The Lady in Question

This is the sort of dramatic comedy the French knew how to do superbly, but Hollywood was unable to carry off in 1940. Blame it on censorship. The original 1937 French film starred the great tragic comic actor, Raimu, famous for his work in Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles comedies. Brian Aherne, a fine actor, is still too much of the English matinee idol, too young too thin to play pater familias roles, although he tries. This was a role for an older man. Edward G. Robinson might have gotten in right. Rita Hayward is as always lovely and believable. Glenn Ford is only the juvenile in this one. A few years later both would have their great successes together. Harry Cohn took a chance on this one.

Andre Morestan (Brian Aherne) owns a Paris bicycle shop with his family. He's eager to serve in a jury. The trial has Natalie Roguin (Rita Hayworth) facing a murder charge. Andre convinces the jury to acquit. After the trial, he gives her a job at his shop. He keeps her identity a secret from his family but his son Pierre (Glenn Ford) recognizes her. His daughter Francois is overjoyed to be engaged to Robert LaCoste who owns the dance studio next door. Robert turns out to be a lascivious sleaze with his eye on Natalie.

It's a lesser old movie. The acting is broad and so are the attempts at humor. This is a remake of a French film and I'm sure a ton of jokes don't get through the translation. The trial takes place in the first thirty minutes. Andre is a childish considering the situation. It seems to be aimed as a comedy but it's not funny. After Natalie gets the job, there are some sitcom-like misunderstandings. Again it's not funny but it's still watchable. The movie feels short-changed and the shorter running time may have something to do with that.

The Lady in Question is noted in cinema history as the first film to feature both Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. However it's not their film, both are second and third billed respectively below Brian Aherne.

Columbia Pictures remade the French film Gibouille which had been done the year earlier with Raimu and Michele Morgan in the roles that Aherne and Rita had. In fact Gibouille was what launched Michele Morgan's career in French cinema.

Knowing that I think a lot of the film's humor and innuendo probably got lost on the transatlantic voyage. Aherne is a bicycle shop owner who has been picked for jury duty and is determined to take his responsibilities quite seriously. He gets on a case with Rita as a defendant who is accused of murdering her fiancé. Aherne's questions to her and his forceful advocacy of her, earn Rita an acquittal.

But Brian's not finished. He offers to give her any kind of help she needs because while she has a legal acquittal, she's got a reputation like O.J.'s. Aherne takes her in which causes all kinds of complications with his wife, Irene Rich, son Glenn Ford, daughter Evelyn Keyes, and her fiancé Edward Norris.

The Lady in Question is probably done in by the infamous Code firmly in place in Hollywood. Stuff that the French cinema could and did do, were forbidden here. Columbia also had to keep it in the French setting because of the differences between their jury system and our's.

Still Rita and Glenn do shine together, although no one I'm sure would ever have predicted their mega-hit Gilda six years later. Actually Edward Norris has the nicest performance as the no good rat of a fiancé that Keyes has, who tries to put the make on Rita.

It's a pleasant enough film, but I'm betting the original French version must be infinitely better.

I never thought I'd see the movie that would endear me to Rita Hayworth. I'm notorious for criticizing her, but not only did I not hate her in The Lady in Question, but I willingly admit she gave a fine performance. This isn't her usual role; there's no shade of Gilda in it.

An unrecognizable Brian Aherne stars as a peasant patriarch who owns a bicycle shop. He's too soft in his business and gets hassled by his wife, Irene Rich. His daughter Evelyn Keyes is young, foolish, and in love with the boy next door, but Brian doesn't want to see her grown up so soon. His son Glenn Ford (who looks adorable in his young curls) has a passion for astronomy. Brian has just been called to jury duty, and his excitement is adorable. He's waited 27 years to sit on a jury, and he won't let anything stop him. He's insulted when he's relegated to an alternate, but when a juror keels over, he literally snatches the seat out from under while others are attending to the man's health. The case is a murder trial, and Rita Hayworth is fighting for her life. Brian takes his duties incredibly seriously, and his enthusiasm is infectious. It's hard to believe this is the same Errol Flynn lookalike who sculpted a nude Marlene Dietrich in Song of Songs, when he's so convincing as a middle-aged, paunchy, stubborn, not-too-bright, peasant. If you liked him in My Son, My Son, you've got to see him in this.

The script is very funny, even though the subject matter lends it more to a drama. Brian's tongue is faster than his brain, and he often talks himself into a corner with no way out. While trying to end a conversation with an irritating pal, he accuses him of winking at his wife in church. At the dinner table, he tries to distract everyone from the topic at hand by praising his wife's soup. When that doesn't work, he asks for salt, insisting that she never puts enough in the soup. When that doesn't work, he spits the soup out and leaves the table, claiming she always puts in too much salt and he can't stand to eat it. With a mixture of quick comedy, dramatic plot points, and great acting, you'll have a very enjoyable evening when you rent The Lady in Question.

This film has a fine cast, including the first of half a dozen pairings of Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. It is only Ford's seventh film, but Hayward had made more than 30 films since 1934. This is a good look at the young Ford before he became the more mature character most movie fans will remember him as. Other members of the supporting cast do very well too. Curt Bois is very good as Henri Lurette, and Irene Rich is especially good in the role of Michele Morestan.

But "The Lady in Question" is a Brian Aherne showcase all the way. His Andre Morestan is a character, in a true sense of the word - comical at times, caring at other times, and conflicted often enough. Who couldn't help liking him or wanting him for a friend? Aherne's particular persona in putting flair into scenes is shown at its best here. It's the stuff that provided much laughter in one of the funniest comedies of all time, "Merrily We Live" of 1938. And, that he used for much laughter in "The Great Garrick" of 1937, and in "Hired Wife" of 1940 and other films. This is one actor one would have liked to see in more comedies.

When this film was made, Aherne was one of the top box office draws, especially in comedy. He was an all around actor and good in drama and mysteries. But I think he excelled in comedy. Yet he only made 14 comedies of his 70 credits, which included mostly TV series roles in his last decade. By the mid-1960s he was through with acting and retired permanently at age 65

This story is set in Paris. Morestan and his wife own a bicycle and music shop and live above it. He is thrilled to be called for jury duty selection, after waiting nearly 30 years. The humor is apparent when he is contrasted to most people who try to avoid jury duty. Well, he holds out and eventually persuades his fellow jurors to enter a not guilty verdict in a murder or suicide case. But then, when he feels sorry for and invites the acquitted poor girl, Natalie Roguin, to stay in their home and work in their store, the humor ramps up. Suspicion, jealousy, envy, distrust, false impressions, romance and more with Andre's wife, son and daughter, her suitor, and Mr. Lurette, a fellow juror.

The film has a slight blanket of intrigue over whether or not Natalie was guilty of a crime after all. And it has a very nice twist for an ending. Here are a few favorite lines from the film.

Andre Morestan, "What makes everyone think that a trial is a picnic?"

Michele Morestan, "I don't want you to go to trials. If your father wants to associate with criminals, let him; but not you." Andre Morestan, "Tell your mother that a juror associates with the police, not with criminals."

Andre Morestan, "I've told my wife so many lies, I don't think I could ever tell her the truth now."