Cynara

Ronald Colman may never have been better than as the happily married barrister who foolishly embarks on an extramarital affair with a young shopgirl, (Phyllis Barry), in King Vidor's now totally forgotten "Cynara". Made pre-Hays Code this is one of Vidor's best and certainly least known films that treats the subject of adultery with surprising frankness as well as a considerable degree of tenderness. Excellent work, too, from that very fine and underrated actress Kay Francis as the wronged wife and Henry Stephenson as Colman's older friend who is largely responsible for driving Colman into the younger woman's arms. Seek this one out.

And I've always been faithful to this film in my fashion. Rather ignored and almost completely forgotten, with such a simple but eternal storyline it remains an excellent watch. The acting and production is slightly stilted as with early talkies, but it's the other-world moralities displayed by both departments most people would find difficult to assimilate.

The Fatal Attraction type plot has already been well outlined, this is one where the main characters definitely don't end smelling of roses. Henry Stephenson must have played kindly old gentlemen in dozens of films, here he's a kindly old cynical sleazebag - quite jarring it is! Also Colman for hoping to be impervious to female wiles, and Francis as his wife for childishly encouraging temptation - but she does get to say Divine! Halliwell Hobbes also froths too nastily as an outraged coroner.

If you've got the patience it's an absorbing melodrama, one I've seen maybe a dozen times over the years now with no loss of enjoyment, and with a salutary lesson for both sexes that's well worth learning but won't be.

Sad pre-Code film about adultery and its effects on the people involved has Ronald Colman starring as a British barrister happily married to Kay Francis. She goes off to Italy to save her silly sister from getting involved with the wrong man. Ironically, that leaves Colman easy prey for a conniving shop girl (Phyllis Barry) he meets by chance.

Although she knows he's married and nothing can come of their affair, she relentlessly pursues him and he falls for her. She loses her job and becomes totally dependent on him. He tries to break if off just as Francis returns from Italy but with tragic results.

Colman is excellent as the intelligent man who falls prey to temptation. Francis is wonderful as the wounded wife, and Barry is good as the conniving Doris. Co-stars include Henry Stephenson as the randy friend who starts all the trouble, Florine McKinney as Garla the silly sister, Viva Tattersall as Millie, Paul Porcasi as the restaurant owner, Halliwell Hobbes as the official, and Elspeth Dudgeon as Mrs. Weeks.

There's also a clip from a Charlie Chaplin movie.

Cynara (pronounced as the Goldwyn publicity department insisted "SIN-ara") is an obscure film from the early Hollywood sound era. It is almost unknown today. However, Cynara was an important film in the careers of five of Cynara's principals, and for that reason is worthy of fresh reappraisal by a contemporary audience.

Samuel Goldwyn and Ronald Colman---the producer and actor made eighteen films as a team, and Cynara was their next to last venture. The partnership was becoming increasingly contentious as exemplified by the fact that Colman did not want to do this film. He felt that the role of barrister Jim Warlock, an unfaithful husband with easily compromised moral values, was inconsistent with his carefully crafted screen image of usually portraying decent, honorable and often heroic leading men. . Goldwyn supported the idea of making a film version of this London and Broadway stage success in spite of Colman's reluctance. Colman's instinct proved to be right---the film failed at the box office, and provided the ultimate basis for a permanent estrangement between the two men. They made one more film together to settle a lawsuit that resulted from their dispute, and then never worked with each other again.

King Vidor--one of Hollywood's greatest directors made his first film in 1919, and had a career as a top notch craftsman that did not end until 1959. In Cynara, Vidor took a rather somber and down-beat story and was able to turn it into a serious yet engrossing drama with complex characters involved in a realistic and believable narrative. Notwithstanding the Colman role's shady behavior and relatively ease at being tempted, King was able to to create in Warlock a man who could also be kind, warm and greatly troubled by his unethical actions. It is one of King's least typical but most accomplished films.

Henry Stephenson--the only actor from the Broadway cast to reprise his role for the film version, Stephenson was one of Hollywood's busiest and most successful British character actors. He and C. Aubrey Smith often took turns playing like parts throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Similar in age and physical appearance, Stephenson and Smith created an extensive gallery of aristocratic Englishmen that defined such characters in the minds of most American moviegoers for generations. Interestingly, they both died at the age of 85 after prolific and distinguished acting careers.

Phyllis Barry---a discovery of Goldwyn, this British dancer's most famous film role was as Doris Lea, the doomed "other woman," in Cynara. Groomed for a major Hollywood career, she never reached anything close to Goldwyn's expectations. Relegated to a succession of nondescript bit parts, she died in relative obscurity of a drug overdose while in her early 40s.

As for Cynara, it is interesting in capturing an uncharacteristic portrayal of a cad by Ronald Colman, and Kay Francis is quite good as Colman's trusting and ultimately betrayed wife. But the best part in Cynara is played by Henry Stephenson in a sly and most entertaining role as Colman's friend who helps to lead him down the road of marital infidelity with considerable demonic charm.

Seek out Cynara.. It is well worth your time and attention.

London barrister Jim Warlock (Ronald Colman) is packing to leave his loving wife Clemency (Kay Francis). They discuss how he met Doris Emily Lea (Phyllis Barry) and the start of his troubles.

This pre-Code early talkie is a romantic melodrama mystery. I'm not always in love with these male characters who are 'ruined' by aggressive females. They feint innocence a little too easily and are rarely that at all. I do like the mystery of his downfall. At least, there is no boiled rabbit at the end of this "obsessed female" drama and he does accept some responsibility. I still don't like him, but I do accept his journey.