Souvent femme varie

This is one of more than a dozen 1930's films which were blockbusters for Crawford. She is nothing less than hilarious in this film and it paved the way for I Live My Life and Susan and God. She and Gable had major chemistry, although her acting skills made his look inferior, which of course they were. Rosalind Russell and Crawford work very well together.

Although the plot didn't sound that special, with it being quite old hat and predictable, there were a couple of interest points. Namely the cast, being somebody who has liked very much a lot of the work of Joan Crawford and Clark Gable individually and Robert Montgomery is good when in the right role. Not to mention Charles Butterworth, Rosalind Russell and Billie Burke. WS Van Dyke was a very talented director who was hardly out of his depth in this sort of film and golden age comedy with touches of romance are my kind of film.

'Forsaking All Others' is not one of the best of the genre. Have also seen everybody in the cast give better performances than here, though they do come off very well still and are the main reason for seeing the film. 'Forsaking All Others' is one of those films that starts off very well but runs out of steam in the latter stages in material and momentum. It is certainly not a bad film, let alone terrible, but considering the talent it had potential to be much better.

Beginning with the good, it looks good with some lovely shots and Crawford's typically knockout wardrobe. Van Dyke's direction is slick and accomplished for the first half. Really liked the song choices for the soundtrack, some real classics here and all used appropriately and it was surprising to hear a few of the songs sung by the cast a capella. The script is very witty and sophisticated in the first half and is also very funny.

The first half also moves at a lively pace and has fun and charm. Crawford clearly enjoys herself while not playing her role too heavily, which she did do in some of her comedies, and has nice comic timing. Gable despite being underused later is charming and dashing, didn't like how his character was written in the second half but Gable really makes the most of what he is given. Montgomery also has great comic timing and is suitably caddish, though again his character didn't appeal to me. Butterworth and Russell are very amusing.

However, 'Forsaking All Others' could have been better. The second half for me was not near as good as the first, it drags in pace, any turns are predictable and the material becomes tired and contrived. It actually felt like a different film. The ending comes over as hokey and would have made more sense and rang true if Gable's character was written better in the second half and didn't make such an unwarranted and out of the blue decision.

The character does come over as simpering and too easily fooled and Montgomery's character's negative character traits are also overblown to the extent that his appeal gets lost on the viewer. Van Dyke's direction also isn't as focused and it was like he lost control or gave up. Burke has too little to do to shine.

In conclusion, uneven but just about above average. 6/10.

I have to imagine that in order for MGM to justify using two of their top leading men with Joan Crawford, their parts in Forsaking All Others would have to have been built up considerably. The original Broadway production of this comedy that ran 110 performances in 1933 starred Tallulah Bankhead and it was strictly her show. As if it would have been any other way.

I have to give Joan Crawford credit on this one. Unlike her later film Susan and God where she tries to imitate Gertrude Lawrence with accent and all, she wisely does not try to do a Tallulah impersonation. She creates her own character here and it's a good one. She's got both Robert Montgomery and Clark Gable after her, but she chooses early on and in the end she finds out she chooses wrong. In fact the only impersonation Crawford does is one of her Grand Hotel co-star Greta Garbo.

Both Clark Gable and Robert Montgomery settle into familiar stereotypes for them. Gable is another reporter character like he is It Happened One Night and Montgomery is an irresponsible playboy like he was in a gazillion films.

Montgomery and Crawford are set to be married, but Montgomery leaves her at the altar and runs off with his demanding mistress Frances Drake. But Crawford has Gable's shoulder to cry on for most of the rest of the film. By the way, Drake gives a performance that's a case study in canine feminus. She makes Joan Collins in Dynasty look like Maria Von Trapp. Drake dominates in whatever scene she's in. No way that Tallulah Bankhead would have let that happen on stage.

Charles Butterworth and Billie Burke are also on hand and young Rosalind Russell on her way up has a small part as one of Crawford's friends. Nothing new in Forsaking All Others, but the ground is familiar enough.

A witty film that benefits mostly from the pairing of Clark Gable and Joan Crawford. After a brisk and entertaining first half, things start to drag a bit when Gable is absent from the screen for a protracted period. Nevertheless, its well worth seeing.

A better than average comedy that certainly entertains. Plot is believable and somewhat unusual. Clark Gable returns from Madrid (we are not told what he was doing there nor really what anyone does for a living) in order to propose to Joan Crawford. Clark has secretly loved Joan since they were children but in his absence, Joan has agreed to marry Robert Montgomery who she has loved since they were children. Enter the old flame, Frances Drake, who whisks Montgomery away on the eve of his nuptial leaving Crawford standing at the alter. The marriage does not work and soon Crawford steps out with Montgomery on the side. Gable criticizes and consoles Crawford eventually making plans to return to Spain. Good performances by Crawford (opening shot with cream on her face is in contrast to other stars who preferred glamorous introductions), Montgomery (he really is funny), Gable, Billie Burke (who can do "flustered" any better), Rosalind Russell (does well in one of her early films) and a very droll Charles Butterworth. I never thought Frances Drake was believable as the lower class wife but this can easily be overlooked. Recommended as an evenings good entertainment.