Brief Moment

On top of being a huge fan of classic film for goodness knows how long, my main reason for seeing 'Brief Moment' was Carole Lombard. A lovely and always well worth watching actress who died tragically, in one of the worst and most tragic ways to die, far too young with so much more to give. It is always interesting too to see older drama films, whether romantic or melodrama, and those dealing with society/class differences.

'Brief Moment' may not be my definition of a great film and some film-goers today may find a fair deal to criticise it. It however was a very pleasant film that kept me most of the time engaged and entertained, a nice way to pass the time. One of those films that does a lot right but one does wish there could have been more. Just be prepared that there is very little challenging here (which for some actually is a good thing) and one should not demand too much.

It is perhaps unexceptional from a story standpoint, it's pretty thin and sometimes it lacks momentum from moments of static direction and where it feels like a stage play that doesn't always properly open up.

Excepting Monroe Owsley, wringing every ounce of juice out of the most interesting supporting character in the film, the supporting cast are a little bland in fairly sketchy roles. It also feels far too short.

Visually on the other hand, 'Brief Moment' looks beautiful. The cinematography clearly loved Lombard, who looks absolutely radiant in the film, and it is very elegantly produced. "Say What You Mean..." is a lovely heartfelt song that does provide heart. While with little challenging and a little safe at times, the script has wit and class with thought-providing and well-meaning moments.

The story may not be exceptional, but it is amiable, engaging and at least clearly knew what it wanted to be and who to aim it at. Owsley is great fun, but it's the leads that 'Brief Moment' is worth seeing for. Especially Lombard, by far the best thing about the film, a very classy and sensitive performance and one cannot take their eyes off her. Gene Raymond is a likeable leading man and their chemistry makes one believe in their love.

Summing up, a very pleasant watch. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Visually, I would have to give this little number a solid 10.

Carol Lombard is at her exquisite best, and one could look at Gene Raymond for a long time without blinking. The cinematography (by Ted Tetzlaff) is absolutely wonderful, and the Columbia design studios provided visuals that are eminently worth recording.

The night club where Lombard preforms is decorated with life-size bronze deer, cast after a model dug up at Pompeii. When Carol/Abby is taken to meet her stuffy potential in-laws, the famous Lombard nipples are pointing directly at her fiancée's mother (covered of course by a little something whipped up by the great costumier Travis Banton).

There is a great scene where the newly-weds are standing at the rail of a big ocean liner, an iconic 30's image with Carol wearing a marvelous hat as only she can. The apartment that Gene/Rodney brings his wife home to is swellegant. (This is an actual 30s expression, as I found it in a catalogue of Warren McArthur furniture published c. 1934!)

Mind you, it's not a "great" film, but it is very entertaining visually--the quintessence of the early 1930s. The original play was by S.N. Berman, so it certainly has good bones.

And ANYTHING with Carol Lombard is well worth watching! Not only was she staggeringly beautiful, but her acting is exquisitely nuanced to well capture a broad range of emotions, whatever her role.

Brief Moment stars Carole Lombard and in this film she is gets married to wealthy Gene Raymond who has a nice arrangement with his father Reginald Mason and brother Donald Cook. Dad makes the money and the two of them spend it. Lombard is a nightclub singer who falls for Raymond, but tries to reform him.

Back in the day a character like Raymond was called a wastrel. It's a 19th century word I wish would come back into common usage describing someone who just wants to have a good time and nothing else. They also are wealthy enough to see it works out that way.

During a time when a quarter of the country was out of work such people were really looked down on. Lombard thinks Raymond has abilities but he won't use them. The crux of the story.

One character does stand out that of Monroe Owsley as Raymond's best friend and fellow partygoer. He's a real piece of work.

Brief Moment is a Depression Era story that probably would not work well with a contemporary audience. It's a museum piece of a film.

Typical quick time 'soap opera' churned out by all the studios to fulfill their theater chain commitments. This COLUMBIA PICTURES effort clocks in at 71 minutes and entertains for most of them. Not a classic but well worth watching.

The story is a typical one of the period, working girl played by Carole Lombard (ABBY FANE) falls in love and marries upper crust scion. Being in 'show business' she does not meet with approval of her in-laws. The husband played by Gene Raymond (RODNEY DEANE) is a aimless but wealthy drifter heavily under the influence of his friend played by Monroe Owsley (SIG).

ABBY keeps trying to get RODNEY to stand on his own feet and become the man she believes he is. SIG at his parasitical best tries to hold on to a good thing, which means plenty of Booze, Night Clubs and 'Fast Times'! ABBY seeks help from RODNEYs' family to get him on the straight path, but no luck. Usual misunderstandings, separation and then RODNEY has a epiphany realizing ABBY was right all along. Redeems himself and true love triumphs.

Carole Lombard portrays her role with intelligence and sensitivity. Hard to believe this attractive and lithe actress the previous decade was a chubby comedian at MACK SENNETT. Gene Raymond a amiable though limited actor fulfills what is required of him. Monroe Owsley has his parasite gig down to a 'T', making a career of such roles. Though his character of 'SIG' is always in the company of women you get the feeling he swims both ways and his friendship with RODNEY may be more then platonic.

So one cliché, the greedy gold digger, is subverted and replaced by another one, the spoiled heir redeemed through real hard work. This is a one-idea morality tale, and probably not a particularly original one at that. Yet Carole Lombard and Gene Raymond are very fine, dialogues are brisk and the tempo lively. Some of the supporting actors are also worth a mention - Arthur Hohl as the torch singer's caring boss, friend and wishful would-be husband, Herbert Evans who has a very funny scene as a butler with some useful experience of dealing with his master's hangovers - he looks and sounds like a twin brother of Edward Everett Horton of Lubitsch's fame. That's quite enough to make this simple-minded, unambitious story quite worth watching.