The Lady Lies

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

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.

Although technically and artistically the production is advanced for 1929, its theme is shockingly archaic. Even us 1930s film fans don't get too much exposure to the attitudes of the 1920s so this will come as is a real culture shock. It's a rare snapshot into what was considered important in pre-depression America.

This was made just a few months after Walter Huston's debut film, GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS but in terms of filmmaking its light years ahead. Compared with that earlier 'talker' this feels like it's made by professionals. It's no great classic but it's pretty good. In this Walter Huston (who was pretty awful in GOTP but now knows exactly how to act in a talking picture) plays an upper class widow who takes a shopgirl as his lover. Even though she is Claudette Colbert, not exactly your typical working class girl, that such a relationship could be anything more than a sugar daddy - gold digger situation is considered outrageous not just by his friends and snooty family but by her friends as well.

Without revealing the plot, even Huston's and Colbert's characters consider it impossible that they could possibly be in love and certainly contemplating marriage would be about as likely as moving to the moon. I was surprised just how rigid the social structure was portrayed to be in America - it seemed as bad as ours here in England. A couple of years later however their social structure would change forever when The Depression would put people of all classes in the same boat. Whereas the 30s seems like a different world, the 20s were a different universe.

The story is probably a little bit too removed from our lives to be that accessible to most of us today but certainly for 1929, it's remarkably well made (it's even got a musical score) so it's very watchable and entertaining. If you're interested in life in the 1920s, think that Walter Huston should have been President of the world or you're in love with Claudette Colbert, you will enjoy this.

As to the title of this review - As all good Genesis fans will know, The Lady Lies is the best track on their 1978 album, And Then There Were Three.