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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.

King Vidor directed "Cynara," an early talkie starring Ronald Colman and Kay Francis, in 1932. The title is based on a poem by Ernest Dowson that contains the line: "I have been faithful to thee, Cynara, in my fashion."

Colman plays a barrister who is faithful to his wife of 7 years, Clemency (Francis) but succumbs to the carnal temptation of a young girl (Phyllis Barry) while his wife and her sister are in Venice.

As others commented, there are some lovely effects, including the film within a film, and a piece of paper that Colman rips up that dissolves into flying pigeons in Venice.

And there are very good performances by Colman, Francis and Barry, who has the difficult role of the young girl who, because of a mistake, is not considered quite respectable, and falls for Colman.

The problem I have with the story is that the Colman character is such a devoted husband in the beginning and so happy about being married 7 years. In practically the next scene, with the encouragement of his friend (Henry Stevenson) he has taken up with this girl. If some of that had been left out of the script, it would have been much more believable.

At any rate, well worth seeing for the director, the precode aspects, and the stars.

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.

Suicide has always been an awkward subject for a city devoted to "a real Hollywood ending," but at least during the Great Depression, it could be touched upon. A respectable bourgeois (Ronald Colman) succumbs to the temptations of a pretty younger woman (Phyllis Barry) while his respectable wife (Kay Francis) is away. Although the young lady has presented herself as a femme du monde, it turns out that she's very clingy. When the missus returns home, our hero has several balls to juggle. Fine performances add to the suspense.

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.

Recently I was finally able to see this early sound classic with Ronald Colman and Kay Francis. I haven't seen many movies with the latter, and her understated beauty suits Colman perfectly.

Colman looking elegant in his perfectly tailored suits, plays a conservative and happily married (to Kay, as Clemency) barrister whose life is turned upside down by a chance affair with a shop girl played sensitively by an unknown at the time, Phyllis Barry. King Vidor, the director, took a chance in casting her, but his faith in her ability paid off. She brings just the right touch of pathos and desperation to the role of Doris. (And just happens to resemble Kay more than just a little.) In David Shepard's book on King Vidor several effects within the movie are discussed, such as the movie within a movie scene with Charlie playing the little tramp when they all go to the flickers the night he and Tring (character actor Henry Stephenson in a salty role.) meet the girls, and the fade out scenes of Colman tearing up the paper with the girls address to a scene of Clemency in Venice with her sister and the scraps of paper have dissolved into pigeons in flight.

I would say that this was a different type of role for Colman. Yet even though he plays an adulterous husband, his kindness and tenderness toward Doris is always there, and all parties suffer because of the infidelity. Even in a precode, no one gets away from the consequences of their actions! I highly recommend this movie for Colman and Francis fans and as a fine example of an early Vidor sound movie. I enjoyed it more than Street Scene as the sound quality was better by this time, and the story flowed more smoothly.

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.

According to the Citadel Film Series book The Films of Ronald Colman, the movie-going public did not take to Colman in Cynara playing an adulterous husband. His image as the ultimate civilized man of the English speaking world did not jibe with infidelity. Still Colman does give a decent performance in a rather dated melodrama.

Colman when we meet him is one happily married if somewhat bored man to Kay Francis. He's a successful barrister. But when Francis is on a girl's holiday, Colman rather casually drifts into an affair with young Phyllis Barry.

Of course it ends in tragedy as these things do, especially back in the day. It does resolve in the best tradition of stiff upper lip English dignity which I think today's audience will not understand. But that would also be in the Ronald Colman tradition as well.

King Vidor got good performances out of his cast. Kay Francis as the wronged wife has little to do here, but look martyred. A favorite character actor of mine Henry Stephenson lends his worldly wisdom to the proceedings. And there is a nice performance by Viva Tattersall as Barry's friend and Colman's accuser.

