Her Cardboard Lover

This innocuous comedy that marked the farewell performance of Norma Shearer on the big screen has quite a history to it. It was a French play by Jacques Deval, adapted for the stage by P.G. Wodehouse among others. It ran for 152 performances in 1927 on Broadway and starred the legendary Jeanne Eagels with Leslie Howard.

It then went to the silent screen the following year with Marion Davies and Nils Asther in the leads and scored a modicum of success there. But the most bizarre adaption was yet to come. In 1932 the story was reworked for Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante in the The Passionate Plumber. Irene Purcell is the female lead. Which brings us to the last and least version of this story.

I've a theory that Norma Shearer chose this vehicle to show Marion Davies that she could do one of her roles better. What other explanation could there be for turning down Mrs. Miniver as her farewell picture for this. And would you ever believe that Robert Taylor and Buster Keaton would play the same part on screen?

Shearer and Davies were a pair of feuding stars at MGM while Davies was there. Shearer was married to the boss, Irving Thalberg and Davies had her patron William Randolph Hearst who bought his way on to the lot. It's now conceded that Davies had a real flair for comedy, but that Hearst just could only see her as the heroine of many a drama. Shearer was a great dramatic actress who never quite scored in comedy. I'm betting for her final film she was going to show the retired Davies that she could do it better.

Well she didn't. In fact if any of P.G. Wodehouse's wit survived in this film, I must have dozed off. What emerges is a pleasant innocuous comedy which would have been long forgotten had it not been Norma Shearer's last film. When we first meet Shearer she's trying to fend off the advances of an amorous Taylor who has fallen in love at first sight. But later on she thinks he might be useful in fending off George Sanders's advances. She's trying real hard to dump the cad, but he's one charming rogue. So Norma hires Bob as Her Cardboard Lover to pretend he's the new man in her life. I think you can guess where this is going.

Shearer did not get quite the sendoff from the big screen that she thought she would have gotten, surely not anything like Mrs. Miniver would have been. For Taylor, he's pleasant enough, but if you want to see him and Shearer in much better form look at the 1940 film Escape.

Norma Shearer, in her last film, is a wealthy woman desperate to stay away from her on-again/off-again boyfriend (George Sanders) in "Her Cardboard Lover.

To do this, she has Robert Taylor, a songwriter who's crazy about her, work off his gambling debt by pretending to be her boyfriend.

A nice dramatic role would have been better for Shearer's final performance. But like Garbo, she went out with a comedy, and one that bombed at that, also like Garbo.

One wonders what MGM was thinking. The dilemma seems to have been finding vehicles for these older stars as the world - and they - were changing.

The film was made in 1942, and though it is a delightful comedy, it really has the look and feel of the '30s to it. There are some wonderful scenes - one where Taylor threatens to jump over a balcony and a dandy fight scene at the end. But in spots, it seems a little tired.

Norma Shearer wears gorgeous clothes and is over-dramatic, which is what the part called for. Robert Taylor does a fine job, and George Sanders was wasted.

One of the comments said that Shearer was too old for the role - yet the actors seem properly matched and this writer, anyway, had no idea of Shearer's age.

In the end, though, it wasn't a fitting way for her to go out. The role hearkens back to a much earlier time. Perhaps, in the end, that's what she wanted.

Songwriter Robert Taylor (as Terry) is "dizzy, slap-happy" and can't see straight over otherworldly Norma Shearer (as Consuelo). "She makes the sun shine, even when it's raining," Mr. Taylor explains. But, Mr. Taylor gets a lump in his throat whenever he gets near Ms. Shearer. Finally, at the Palm Beach casino Shearer frequents, Taylor proclaims "I love you!" Shearer brushes him off, as she is engaged to George Sanders (as Tony). However, to settle a gambling debt, Shearer hires Taylor to pose as "Her Cardboard Lover", to make Mr. Sanders jealous.

This film's title invites the obvious and appropriate three-word review: "Her Cardboard Movie". It is most notable as the last film appearance for Shearer, one of the biggest stars in the world from "He Who Gets Slapped" (1924, playing another Consuelo) to "The Women" (1939). To be fair, this was likely the kind of Shearer film MGM believed audiences wanted to see. However, the part is unflattering.

Plucked and powered, Taylor and Shearer were better off in "The Escape" (1940). If Shearer had continued, she might have become a better actress than "leading lady"; apparently, she was no longer interested, and certainly didn't need the money. Taylor has a great scene, reciting Christina Rossetti's "When I am Dead, My Dearest" while threatening to jump from Shearer's balcony, as directed by George Cukor.

**** Her Cardboard Lover (6/42) George Cukor ~ Norma Shearer, Robert Taylor, George Sanders

Firstly, I cannot believe that Norma Shearer is 40 in this film. She looks absolutely incredible and doesn't look a day over 30! Besides being beautiful, Norma Shearer was fantastic in this film! She was brilliantly funny and sophisticated. I once read that Norma Shearer couldn't act (I don't recall who this person is who claimed that), but this person is wrong. Norma can act, and it was definitely proved in this film. Luck was on Norma's side because she ended her acting career with this amusing film.

And Robert Taylor -- what a gag! I love his acting and he's just so adorable! He was fabulous in this film! I won't give anything away, but the definite high point in the film (as well as Robert Taylor's funniest scene) happens in the middle of the movie and deals with a 'sleepy' Taylor...

With such a little -- but talented cast -- this movie is fantastically funny and has hilarious moments and wonderful acting. I cannot rave enough about Norma & Taylor -- just see the film yourself!!

Someone posted the comment that this film is "forgettable" and "triffling." But I saw Norma Shearer and Robert Taylor playing off each other with such spontaneity that I could only admire their talents all the more. Also, compare their rare comedic talents together in this film, along with their deep and tragic mutual acting in "Escape." Such a pair of talent-generating stars!