A Notorious Affair

This is a deliciously daft precode, notable for the appearance of a very pallid Basil Rathbone as a high-strung Italian violinist (or was he French?), one of the few available talkies made by wide-eyed, silent star Billie Dove, and mainly, the presence of a slinky, sex-mad countess Olga, played with great verve by Kay Francis, who early on establishes her credentials by trying out the stable boy and then checking out the older dude who works the feed duties: Kay is constantly on the prowl in a very modern sense, while the script sets up poor Billie as the put-upon wife who gives up fortune for love and finds out husband's real talent is infidelity.

For today's moviegoer, this is probably pretty dull stuff, but for the film historian, the fan of Kay Francis, or anybody who wants to enjoy the minor delights of an early "B" romance, this can be great fun.

I'm not sure what this movie is trying to tell us, but after watching it twice I decided that is not important. It is all of the little things that make this a rewarding yet campy experience, most likely for the film history buff. The movie is about a young heiress, Patricia Hanley (Billie Dove), whose engagement is announced without her even being present. Did Dad and dear fiancé just talk this over and assume the bride's opinion is of no matter? Meanwhile Patricia is in love with an Italian starving artist who is working hard to make it as a concert violinist (Basil Rathbone as Paul Gherardi) and marries him, perhaps believing that it is easier to seek forgiveness than permission from dear old snobby dad - she'd be wrong. When she interrupts her own engagement party to say she has married a poor Italian musician, dad ejects her from the family, and "her set" - the idle rich - turn their back on her.

Up to this point there is a parallel story, that of Countess Olga Balakireff (Kay Francis), who fortunately, unlike poor Basil Rathbone, does not even feign an accent to any real extent. She is actually introduced in the opening scene as pretty much an idler who spends her time either on horseback or picking her latest liaison from among the servant class. I think the point here is to say that Patricia choosing marriage with somebody she loves is not accepted by her wealthy friends and family, but Olga treating her manservants like her property and using them for sex is not only accepted but somewhat admired, given the conversation and gossip in the opening scene.

Paul will never get anywhere on the concert scene unless he can find a "patron", and wouldn't you know that Olga just happens to be a patron of the arts who is attracted to the exotic Paul. How will this all work out? Watch and find out.

Why is this great for film buffs? First of all, because what is absolutely hilarious today could not have been known in 1930 - that Basil Rathbone would become the face of Sherlock Holmes in the movies in the late 30's and 40's and would play both villains and heroes in other films, but always classy, erudite, and somewhat British. Today Rathbone's shrill performance with a bad accent is the equivalent of watching Kelsey Grammar of Frasier fame play The Hulk in a Marvel Comics film production.

Then there is poor Billie Dove. Like so many of the silent stars, her looks said it all in the silents, but here it is the dawn of sound and she is expected to project with words not just gazes and she just is not up to the task. She isn't terrible, she is just completely mediocre and no competition for what is to come - the first generation of talking film actresses - Blondell, Stanwyck, Davis, and company.

Finally there is the "mystery illness" that was just accepted in early films as a legitimate plot device. Someone becomes paralyzed by a nervous breakdown and an operation is necessary? I'm an engineer by trade and even I know this is medical hooey.

So watch it for the film history of it all, and finally watch it for Kay Francis, who is marvelous and seductive in this her only second year in films. Recommended mainly for the film history buff.

It's a credit to silent screen star Billie Dove that she actually manages to keep Kay Francis from walking away with this movie. It's a great role for Kay, as the lecherous Countess Balakireff, with some killer dialogue ("I never noticed you had pale blue eyes before. I hate pale blue eyes").

Dove, as heiress Patricia Hanley, elopes with starving violinist Paul Gherardi (Basil Rathbone), throwing away her family, fortune and fiancé in the process. Gherardi promptly begins an affair with the predatory Balakireff, as well as achieving fame and what is apparently a load of cash. When Balakireff throws over Gherardi, he suffers a nervous breakdown and is tended to by Dr. Alan Pomeroy, (Kenneth Thomson) Mrs. Gherardi's former fiancé.

Rathbone tries hard -- in fact, it's amazing that he remained so trim with the amount of scenery he was chewing. But Dove and Francis steal the movie from him effortlessly. It's the lovely Dove, with her luminous eyes, and the ravishing Francis that raise this film above the typical precode programmer.

Special credit goes to Thomson, who comes off as a complete loser in the opening scenes, only to return in the latter part of the film as a credible potential love interest. Also noteworthy is the gown Francis wears in the Christmas Carol scene, with a neckline that plunges to her waist.

The plot here is thin, but the team of Dove and Francis make it an interesting diversion.

Patricia Hanley (Billie Dove) married violinist Paul Gherardi (Basil Rathbone), despite the strong disapproval of her father and their high society friends. Dramatics ensue.

Billie Dove is the only saving grace of this movie. Her charm, beauty and engaging presence make this dull soap opera watchable. Less watchable is Basil Rathbone, who is miscast as a romantic leading man. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. or even Phillips Holmes would have been much better in the role. Kay Francis, as the other woman, acquits herself nicely, with her best films yet to come.

It should be noted that this film is one of Billie's few surviving Warner Bros./First-National talkies. For example, her four 1929 films are lost! Still, if you are a Billie Dove fan, you might enjoy this one.

Billie Dove, Basil Rathbone and Kay Francis star in this early talkie about "A Notorious Affair." Basil is a concert violinist who, in the beginning of the film, marries Billie and then becomes infatuated with Kay Francis. The film then bogs down into too much talking. The film has its moments of wit and has good supporting characters, such as Laura Hope Crews from "Gone with the Wind." But the film suffers badly from Billie Dove's wooden acting, particularly in scenes that matter most, especially the scenes between Basil and herself, the closing scene included. And, Basil Rathbone must have gotten better as he had more acting experience, because frankly his delivery was rather unaffected. There was no emotion in their words. What gives the film the life it has is owed to Ms. Kay Francis, as she is excellent as the smoldering, exotic and sensual temptress. She is missed so much when she is not in the scene. While "A Notorious Affair" is a must for Kay Francis fans, others need not bother. 6/10 for a memorable Kay Francis performance.