Cynara is a nice, but terribly dated film. Audiences back then were put off by this digression from the Colman image. Audiences today will be thrown by all those rather silly romantic notions and the idea that we must preserve appearances at all costs.

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.

Despite the fact that the film stars the ever erudite Ronald Colman, there just isn't much to recommend this bizarre Pre-Code melodrama. Much of it is because the message is muddled, inconsistent and bizarre...and the characters are completely unlikable.

Colman plays a very well-respected barrister who has every reason to be happy. And, he loves his wife and tells her and everyone else how lucky he is. Because of this, what follows really makes no sense. At the insistence of his 'friend' (Henry Stephenson in a VERY atypical sort of role for him), Colman takes one stupid step after another and is headed for an affair. Again and again, Colman says 'no'--and only seconds later, does exactly what this young lady wants. Now here is the weird part--although he spends time with the lady, tells her he loves her and kisses her, no sort of sexual relationship is even implied!! So, we are expected to believe he is now cheating on his wife BUT doesn't want to sleep with the lady! Huh?!? The young lady turns out to be a bit flaky. Although he insists repeatedly that he loves his wife and won't leave her, she persists in pushing him to do exactly this. Now considering that Colman plays a real wienie who always caves in, you can understand her expectations. But, when he continues to refuse to leave his wife, she responds by killing herself and the film tries very hard to make you feel sorry for Colman--who just seems like a giant idiot and an unlikable one at that.

So what is the point of the film? Should you have lots of affairs ONLY just be certain the ladies involved are non-suicidal? Is adultery okay as long as you don't 'do the nasty'? Can the audience care about a man's predicament when he creates it himself, is awfully unlikable and a dope? All I know is that I just didn't give a rat's behind for him or the story. A weird combination of Pre-Code morality and prudishness. Clearly one of Colman's worst films.

An odd film of both King Vidor's and Ronald Colman's, but Kay Francis is adorable and saves both the film and the story. The moment of truth arrives at the court when the successful careerist and London barrister is put to trial and has to explain himself, which he refuses to do, as his delicacy forbids him, as the reputation and honour of a deceased girl depends on it, and without it standing out clearly or being expressed, his loyalty and honouring the girl's memory makes him keep his silence, well aware that it will be judged to his disadvantage - he loses everything and has to find a new life in South Africa, while he could have saved himself and his marriage and career and everything by telling the truth about the girl. This is actually a typical Ronald Colman part - the extreme gentleman, who rather reasons decently and romantically than rationally. It is interesting although not a first rate movie but an odd gem indeed of no great lustre but of the greater worth for its inconspicuousness for both King Vidor and Ronald Colman.

Like a lot of movies from British novels it's literate as hell, but not very interesting, with a closed in kind of feel where all the scenes, even the ones filmed outdoors, seem like interiors. Kind of surprising coming from King Vidor whose best work ("The Fountainhead", "The Big Parade", "Our Daily Bread") is, at the very least, expansive. About right for Kay Francis, though, who appeared in good films about as frequently as the Seattle Mariners in the post season. Give it a C.

Ronald Colman offers up some thick slices of ham while Kay Francis models the latest frocks in this mawkishly delicate tale of infidelity in which both are so proper about everything.

When British barrister James Warlock's wife Clemency goes off on extended vacation he is cajoled by dirty old man charmer (James Stephenson) to go on the town. There he meets shop girl Doris and an affair ensues with Warlock uneasy but willing about it. It ends badly and a large scandal ensues.

Told in flashback Vidor does an exquisite job of photographing the stars whose strident regret while "Being British" is cringeworthy at times. The happy ending in light of the tragic outcome simply rings hollow, the chemistry between the stars, junk science.

