincere movie, capturing a sense of New York in the 1930s. Both Janet Gaynor and Charlie Farrell are perfect as the innocent lovers, and Ginger Rogers nails the role of the egotistical yet classy "friend." I did think the last scene was a bit abrupt, but otherwise, a well-done movie. For those who enjoy heart-warming light romances, this is a treat.

Along with Janet Gaynor, Charlie Farrell and Ginger Rogers, the cast is filled with stellar talent, not the least of which is Shirley Temple in the airplane scene. Beryl Mercer, Jane Darwell, James Dunn and Mischa Auer all do laudable jobs, although Dunn's role is unevenly scripted.

I found the close-ups in this movie to be very well done. The shaving scene with Farrell and Gaynor is a classic--full of sentiment yet composed. Also, the scene between the doctor and Gaynor, with the camera just catching Gaynor from the back of her head, was masterful.

It's a joy to watch understatement so beautifully played!

For most people Ginger Rogers is most remembered from this cast, of course, as one of the biggest stars of the Golden Age. But in the early 1930s it was Janet Gaynor who was the superstar, one of the biggest box office draws of the 1920s, unfairly forgotten today because her greatest work was in silent film. Her partnership with Farrell had been a great success but by this time their popularity had faded and this was the last. Gaynor wanted better roles and she wanted to move away from the ingenue characters which she knew were behind her, but her studio continued to put her in the same typecast role with the same typecast and faded partner. Rogers was to suffer a similar problem a few years later, when she had become a much bigger star than *her faded and typecasted partner, but the studio kept putting box office poison Fred Astaire in her movies because, as Pandro Berman said, they didn't have anything else for him and it was a waste of time and money teaming him with anybody else.

Both Gaynor and Rogers had outgrown Farrell and Astaire and everyone from the public to the studio executives knew it but they struggled to find suitable roles. Rogers through force of will, luck, and a stronger, more mature film industry, was able to break out of her typecasting with a series of amazing films. Gaynor, an earlier star and a superb actress, did not have the same luck with roles and retired at just 33.

While it wasn't a box office success, 'Change of Heart' is perfectly watchable if rather forgettable. But 'Change of Heart' was a big break for Rogers, playing across from one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Just like 'Upperworld' where Ginger completely outperforms and outshines Mary Astor, it is very easy to imagine her luring Charles Farrell away in 'Change of Heart.' The two actresses became great friends during this movie, Gaynor teaching Rogers acting tricks and Rogers teaching Gaynor how to draw and paint. Janet became a very fine artist in later life and was a frequent visitor at Ginger's home for many years,

Merion C. Cooper had seen Ginger's potential, brought her in to RKO, and set her course to stardom, so that by May 1934, Rogers movies were playing everywhere - Finishing School, Upperworld, Twenty Million Sweethearts, and Change of Heart, all four were playing in theatres at the same time. RKO had run a shrewd marketing campaign, timing her films to roll out that summer and the public and critical responses were very strong. Ginger's memory was that her career wasn't going as well as she wanted at this time, but in fact as Variety reported, Ginger got a new contract while 'Change of Heart' was playing in May of 1934, and her salary was tripled. She got another raise a few months later when she signed up for 'Gay Divorcee.' That is an all-time essential movie, of course, but it was the marketing blitz and hard work of the previous eighteen months that made the public love her.

'Change of Heart' is Ginger's last film before she went supernova with 'Gay Divorcee,' and it is the last supporting role of Ginger's career.

Change of Heart (1934)

** (out of 4)

Four friends (Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, James Dunn, Ginger Rogers) graduate college and decide to move from California to New York City so that they can make their dreams come true. At first the four stay together but soon personal relationships start to tear them apart. CHANGE OF HEART has pretty much been forgotten by everyone except for fans of Gaynor and Farrell as this here would be their final film together. They did a total of twelve together and I think it's easy to say that this one here isn't among their best. There are many problems with this film but I think it's rather obvious that the screenplay is simply tired and it doesn't give us anything fresh or original. If you've ever seen a romantic-drama-comedy then you're going to see every twist and turn coming. Even by 1934 standards this thing is pretty cliché ridden and even worse is that it's all too predictable. As you'd expect, along the way there are crossed romances going on. Person A loves person B but person B is in love with person C who in returns is in love with person A. The only thing that keeps this film remotely entertaining is the terrific cast led by Gaynor who is always bright enough to light up any film no matter how routine it is. She's certainly the stand-out here but Rogers is also very good in her role of the not-so-nice girl trying to become a rich actress. Both Farrell and Dunn are good as well and we've even got Dick Foran in his first role. Fans of Shirley Temple will find her here playing a girl named Shirley. CHANGE OF HEART has been forgotten over the years and it's easy to see why. The only ones needing to check this out are fans of the actors.

This short film had significance in more ways than one. It was the last pairing of that romantic duo from silent days, Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. It was one of the last films from Fox Studios before it merged with 20th Century. It was one of the last films before the Production Code (which would kick in about two months later). And it might have been the first appearance (and a real quick one) of Shirley Temple.

This movie also had some great scenes of New York City in the mid 1930's, that kind of made me wish for a time machine.

As for the story, it was good, a love quadrangle of sorts, with four college friends hitting the big city after graduation: Kate (Janet), Chris (Charles), Madge (Ginger Rogers) and Mac (James Dunn). Kate's in love with Chris, Chris is in love with Madge, Madge flirts with both guys but prefers Chris while Mac seems to take nothing seriously but makes a play for Kate.

They all have hopes, dreams, ambitions, and only Kate knows her own heart from the start, the others have to learn from their mistakes.

Fun as well as touching, and worth checking out.