A Successful Calamity

When a rich financier fears that his wife & children take him for granted, he arranges A SUCCESSFUL CALAMITY to make them believe he's lost all his money.

George Arliss, the 1930's preeminent character actor, is perfectly cast in this bit of dramatic fluff. With the lift of a sardonic eyebrow, or the twitch of an elegant finger, he is able to convey volumes of personality & emotion. Listen to how he pronounces the single word `poor' - turning it into two syllables layered with nuance - to get an idea of the quality of stagecraft at work here. It is to Hollywood's discredit that Arliss' contributions to American cinema have been in eclipse for decades.

The rest of the cast- Mary Astor as Arliss' society wife; William Janney & Evalyn Knapp as his preoccupied children; Hardie Albright as a social twit; Grant Mitchell as Arliss' faithful butler; Hale Hamilton as his business manager; Helena Phillips as a frantic cook; and Randolph Scott as a polo captain - do very well with their roles. But it is George Arliss that captures and holds the attention of the grateful viewer.

Adapted from the stage and expanded beyond a simple set, "A Successful Calamity" is an enjoyable cinematic parable that illustrates---through a simple deception---that money, though it is not the root of all evil, is not the measure of true success.

George Arliss plays financier Henry Wilton who, like Odysseus, returns from his journeys to find his home in shambles---not literally, but figuratively. He devises a risky scheme to help him determine how desperate thing are.

This is a light-hearted film due to its clever script and the masterful performance of Arliss, around whom everything revolves. With nuance of voice and manner, he elevates the comedy and injects tenderness into every scene. It's a heartwarming tale that must have carried added significance during the Great Depression.

Sadly, while George Arliss was known by his colleagues as a great stage actor, the number of films he appeared in were relatively few despite his talents. In each of them I have seen, he gave a seemingly effortless and graceful performance that made me love his characters--in other words, he gave them great life and charm. Here, Arliss plays a major industrialist who spent a year abroad following WWI working for the American government. However, when he returns, he finds that his wife and grown kids are too busy to truly welcome him home and he longs for a happy family life. Then, rather by accident, he comes upon the idea of convincing the family that despite his millions, he is in fact broke. Here is where the film really comes to life. How each of these people as well as Arliss' butler react to the calamity is quite amazing--especially since the script is so magnificently written, it kept me guessing to the very end. It's not often that a film does this, as most films are rather derivative.

In addition to Arliss, Mary Astor, Grant Mitchell and the rest of the family, towards the end is a brief appearance of a very young Randolph Scott--and boy does he look young.

Lovely acting, great script writing and direction make this a wonderful comedy treat that deserves to be remembered. Watch the film then tell your friends--this one is a keeper!

A nice comedic performance from Arliss as a business man, whose family has no time for him. He feigns bankruptcy to get them to stay home with him, and is surprised at how they all rally to him. The ruse brings him unexpected financial benefits as well. Warm-hearted film though playing on only one note story-wise.

Mary Astor is fine in an early sound role and the supporting cast does well all around. It's a delight watching Arliss' facial expressions, which convey more subtlety than he could have produced on stage and show him a continued master of comedic timing.

Although only a few sets are used, they are well done and up to the usual Warner Bros. standards of the early thirties.

If you liked Greedy, check out A Successful Calamity, a comedy about a millionaire who pretends to be penniless to bond with his family. George Arliss stars as the patriarch, and after a year and a half abroad, he returns home to find his family all off living the life of the rich and famous. His wife, Mary Astor, is involved with a piano prodigy, Fortunio Bonanova, and has lavish taste in modern art. His daughter, Evalyn Knapp, is set to marry a wealthy beau even though she's clearly in love with the poor, hunky Randolph Scott. His son, Hardie Albright, spends all this time with polo ponies and fast women. Only his loyal butler, Grant Mitchell, sticks by his side.

In an effort to reconnect with his family, George tells everyone he's ruined. What will happen? Will his plan backfire? You'll have to watch this movie to find out, and I highly recommend you do. It's very cute, funny, and quick. Don't turn your brain off during this movie, since finances are readily discussed. Easily imagined as Clare Kummer's original play, it's fast-paced yet calming, since family love is at the heart of the story. I'd never seen a George Arliss film before, and while he is unimpressive in his first scene, he quickly charms the audience with his wit, intelligence, and genuine affection towards the other characters. It's no wonder he was such a popular actor in the early days of cinema.