What Every Woman Knows

Helen Hayes never had great success in the movies, but this is the best of her film performances that I've seen so far. Her Scottish accent is convincing, she's charming, and she conveys Maggie's underlying strength with great subtlety.

Brian Aherne is charismatic as the young politician Maggie is attracted to; he allows us to see through his egotism to the vulnerability and insecurity just below the surface.

The beautiful and talented Madge Evans is fine in the "other woman" role. Supporting stalwarts Lucile Watson, Donald Crisp, Dudley Digges, David Torrence, and Henry Stephenson are all well-cast, and turn in wonderful performances.

I had no idea what to expect from this film, but I found it highly enjoyable, with gentle humor, light drama, and romance that won't send your blood sugar into orbit.

HELEN HAYES indeed made a stage name for herself in this vehicle, but it's hard to see why in this film version of her stage success. BRIAN AHERNE does nicely as her somewhat stuffy husband, but all in all it's clearly aimed at pleasing the followers of Miss Hayes.

She photographs well as the supposedly plain heroine and her Scottish accent is never too jarring--and thankfully, she downplays a lot of her stage mannerisms with a style of acting more suited to the camera. But this tale of a little woman who is really the brains behind her non too bright politically minded husband, is a very modest effort from the pen of Sir James M. Barrie and there is no big payoff for anyone in the cast. Madge Evans has a rather thankless role as the other woman.

Donald Crisp and Lucille Watson have the most to do in supporting roles but have distinguished themselves elsewhere in better material.

Only interesting as an early Helen Hayes vehicle that seems more quaint than charming. As in most films of this period, there is almost no background music to give a lift to any of the stagebound scenes.

Trivia bit: Olivia de Havilland starred at the Westport Country Playhouse in this play--summer stock in 1946--and during the run of the play was married to first husband, writer Marcus Goodrich.

"What Every Woman Knows" is a wonderful comedy and drama based on a play of the same title by J. M. Barrie. Helen Hayes was just two year off of winning the best actress Oscar for her role in the 1931 drama, "The Sin of Madelon Claudet," and Brian Aherne was in his twelfth consecutive leading role dating back to the silent era and since his only non-leading first film in 1924.

MGM pulled together a cast from across the United Kingdom and Ireland for this film. Besides actors from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, supporting cast members were born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the British West Indies. Among the most familiar to long-time movie fans will be Lucile Watson as the Contessa, Henry Stephenson as Charles Venables, Donald Crisp as David Wylie and David Torrence as Alick Wylie. Madge Evans, as Lady Sybil, is the only American in cast list.

All give good performances. Torrence and Crisp as Maggie Wylie's brother and father, are very good, and Lucile Watson is humorous and good as La Contessa la Brierre. Aherne gives a good take as an outspoken John Shand who puts on airs as he makes something of himself, "by himself," he thinks for a while. But this is a movie that Helen Hayes excels in as Maggie Wylie. And, she plays the part of Maggie Wylie superbly - as the plain, wise and clever, caring and loving, and honest and humble sister and wife.

I recall an old saying from way back when, that behind every successful man is a surprised woman. There have been less humorous versions of this - of great women behind great men. Well, Maggie Wylie in this film lives and shows an example of that general truism.

Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Alick Wylie, "What is charm, exactly, Maggie?" Maggie Wylie, "Oh, it's, it's a sort of bloom on a woman. If you have it you don't need anything else. And if you don/t have it, it doesn't much matter what else you have. Some women - a few, have charm for all, and most have charm for one, and some have charm for none."

James Wylie, "What you need, John Shand, is a clout in the head."

David Wylie, "Are you takin' the book to your bed, Maggie?" Maggie, 'Yes. I don't want hm to be knowin' things I don't know myself."

Charles Venable, "Countess, it has been marvelous seeing you again - positively marvelous." La Contessa la Brierre, "Thirty years and he hasn't stopped lying."

Countess, "He can't be worthy of you. No man could. Why do you do it?" Maggie Wylie, as Mrs. John Shand, "I'm six years older than he is. I'm plain and I have no charm. I shouldn't have let him marry me. I'm trying to make up for it."

Lady Sybil Tenterden, "Countess, uh, do leave us, won't you?" Countess, "Not I - far too interesting."

Maggie Wylie, as John's wife, "It's nothing unusual I've done, John. Every man who is high up loves to think he's done it all himself. Every woman knows that. It's our only due."

Maggie Wylie, {Oh, John, if I could only make you laugh."

This film preserves Helen Hayes in one of her most celebrated roles, and Brian Aherne and the rest of the cast are quite fine as well. Indeed, Lucile Watson is a particular delight as the Comtesse de la Briere. The first half of the film hews closely to J. M. Barrie's play, yet it never feels "stage-bound" in the least. It has been opened up for the film quite effectively and none of Barrie's humor or clear-eyed sentiment have been lost. However, in an apparent attempt to simplify some of Barrie's plot devices, the last half of the film has been changed considerably from the play; and not to its benefit. Indeed, the rest of the script is pretty much a mess and makes nonsense of Barrie without improving the story in the least, as well as vitiating the entire thrust of the drama. Still, the film is worth seeing for Miss Hayes' excellent performance and Mr. Aherne's very capable one.

In this unusual comedy, Helen Hayes (reprising her Broadway role) plays an old maid who takes care of everyone in her family. She's a running joke to never get married, and Dudley Digges, Donald Crisp, and David Torrence ridicule her. When a young, handsome newcomer arrives in town, he immediately gets invited over for dinner, with hopes by her brothers that he'll marry the spinster. Helen is taken with him, but what does she have to offer? Her brains and her money. He's an ambitious fellow, but she's got what it takes to be the woman behind the man. So, she makes him an offer of marriage in exchange for a humungous dowry and strategy for his career.

Why would she do all this? Because he's Brian Aherne! Six feet, four inches of ridiculously handsome, Irish, curly-haired, passionately tempered Brian Aherne! Brian has to think about her offer, and since Helen is smarter than him, she lays out her argument in such a subtly cunning way, he eventually sees the wisdom in it.

This is a very clever, timeless movie. It's funny and smart, and as the title implies, will make every woman in the audience chuckle. Brian may be gorgeous, but he's not too bright. Helen knows how to get around him, and she's perfectly willing to teach the audience, too!