The Lady Lies

"The Lady Lies" is one of Claudette Colbert's first films and she's paired with Walter Huston in a rather confusing pre-code outing. When I say 'pre-code' I am referring to the era just before July, 1934...when films had all sorts of adult content which were essentially outlawed by the code. For example, the characters curse several times during the movie and the movie IMPLIES a lot...a hallmark of many pre-code pictures.

As far as the plot goes, I think it's an example of a film which implies a lot without saying it...at least that's what I THINK was happening.

Rich guy Robert Rossiter (Huston) is a widower whose two kids were sent away to boarding school. In the meantime, Robert meets a nice working girl, Joyce (Colbert) and they fall in love. However, Robert's straight-laced family don't approve. Why? Well, that's the vague part. It might just be because she's not from the fancy set and the family are snobs. But it might also be implying she's become Rossiter's mistress...with all that implies. But frankly...I don't know. If it's the former, everyone REALLY overracts to the romance. If it's the latter, they sure didn't make it clear...and this lack of clarity is why I didn't love the picture.

Overall, an okay time-passer...that I really wanted to like more. And, while Huston and Colbert are very good, the actors playing the children are just awful...among the worst performances by child actors I can recall.

While buying a gift for his daughter, widower Walter Huston (as Robert Rossiter) finds French salesclerk Claudette Colbert (as Joyce Roamer) to be both pretty and helpful. Soon thereafter, a chance meeting leads to an over two year affair. Apparently succumbing to his snooty Massachusetts relatives, Mr. Huston decides not to marry below his station, and develops an "understanding" agreeable to Ms. Colbert. It couldn't be that Huston is listening to his perpetually drunk pal Charles Ruggles (as Charlie Tayler), who warns Huston to stay away from brunettes. Colbert is considered a "jezebel" among Huston's friends and relations.

Becoming aware of their father's affair, teenage children Tom Brown (as Robert "Bob" Rossiter Jr.) and Patricia Deering (as Josephine "Jo" Rossiter) decide to meet Colbert, who shares a New York apartment with Huston. Young Mr. Brown telephones Colbert with dire health news. To turn the tables on the tricky kids, Colbert tells them she and Huston's upcoming trip to Europe is also going to be a honeymoon. But, it's just a cruise. This is how "The Lady Lies" gets its title. The film is probably most interesting as a chance to see the then stage actress Claudette Colbert in an early starring appearance (showing plenty of profile).

**** The Lady Lies (9/21/29) Hobart Henley ~ Walter Huston, Claudette Colbert, Tom Brown, Charles Ruggles

Claudette Colbert is a shop girl. She helps widower Walter Huston pick out a birthday gift for his daughter, Patricia Deering. Later, they run into each other and Huston takes her to lunch so he can read her the enthusiastic letter his daughter has written. Miss Colbert becomes Huston's kept woman and things go along very nicely until the night Huston has his children home -- Tom Brown plays his son -- and a couple of their New England relatives. They endure a Sodom-and-Gomorrah rant, and matters come to a head.

Huston certainly hit the ground running in the movies in 1929. Besides this movie and THE VIRGINIAN -- I've yet to see GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS -- he also appeared in three shorts, one as Jean Valjean and one as Abraham Lincoln! In this movie he gives the most naturalistic performance in an early talkie I have ever seen. The opening scene has him trying to get some paperwork done while Charles Ruggles natters on; Huston's distracted, muttered replies are pitch perfect.

The story, despite its rather standard plot, has some fine situations, and director Hobart Henley takes advantage of the superior sound technicians in Paramount's Astoria studio to produce a lovely scene in a restaurant. It's shot wild, letting the camera move freely, while the soundtrack is filled with the babble of a large room's conversations. Henley had entered the movies in 1914 as an actor, and soon became a successful director. He retired from the screen in 1934, even though he was only 47; he lived another 30 years. Like many a now-obscure director, I have no idea why he quit so young.

This charming movie begins with a wealthy widower by the name of "Robert Rossiter" (Walter Huston) going to a department store in search of a present for his 14-year-old daughter "Jo Rossiter" (Patricia Deering) who he has left with some relatives in Boston along with his son "Bob Rossiter" (Tom Brown). While in the department store, he meets a young sales lady named "Joyce Roamer" (Claudette Colbert) and the two fall in love almost immediately. The problem, however, is that neither his children nor his relatives like the idea of him living for two years with his lower-class companion and he is soon forced to make a choice that he has long since tried to avoid. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I didn't expect too much from this film mainly because of the fact that early talkies produced during this time typically have serious problems with picture quality, audio or overall acting. Surprisingly, made as, more often than not, there are problems with the film quality, audio or acting. Sometimes all three. Fortunately, that was not the case here, as both the picture and audio were quite adequate for the most part. And as far as the acting was concerned, I thought that Claudette Colbert performed in an excellent manner. Likewise, Charles Ruggles (as "Charlie Taylor") also performed quite well in a supporting role. Be that as it may, although it might be rather dated, I recommend this movie to those who might be interested, and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

Watched this film because I am a big Claudette Colbert fan.She came across well enough but the script though probably fashionable for the time seems dated now. Huston was OK to a point but overacted towards the end of the film .Given a decent script we might have seen him in a better light