When Ladies Meet

I wonder if millennials have even heard of the double standard. It used to be a real thing and a well-know phrase. It underlies one of the threads of this film's plot. Simply put, it meant it was OK for a man to have sex before marriage but if a woman did she was "a fallen woman" "a tramp" and some worse names. This begs the question of with whom the males were supposed to romp, but that's in tomorrow's lesson.

The central character is Mary (Myrna Loy), a successful novelist, unmarried and in love with a married man. She has based the protagonist of her latest, almost-finished, novel on herself. In the end of the novel this character gets the man and all concerned, even the wife, approve because their love is something so wonderful. This makes for a clever plot device in the film, as Mary gets to discuss the work in progress with various people with various degrees of understanding how autobiographical it is. One of these conversations leads to the film's climax and is a genuinely unsettling scene.

The hero, Jimmie (Robert Montgomery), is a type common in 1930s films, The Idle Rich Playboy With a Heart of Gold. He lectures her sternly on the importance of the double standard, gallantly explaining "Gosh, I've persuaded so many women and hated them afterward." The noble virtuous sort. Naturally he has an ulterior motive, namely Mary, whom he wants for himself, but only if legitimized by the marriage ceremony, and of course undefiled.

Jimmie's efforts don't stop there. He manages to intrude or otherwise disturb Mary and her lover whenever they have a moment together. It took me a while to realize that he was doing so to prevent their affair from being "consummated" as they used to say, since in the year 2020 I at first assumed it had already been consummated.

So, like many early-30s films, it's not only well done but gives you some insight into what was going on in those days. And as in many such, the final twists and turns look predictable but turn out be not exactly what you expected.

Definitely not an "action" film and a bit of a talkfest at times. Sometimes the characters seem to be debating rather than conversing. Lightened a bit by Alice Brady as a ditsy middle-aged rich woman with a boy toy. Her character helps move the plot along in places by blabbing people's secrets, then pretending it was an accident. You know the type.

Hey, I like both versions of this film. Not into parsing them either. The assembled talent, story, parts, clothes, set. This is the kind of movie I like to watch multiple times. First, watch the movie through. Then, maybe follow separate characters through. There's a lot going on. Then, watch the clothes. Then, check out the house, furniture, etc. There was so much style put into these. All of these elements are what made these 30's and 40's films so special. I don't understand why all the comparisons and nitpicking. This film has a lot to enjoy. It's entertainment, folks. If you don't find something so, leave it alone. Simple enough.

This first film version of the Rachel Crothers play finds Robert Montgomery as the irrepressible playboy who will do just about anything to win Myrna Loy back from the clutches of married publisher Frank Morgan. Even if that means bringing Morgan's wife Ann Harding into the picture. And When Ladies Meet, watch out.

A later version was done by MGM but with more of an emphasis on the mistress than the wife. Joan Crawford had Myrna Loy's role and Ann Harding's part was done by Greer Garson.

Robert Taylor played Montgomery's role and the difference between the two films is the quality of their performances. Taylor had developed a real gift for light comedy, but for Robert Montgomery this kind of part was what made his reputation.

Frank Morgan was far better than Herbert Marshall because he played the role as the two timing rat he was. You watch Marshall's performance and you'd think he was the wronged party. As for Morgan, no one loved him more than I in the role of the inept bumbler he usually played, but parts like in When Ladies Meet and also in Hallelujah, I'm a Bum do show him to good advantage in other kinds of roles.

It's hard to choose between Garson and Harding though. Both of them have the best part in the film and both make equally good use of it. Each are the best in their respective casts.

Eliminated from the second version is a great deadpan performance by Sterling Holloway as the allergy prone golf caddy who destroys Montgomery's game as he's playing with Harding.

The original play ran on Broadway for 191 performances in the 1932-1933 season and starred Walter Abel, Frieda Inescourt, Herbert Rawlinson and Selena Royle. Ironically all of these folks had substantial film careers, but could never be classified as any kind of box office.

When Ladies Meet is witty and bright and a great example of the sophisticated type comedy that's just not being done any more.

Though dated by modern standards, When Ladies Meet carried a popular message in the early part of the 20th century. It also carried a controversial argument, and both sides are explored in the film: can a wife and a mistress calmly and rationally solve their differences? If that seems interesting to you, rent this version-not the remake.

