Mrs. Parkington

It's Christmastime in 1938. Elegant 83-year-old family matriarch Greer Garson (as "Susie" Graham-Parkington) welcomes various family members to her majestic New York mansion. The guests display various excesses, which are fueled by their wealth. We will learn the family fortune, estimated at over $30 million (not too shabby for 1938), could be in jeopardy. The holiday spirit triggers Ms. Garson's life story to be told, in a series of extensive flashbacks… Long ago, 18-year-old Garson tends to guests in her poor mother's boarding house. Their Leaping Rock, Nevada home is visited by silver mining tycoon Walter Pidgeon (as Augustus "Gus" Parkington). Garson and Mr. Pidgeon exchange winks; we're off and running...

We see newlywed Garson move from lowly to life in high society. She doesn't have far to go, looking impeccable in her scenes as a Leaping Rock chambermaid. Still, attractive Agnes Moorehead (as Aspasia Conti) decides to show Garson the ropes, having given up on playboy Pidgeon. Multi-millionaires have problems too, as we discover while the decades pass...

"Mrs. Parkington" isn't a very engaging story, but it is an excellent star vehicle for Greer Garson. It's all tailor-made, right down to the way she blows the curl dangling over her forehead. The actress had become MGM's most bankable female, with huge box-office success and measured critical acclaim. Very popular with "Oscar" voters, Garson added another nomination to her collection. She does an outstanding job, though her craftiness and make-up are not often subtle. Moorehead, Edward Arnold and the supporting cast all hit their marks. Director Tay Garnett, photographer Joseph Ruttenberg and the MGM crew make everything look superlative. A sense of staginess pervades, but it's appropriate; after all, this isn't "Citizen Kane".

****** Mrs. Parkington (1944-10-12) Tay Garnett ~ Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Agnes Moorehead, Edward Arnold

Greer Garson lived to be 91 years old, and she never looked as she did as the older Mrs. Parkington and the older Madame Curie - all white.

In this 1944 film, the Parkington family meets for Christmas, just before they all learn of a scandal which will impact the family fortune and the reputation of the family.

Thinking about her husband, Susie (Greer Garson), the matriarch, now 84, thinks back to meeting her husband Gus (Walter Pidgeon) at her family boarding house in Leaping Frog, Nevada. The major, as he was called, owned the mine where everyone worked.

Susie had always dreamed of being in high society, and she knew all about it and would fantasize about what it would be like. She gets her wish when, after the loss of her mother when the mine caves in, the Major and Susie marry and go to New York.

There she meets Aspasia (Agnes Moorhead), the Major's former mistress, who takes Susie in hand and helps her to buy clothes and learn the ways of society. Susie and the Major have children and encounter tragedy and separation. With the Major gone now, Susie reflects on how best to handle this situation by asking herself what the Major would do.

Really lovely film, with fine performances by Moorhead, Pidgeon, and of course, Garson. In the beginning she sports a black wig; I kind of missed, even in black and white, her flaming red hair. Strangely, Gladys Cooper plays Garson's daughter when Mrs. Parkington was 84. Cooper was 16 years older in reality.

In those days, it was more economical for studios to use actresses under contract than borrow someone (though lending actors out was incredibly lucrative). Possibly Cooper was under contract and available.

The film also features Edward Arnold, Dan Duryea, Lee Patrick, Tom Drake, Hugh Marlowe, Hans Conried, with Peter Lawford in a tiny role.

Good movie.

This appears at first to be a familiar kind of opulent family-through-the-generations saga. And Greer Garson was one of the queens of the genre.

But underlying this throughout is a droll, adult subtle wit. And the stylish stars to deliver it. There are those fairly subtle remarks which make the attractive guest smirk and the wife glare at her husband, all of whom are bound by the rules of politeness never to directly say what is, we so gather, very much going on. Remarks intended to indicate just to husband and wife that the attractive guest knows more about the husband's likes and dislikes than does his wife. They are such that other guests - and possibly some viewers - would be unaware of the true state of play. Fully adult themes with never a glimpse of stocking.

I didn't intend watching this but just heard the small bit of banter from actor Cecil Kellaway(as the Prince of Wales) who has a surprise meeting with Mrs Parkington. Rarely have I heard words spoken with, how to say it, a more skillful modulation. The speaker, who Mrs Parkington fails to recognise, is no ordinary person. The same thing could be said about the film.

Oh, why couldn't this film have been longer? I was taken in from the very beginning and was fascinated watching the lives of the Parkingtons. Greer Garson was exceptional as we watched her age from a young lady to a family matriarch in her 80's. I must agree that the pairing of she and Walter Pidgeon was superb and Agnes Moorehead's performance was remarkable. Gladys Cooper always stands out in any cast and with costumes of such splendor and the storylines that ranged from tragic to tremendous, there was no way to lose with this movie. Perhaps now, I'll go purchase the novel and see if I can get any more from this tale that didn't make it to the big screen. As they always say, "the book was better than the movie". I intend to try and find out. I can hardly imagine it, but I can only hope to find more and more delight from the adventures of the Parkingtons. This was one of my favorites with the pairing of Garson and Pidgeon. It's a truly entertaining movie and I recommend it highly!

Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon turn in fine performances here, in fact, they're as good here as in any of their films. Garson has long been a favorite of mine, and I particularly revere her performance in "Random Harvest". This film isn't quite that good, but it is a gem.

Of particular interest here are two very unusual performances by supporting actors. When I read, in advance, that Agnes Moorehead played a French socialite...well, I just couldn't see it. But, she was wonderful, and this is an Agnes Moorehead you've never seen before! And Cecil Kellaway as Edward, Prince of Wales...again, a very different performance, and so well done.

The story itself is interesting, with Garson as an old family institution reflecting on her life. If there's a criticism about this film, it's that Garson looks too young even in her elderly makeup. But, for much of the movie, she's her usual alluring self. Is it a sentimental melodrama? Yes. But a delightful one.