Peg o' My Heart

I recently saw this film on Turner Movie Classics and was surprised how charming the performance of Marion Davies was. This proves that she was indeed a fine performer when given the opportunity. Despite the fact she was in her mid 30's when this film was made, she is quite believable as a teenager.

Peg o' My Heart (1933)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Based on the J. Hartley Manners play, this film becomes a showcase for star Marion Davies who gives it her all as the spunky Irish girl who moves to England so that she can collect a large inheritance. First she has to become a lady but what she doesn't know is that in order to collect the money she can't see her father (J. Farrell MacDonald) again. This story was previously filmed twice in the silent era but looking at the story one couldn't help but think it would be nice material for the star. The film on the whole looks and smells good but once you bite into it you'll realize that there's really not as much here as you'd think. That's not to say the film isn't worth watching but I'm going to go out on a limb and say only Davies fans will really want to spend their precious time with it. Davies manages to be quite good here, although I don't think anyone could defend her Irish accent, which is all over the place. At times she seems to slip in and out of it so much you can't help but get a little smile on your face. Outside of that Davies is good in the film and gives it her all and this includes some very funny facial gestures including some funny eye winks. The supporting cast is a bit of a letdown with Onslow Stevens looking completely bored throughout and Juliette Compton coming off too stiff. MacDonald has some good moments but he isn't in the film too much. The film isn't ever as funny as one might hope as the fish out of water routine never really gets pushed to its limits, which I think is the fault of the (uncredited) director.

Marion Davies does surprisingly well as a girl from an Irish fishing village who must abandon her father and become a proper British lady to get a large inheritance. Of course, the accents, music and dance are American stage Irish rather than Irish Irish, but a very clever script and hard work all around pays off. And they forgot to credit 'Mutt' as Marion Davies' dog.

Also made in 1922 by King Vidor.

Marion Davies is wonderful in her best film. She sings ("Sweetheart Darlin'") and dances and is perfect as the Irish country lass who inherits a fortune. She is sent to live with English relatives who take her money and treat her badly. Of course Peg doesn't know they are being paid to "educate" her.

Few star actresses of her day would have played the plain Irish girl who becomes a beautiful woman. A great stage hit for Laurette Taylor (who also starred in a silent version in 1922), the play was already dated when Davies made this film in 1933, but Davies was one of the best comics in Hollywood and creates a funny, charming heroine in Peg. And as in her work in the earlier MARIANNE, Davies proves she was one of the best with accents.

Hearst had pushed for Davies to win an Oscar nomination for this MGM film (there were only three nominee that year), and I think she was worthy. Always underrated and overlooked, Marion Davies was a total delight in every comedy film I've ever seen her in, and this is her best.

Also good is J. Farrell MacDonald as her doting father. Onslow Stevens is surprisingly good here as Gerald and is quite charming. Juliette Compton (as the mean Ethel), Robert Greig, Irene Browne, Alan Mowbray, Tyrrell Davis, Nora Cecil, and Doris Lloyd are all fine too. Michael the dog is fun.

Old fashioned? Sure. But charming and funny and a wonderful film all-round.

PEG O' MY HEART (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1933), directed by Robert Z. Leonard, stars Marion Davies in a comedy-drama adapted from the popular stage play that later developed into a 1922 silent screen adaptation for Metro starring Laurette Taylor. Though Taylor might have been considered reprising her legendary role she originated for the talking screen, it was an event that never happened. Being a tough act to follow for anyone else assuming the part, Davies contributes greatly in what many consider her finest screen performance. Though this MGM talkie edition resembles certain elements that makes this seem like one directed by John Ford over at the Fox Studios starring Janet Gaynor, Davies, however, shows her ability as an good actress from dancing the Irish jig to speaking in Irish brogue to fine credibility.

The story opens on the West Coast of Ireland. Margaret, fondly known to all as "Peg" (Marion Davies), is introduced as a grown daughter of a fisherman father, Patrick Shamus O'Connell (J. Farrell MacDonald). Coming through the crowd in the fishing community is Sir Gerald Markham (Onslow Stevens), an executor of the Kingsnorth estate looking to speak with Mr. O'Connell. Markham informs O'Connell, whose late wife, Heather, being British by birth, that his father-in-law, Lord Brian Kingsnorth, has died and made Peg the sole heir of her mother's fortune of $2 million pounds. The will also specified that the only way Peg is to inherit the money is to spend three years living at the Chichester estate, with the separation between father and daughter to be permanent. At first O'Connell rejects the offer but eventually agrees to the terms following a tragic shipping accident. Promising to join her at a latter date, Peg agrees to leave her native Ireland with her dog, Michael, and Markham on the next train bound for England. Once at the Chichester estate, Peg finds her surroundings aren't as friendly as it is back home. During her stay, she copes with unfriendly servants and snobbish relatives. During the course of time, Peg has fallen in love with Markham, but is stunned to learn his wedding plans, arranged by Mrs. Chichester (Irene Browne), are to be to Ethel Chichester (Juliette Compton) and Peg's marriage to her foppish son, Alaric (Tyrell Davis). Knowing Ethel's unfaithfulness after witnessing her kissing Christian Brent (Alan Mowbray), a married man, Peg, wanting to return home, receives startling news from Markham as to why she can't return home and ever see her father again. Other members of the cast include: Doris Lloyd (Grace Brent); Robert Greig (Jarvis, the Butler); Geoffrey Gill (Terrence); Nora Cecil (Mrs. Smythe); Leyland Hodgson and Billy Bevan (The Detectives).

Unlike the 1922 screen version, which includes a prologue of Peg as a child, PEG O' MY HEART eliminates the early origins of the O'Connells and death of the mother by getting right down to basics, making this 89 minute movie into a full-fledged Marion Davies product. Aside from sentimentality and moments of humor, there's also song interludes to such tunes as: "Sweetheart, Darlin'," "Safe at Home," "Just Remember That We Love You" (beautiful song), "Boots and Saddles,"Hoppity Hop," "Tavern in the Town," and several reprises of "Just Remember That We Love You"; "Sweetheart, Darlin'." Considering reprises of "Sweetheart, Darlin," not only is it Peg's favorite song in the story, but its theme song as well.

Until it's occasional broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies from 1994 onward, PEG O' MY HEART was one of those rarely seen Marion Davies features for MGM of the 1930s in spite of its reputation as being Marion Davies best sound movie with SHOW PEOPLE (1928) as Davies' best silent. Yet, trite title songs as "Sweetheart, Darlin'" come across as mushy, or lack of a better known male co-star names as Robert Montgomery or Franchot Tone over Onslow Stevens may have something to do with its lack of any sort of revivals. With the exception of the familiarity of J. Farrell MacDonald, the lackluster cast shouldn't be the reason to avoid viewing this one either on Turner Classic Movies or acquiring a DVD copy for purchase to consider watching. Quite appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. (***)