The Bachelor Father

Bachelor Father, The (1931)

** (out of 4)

A mix of drama and comedy in this pre-code from MGM. An aging man, Sir Basil (C. Aubrey Smith) has been a bachelor from day one. Throughout his rich life he traveled the world and ended up having three kids by three different women. He hadn't had any contact with them but now he wants all three to come live with him with one (Marion Davies) who might not be who she thinks she is. It's really amazing to see some early talkies that sound extremely bad and this here is one such example. I'm really not sure what was going on in 1931 but we have a wide range of sound quality in various films but what's here is perhaps the worst I've heard. There isn't much hiss in the soundtrack but at times it appears the dialogue and sound completely drop off. Just take a look at an early scene where the three kids and their father are getting to know one another. As one character moves away, while talking, the dialogue gets lower and lower until you can't hear what's being said. I'm not sure if this was because of her walking away from the mic or what but it's very distracting. Like many early talkies, this one here is based on a famous play and the film just contains way too much talk. The pre-code nature of a man having kids all over the world is something mildly amusing and we get a couple naughty jokes out of it. The drama in the "twist" isn't really anything special and adds very little to the film. Davies turns in a pretty good performance even though the screenplay really doesn't give her too much to work with. We have Ray Milland in a minor role as well as Ralph Forbes. The main reason to watch this film is the performance by C. Aubrey Smith who really seems to be having a good time in the role. He manages to be quite touching and funny. In the end however, there's just not enough here to make the film work as well as it could have. Fans of the actors are the only ones who will want to check this one out.

I'd only seen Marion Davies in "Polly of the Circus" and that wasn't an impressive movie at all. This movie, however, was very impressive. This movie was a Marion Davies production and she should be proud to have her name on it.

An old Englishman by the name of Sir Basil Algernon Winterton (C. Aubrey Smith) was rich, unmarried, and totally content. He was settling in one evening in the company of his doctor, Dr. Frank 'Mac' MacDonald (David Torrence) and his lawyer, John Ashley (Ralph Forbes), when the topic turned to his predilection towards self-indulgence. He glibly mentioned that he had no wife and no family so what else was he to do. When Mac asked about any children Sir Basil braggingly stated that he had three children scattered about the world. "Anybody can do it," he dismissively stated.

When Mac stated that Sir Basil's children wouldn't be able to stand his drinking, temper, and overall behavior he defiantly told John to look up his children to have them all brought to his home, the Rooksfold Manor in Surrey, England. "You are to go to the various corners of the earth, collect my stray offspring, and bring them to their father," Sir Basil ordered. John then set about finding Sir Basil's two daughters and one son.

John was able to collect Geoffrey (Ray Milland), Maria (Nina Quartero), and Antoinette 'Tony' Flagg (Marion Davies) and bring them back to England. What no one knew except Tony's guardian was that she wasn't Sir Basil's daughter, still her aunt Molly (Elizabeth Murray) allowed Tony to go to England in hopes she would have a better life.

The union between the stuffy old Sir Basil and his three offspring was pure comedy led by Tony. She was the de facto ringleader and she was a cut up. "The Bachelor Father" was hilarious. Sir Basil's stuffiness was brilliantly paired with Tony's zaniness, yet it wasn't slapstick silly with breaking things and bafoonish behavior. I'd say Tony's part was perfect. She was just playful and silly enough to contrast against Sir Basil's uptight behavior, yet not so silly where it was plain foolish. I really enjoyed this movie and it reminded me of many movies that came later in which a person willingly or unwillingly enters someone else's life then becomes indispensable. "The Bachelor Father" could be seen as the mold for such movies because it was so expertly done.

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Although a casual viewing might have one concurring on the children being born out of wedlock, there is at least one mention later in the movie about a divorce. If one divorce is in place, three can be fairly assumed, and thus, of course, three marriages. // My real complaint is not about this movie at all, but rather, about a much more well-known and acclaimed movie: Orson Wells' "Citizen Kane". Kane, assumed by all to be a fictionalized William Randolph Hearst, marries an untalented girl, and uses his money and power to promote her career, to the embarrassment of all concerned. The closest this wife character comes to a real-life person is Marian Davies. By the time someone is reading this, they are fully aware that Ms Davies is actually very talented, but because Orson Wells' film is so much more well known than the entire output of Ms. Davies, there is virtually a sub-culture with a completely wrong idea of Marian Davies and her talent.

Baron Winterton (C. Aubrey Smith) decides to locate this three estranged children and invite them to live on his estate. He sends an aide to the United States to contact Tony Flagg (Marion Davies), daughter of a dancer now deceased, who is thrilled to come. When the three siblings arrive, they strike up a friendship. Now living in the lap of luxury, it is a "fish out of water" situation for the three---especially Tony, who is something of a wild child. Still, the Baron learns to loosen up and allow himself the enjoyment of their company. However, a complication arises that may jeopardize their newly-created family.

This is definitely a pre-Code film, considering that the three children were born out of wedlock. The Hays office mandated some changes in the script, but still there is ambiguity about the relationships that produced the Baron's progeny.

The story is play-based, and it shows. Also, the humor is not very subtle. Still, it is a cute film, and it is easy to like the characters.

Watch for Ray Milland, who is nearly unrecognizable as one of the three siblings.

Sir Basil Algernon Winterton has gathered his three grown illegitimate children back to his estate from around the world. They don't really know him if they even have met him before. American showgirl Antoinette 'Tony' Flagg (Marion Davies) doesn't even know what he looks like. She meets the other two, Geoffrey Trent (Ray Milland) and Maria Credaro.

This is a pre-Code film based on a play. All the old mansions are looking the same from this cinematic period. This is missing that modern movie flair. That's why Marion Davies' high energy work makes her stand out. This comedy works best with her.