Myrna Loy stars as a young, modern authoress who has fallen in love with her publisher, Frank Morgan. He's married, but Myrna's never met his wife, and from her point of view, he's unhappy at home. She decides to prove her point to the world by writing her next novel based on her current situation with a twist ending of wishful thinking; in the end of her novel, the young woman confronts the man's wife and explains how much she loves him. The wife is gracious and realizes the sensible thing would be to give her husband a divorce, and all parties are happy. The trouble is, no one likes Myrna's unpublished manuscript. Frank claims it's unrealistic, as does Myrna's ardent and often rebuffed suitor, Robert Montgomery.

I won't tell you exactly what happens next, but I will say that Myrna gets a chance to test her theory with Frank's wife, Ann Harding. Before I saw this version, I tried watching the 1941 remake but couldn't get through it; now I know it was because the film was badly cast. In place of him who's so innocent she doesn't really know what she's doing is Joan Crawford. In place of the man so in love with her he refuses to look at another woman is Robert Taylor. In place of the married publisher who gets caught up in his emotions and isn't capable of rationality is Herbert Marshall. In place of the discarded wife who couldn't keep his interest at home is Greer Garson. How are any of these choices believable?

The 1933 original is very well cast and very believable. Myrna nails the attitude of a young person certain in her convictions without knowing what they are, and yet she's not so irritating you can't forgive her for her ignorance. Frank Morgan seems troubled, and it's totally believable he might not know exactly what he wants. Ann Harding is plain enough to make you understand why Frank has strayed, but she's strong enough to make you believe she'll put up a fight. This version is very good, so if you want to watch a representation of a bygone era check it out.

.....that you can't help but like. Whether it's her unusual beauty, her sensuous speaking voice, her obvious intelligence - all together she has enormous appeal. She was extremely popular in the early thirties before fans tired of her "stiff upper lip" portrayals and they found favourites with more down to earth appeal. Her best known film is probably "The Animal Kingdom" and the cinema rivalry in that film between Harding and Myrna Loy was such a hit that they were paired again in "When Ladies Meet", a scintillating comedy adapted from Rachel Crothers play.

Mary Howard (Myrna Loy) is a best selling author who is seeing a lot of her publisher, Rogers Woodruf - for business purposes!!! Her dizzy friend Bridgit (Alice Brady) tells her she should "go for it" after all his wife is an "awful dub"!! "He's a married man" - "I know, the best ones always are"!! Unbeknownst to everyone they are having a very secret affair. Her new book is very close to her heart - it is about a woman, having an affair with a married man, who wants to confront his wife and have a heart to heart talk - her lover is against it, much the same as her real life situation.

Meanwhile, Jimmie Lee (an annoying Robert Montgomery), who spends a lot of his free time proposing to Mary, who rejects him just as frequently, starts spending time with Claire (Ann Harding), Roger Woodruf's wife, who is more darling than dub!!! Knowing that Mary is staying at Bridgit's for the weekend, he "accidentally on purpose" brings Claire for a visit. Even though their friendship is platonic, for a gag, Jimmie suggests they give the impression that they are... .... to make Mary jealous -"I'm dust under her feet - not the cream in her coffee"!!! Claire throws herself into her role with great gusto - "Jimmy-Jimmy, did I leave my handkerchief with you, when we were waiting to be alone!!!"

The film only picks up when Ann Harding appears - even though she didn't appear until almost half an hour into the film. MGM was just starting to realise what they had in Myrna Loy. Even though she is the second billed actress - she is the main character. But Ann Harding was a real delight, I agree with some of the other reviewers, she steals the movie with her elegance and sophistication, the scenes between her and Myrna Loy are riveting to watch. The first half hour was pretty "talkie" without much being said. Robert Montgomery, who has never been a favourite of mine, played his usual type, shallow playboy who never seems to have employment (he is supposed to be a reporter and he occasionally mentions deadlines, but never meets them)!!!! Frank Morgan plays Rogers Woodruf, the publisher both women seem to be crazy about. But apart from Alice Brady as balmy Bridgit, together Ann Harding and Myrna Loy wipe everyone else off the screen. The conversations they have "When Ladies Meet" make for essential viewing.

Highly Recommended.