Devotion

An enjoyable movie if you can suspend belief that Ann Harding can disguise herself as an older woman. Thankfully the story moves on beyond that concept. I found the Robert Williams role to be the most interesting part of the film and why I would recommend it, beyond that it does star Ann Harding and Leslie Howard.

Without going into the story too much he plays a character that we do not know whether to like or not. There is a lot of gray in who he is. The same can be said for the Leslie Howard character. I have watched a number of movies from the thirties and this is one of the ones that I would recommend watching if you have a chance.

What a bore. Every bit the "creaky early talkie", DEVOTION (1931) is stagey and the soundtrack is full of dead air and awkward silences. The story concerns "wallflower" Ann Harding disguising herself as a middle-aged governess in order to get closer to Leslie Howard (whom she secretly loves).

The movie is a chore to sit through. I've never really been a fan of Ann Harding, and she looks ridiculous in her old lady disguise. Seen nowadays, the movie is so preposterous and overdone as to be unintentionally funny. Harding's whole plan comes off as really creepy to a modern audience.

And why is Harding, a daughter in a fairly well-off family, doing chores with the servants while her parents and sisters entertain guests in the parlor? Is she the black sheep of the family? Is it a Cinderella situation?

The movie's not a total loss, however.

Robert Williams's naturalistic acting practically jumps off the screen, in contrast to the rest of the cast. Williams's bright future in Hollywood was cut short when he died shortly after this film's release in 1931. He had a natural way of delivering his lines that really stands out in DEVOTION, even though he only has a few scenes. If nothing else, this film gives viewers a rare chance to see Williams at work.

This is a charming, sweet, sometimes clever love story of a barrister and the lovely, dutiful daughter of a well-to-do family in London. Ann Harding wants to get from the grip of "family" (she's sort of a Cinderella here) -- leaves while they are on a holiday and disguises herself as a nanny named Mrs. Halifax. She is hired by Howard who has a small boy (likeable child actor) to look after the boy. Howard almost recognizes Harding beneath her "wig" but it takes a few days before he puts "two and two" together. There's all sorts of great old character actors (Alison Skipworth) who brighten the film with some earthiness before it floats away with ethereal Ann's delicate manner and beauty. One of the charms of a Harding film is looking at her shimmering blonde coiff. Here it's hidden half the time -- but she is quite wonderful in her part and the emotional charge of the story-line is sweet, heartfelt and reminds us of a lost innocence that used to be in early cinema -- that was really lovely.

I have always thought that it was a shame that Leslie Howard is remembered today (if at all) for one of his weakest roles, that of Ashley Wilkes in GONE WITH THE WIND. He was so much better than that! An actor, director, playwright, you name it, he did it all. He was also a helpful mentor to other actors such as Humphrey Bogart (they became such close friends that Bogart named his daughter "Leslie") and William Gargan (who named his son Leslie Howard Gargan). In DEVOTION, Leslie Howard is a lawyer who is loved by Ann Harding from afar. Yes, the plot plays out a little like a Mills and Boon novel, but in such a charming manner that the viewer can just sit back and enjoy!

Will true love conquer all?

Ann Harding disguises herself as a dowdy nanny--tough job, and she doesn't quite bring it off here, she's too youthful and pretty--to be near barrister Leslie Howard, likably doing one of his oh-so-British-gentry romantic leads. It's the lightest of trifles, with some lapses of logic, and after the deception is revealed, the movie drags on needlessly for a half an hour or so. But Harding's always a pleasure to watch, even if she doesn't quite convince in either of her British (Mayfair and Cockney) accents. And a plus, as noted by others, is Robert Williams, who's so marvelous in "Platinum Blonde." He had a Spencer Tracy down-to-earth quality that shines here, and he's a natural light comedian (though his character's somewhat off--are we supposed to like him or not?). Nice production values, amiable supporting cast, and was there ever a greater year for clothes than 1931?