Remarkable how this rubs it in. Maybe not quite the upper that folks wanted to see in early Depression days, but a powerful reminder of what our ancestors lived through. Kudos to all three leads. British women had had the vote for over a decade in 1932, but they didn't have much economic power, and their fading youthful looks and unblemished reputations mattered a great deal. It was still dog eat dog. At the end of every war there would be a shortage of men. In many cities there is endemically a shortage of men as so many are employed elsewhere. Careers were not the norm. Jobs for women were scarce. Lose one with no settlement or pension or healthcare and they could actually die of hunger and lack of a home. Suicides were not uncommon. And so, desperate measures can occur, as we see here. Made more-so by the facts that the tragic shop-girl had already had a failed affair, and was stuck in an insecure and deadend job. All three leads did the "natural" thing from their angle, even if it was not "right". Few men would have simply cut the girl dead. Few wives would have called for divorce. Shades of Dickens and Jane Austin here.

Certain actors have two sides to them: the side you love and the side you can't stand. With Ronald Colman, there's the side that's passionate and compelling; you can find him in A Double Life and A Tale of Two Cities. There's the other side that's aloof and would rather do anything else in the world than rattle off lines in front of a camera; you can find him in Cynara. He plays a barrister whose life is in shambles. His marriage to Kay Francis is falling apart, and his career has been ruined. Why? You'll have to watch his flashback, and his pained expressions - although, they seem to be expressing pain that he has to be in this movie.

In the flashback, we see that Ronald and Kay had a bad marriage anyway. He was faithful, but she was not. What was good for the gander was apparently not good the goose, for when he finally falls in love with another woman, Kay gets really upset. In a way, I understand her frustration. Couldn't he be a little less predictable about it? He meets Phyllis Barry in a swimsuit competition and is dazzled by her "personality." It's not very convincing that she's the love of his life and Kay is stifling him.

Ronald also seems intent on giving off zero chemistry with the women in the movie. It's as if he read the script and asked the director, "Do I have to make love to these women? Oh well." If you're new to his movies, don't watch this one first. You won't be able to stand him!

Ronald Colman stars as successful barrister Jim Warlock. At the beginning of the film, he and his wife Clemency (Kay Francis) sit glumly on an Italian terrazzo. Jim has had an affair and not only has it wrecked his life, it's broken up his marriage. He's about to board a boat to South Africa by himself. Clemency asks Jim why he had an affair in the first place. The rest of the story is told in flashback. Pre-Code movies love flashbacks, don't they?

On the night of their seventh anniversary Clemency leaves for Venice with her sister to keep said sister out of the clutches of an "undesirable" man. Left alone in London, Jim is egged on by John Tring (Henry Stephenson recreating his stage role), a cynical old lecher, to join two young girls in a Soho café, Doris (Phyllis Barry) and Milly (Viva Tattersall ) and from there to the cinema. There follows a delightful interlude where they watch "A Dog's Life", starring Charlie Chaplin. Doris gives Jim her phone number, but later he tears it up and throws it out the window--cue a beautiful dissolve to pigeons flying in Venice. Clemency, go home! But no, she phones Jim to announce she'll be staying another month or two in Italy.

Tring throws John in the path of Doris a second time--a bathing beauty contest no less--and the inevitable happens. And happens. After all, it's the seven year itch! Although she's "been around" as the saying goes, Doris is a romantic idealist who falls hard for Jim even though she knows he's married. Despite being very much in love with his wife, Jim also loves Doris in his way. When Clemency returns from Italy, Doris refuses to give Jim up. Uh-oh.

Some have compared this to "Fatal Attraction" which does this movie a great disservice. Doris has "been around" quite a bit, but she's a sweet young woman who sincerely loves Jim. Honestly I'd have an awful time giving up Ronald Colman! In a fedora and camel overcoat? Oh, mama, buy me that!

But I digress. Colman is marvelous as Jim, but audiences didn't want to see him as an adulterer, even an adulterer wracked with guilt. Phyllis Barry is likewise marvelous as Doris. Goldwyn arranged this as her film debut, but her career didn't take off. Kay Francis is in a supporting role, in which she does well. This movie should be better known.