Letty Lynton

This is one of those "mythic" films, the 1932 Joan Crawford vehicle not available anywhere, not even for TV broadcasting, because it's been in a legal tangle for decades and decades; the film in which Crawford wore one of the most famous outfits ever displayed on screen, a beautiful Adrian creation, a white evening dress which was copied in its time and sold to eager female fans in Department Stores along the United States.

In this glossy film, Crawford plays the title role, a rich and spoiled heiress, who's been living the "wild life" in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay with debonair man-of-the-world Emile Rénaul, played by Nils Asther only to regret it when clean-cut Jerry Darrow (Robert Montgomery) comes into her life.

This is a star-vehicle all the way, with Crawford being photographed in the most ravishing poses, positions, from the best angles; much care was put in the in the lighting and her make-up & wardrobe. Perhaps this is one of the films in which I've seen Crawford at her prettiest and sexiest, wearing a chain of exquisite, sophisticated Adrian designed evening dresses and suits, furs et al, all carefully designed to conceal her broad shoulders, which later became a trademark of hers. At this time she had not fully developed into the dramatic actress she later became, but in spite of some heavy melodramatics, her performance is good.

Her co-star Robert Montgomery has little to do in comparison but being well-bred and nice and he is good, as usual, at it. Nils Asther is the "heavy" here and being a Swedish, believably interprets an European, evil, magnate who doesn't want Letty let go; maybe his style of playing the continental lover (sometimes displaying heavy emoting) may seem somewhat artificial to modern audiences, but in all he's OK as the villain, considering it was filmed in 1932.

One of the greatest rewards of the films is watching seasoned pros as Lewis Stone, May Robson, Louise Closser-Hale and Emma Dunn playing expertly their secondary roles. Robson is magnificent as Crawford's long-suffering dowager mother; Closser-Hale endearing as Crawford's loving personal traveling companion and maid; Emma Dunn, very sweet as Montgomery's mother and Lewis Stone at his usual "knows-best" as a D.A.

It is a shame that this film is not available for everybody to see, because it's good and part of America's Cinematic inheritance and history and should not be prevented from airing because of some 70 years-old legal entanglement. I'm grateful of having had the chance of buying a fair-quality copy from a private collector, but I would like to have the chance of seeing a sharp, clear, pristine transfer of the notorious "Letty Lynton".

Letty Lynton (Joan Crawford) had men coming out of her ears. Everywhere she went men were clambering for her. One particular man, Emile Renaul (Nils Asther), whom she met abroad, was determined to possess her at all costs. She was once madly in love with him, then his veneer finish slowly faded and she was no longer in love with him, yet he was certainly still in love with (or infatuated with) her.

Letty peeled free of Emile in Rio de Janeiro and headed home for New York. On the ship she met Jerry (Robert Montgomery) who'd also fall in love with her. By the end of their two week voyage they were engaged to be married. Things got dicey for Letty when Emile was waiting at the dock for her in New York. Now she had to figure out a way to push Emile away for good while not letting on to Jerry she had such a relationship.

In this movie Letty was painted as the sympathetic character. She'd had a fling and was now indefinitely tied to this man whom she loved no more. The drama and suspense wasn't that of a "Fatal Attraction" or "Sleeping with the Enemy" in that Emile was going to do her bodily harm, the drama and suspense was in his ability to expose Letty. She was from a wealthy upstanding family and in the 30's, as I have learned, image is everything to high society. Letty's image would've been indelibly tarnished if Emile revealed to the world their tryst.

The problem I had with the "drama" was that I didn't see it as that big of a deal. Letty didn't want to lose Jerry, hence she wanted to keep Emile a secret. We, as the viewers, were supposed to feel the pain, angst, and desperation Letty had as she sought to free herself from Emile. I just couldn't feel it. I agree, it sucked to be in her position, but a big part of me was thinking, "Cut him off and deal with whatever he decides to reveal." I thought that because A.) I'm sure that the embarrassment would only be temporary B.) I believed Jerry would stick around and C.) Letty and Jerry's relationship never moved me. They met on a boat, had some good times, and decided to marry. The relationship was too simple for me to have any strong feelings about its survival.

Letty would deal with things her own way and find out just how much love she had, or didn't have, from Jerry.

The drop-dead gorgeous gown, (you all know, which one I'm talking about) that Joan Crawford wears in this film, is probably the best gown ever designed in Hollywood..... (really the greatest trend in hollywood history) Joan Crawford wears it with such class, and elegance...... Hollywood could never make such a film nowadays....... (everything has gone from tasteless, to trash) Now, about the movie itself...... I would say, that it's an above average movie, although nothing really outstanding about the story...... Evidently, the high fashion display outshine the movie itself....... (at times, I felt the movie was a fashion showcase)Nevertheless, Crawford & Montgomery, are the great team duo...... Crawford chic, and beautiful never looked lovelier, and Montgomery his usual handsome, dashing self....... Recommended for both Crawford & Montgomery fans.

Letty Lynton is unfortunately barred from being formally released due to a lawsuit, a shame because it is a good early Crawford film. The story revolves around Letty Lynton (Joan Crawford), a woman whose past with Emile (Nils Asther) makes her a less than desirable woman. She falls in love with Jerry (Robert Montgomery) who loves her in return and intends to make her his wife. But he doesn't know of her past and that Emile has come to claim her.

Crawford looked best in these early talkies with fabulous wardrobes by Adrian and a gorgeous face. As an actress, she is natural and enthusiastic. She has chemistry with both the seductive Asther and the charismatic Montgomery, making for a more interesting story.

There are several funny scenes in the film as well as plenty of drama, making it accessible by wider audiences, that is, if one can find a copy.

In Letty Lynton, Joan Crawford gets involved in a dangerous gangster, Nils Asther while in South America. Then, on the boat sailing home, she falls in love with clean, noble Robert Montgomery. They get engaged but Joan lives in constant fear that someone from her past will surface and Bob won't want her anymore if he learns she's had other men in her life. It's a theme that was common in many other 1930s films but it doesn't carry over in modern audiences. In this movie, it's supposed to be believable that Robert Montgomery thinks a woman who fell head over heels for him while on a cruise ship is respectable and completely innocent.

Because of the dated plot, which was carried out far more effectively in other films, this movie didn't make it to my favorites list. I'm not really a Joan Crawford fan anyway, and it's hard to believe anyone would be stupid enough to think she was innocent. If someone was that stupid, then chances are if he heard a rumor or personal testament to the contrary, he still wouldn't believe it.

There's a parallel from Letty Lynton to the same year's Faithless, in the scene where the heroine feels helpless as the villain carries her to the bedroom. Both Joan Crawford and Tallulah Bankhead laugh hysterically in their sorrow, but where Tallulah's outburst feels genuine, Joan's feels like it's the tenth take and she's trying to laugh loud enough for the entire studio to hear her. This movie was very obviously made in 1932 and could even be imagined as a silent movie. If you are a stickler for very good quality films, look elsewhere tonight.