The Toy Wife

I rarely review these old movies, but in the case of THE TOY WIFE not only do I feel the film is underrated, but also misrepresented.

The basic plot concerns a successful lawyer (Melvyn Douglas) in 19th century Louisiana, who chooses to marry Frou Frou, the spirited and lively sister of more wholesome, reasonable Louise. Although Louise is in love with Douglas, she advises her sister to marry him. Their marriage starts off well, but soon Douglas resents his wife for not being an adequate homemaker, as Louise would have been (Frou Frou is 'too nice, and not strict enough with the slaves'). He soon has Louise coming to live with them and taking over the normal duties of his wife.

Frou Frou gradually realizes her place in the home is nothing more than as a 'Toy Wife,' someone for her husband to make love to while Louise takes her place in the home as mother. This causes her to look for true love elsewhere, and finding it in another suitor (Robert Young). This has disastrous repercussions for everyone involved.

It would be unfair to label Frou Frou a femme fatale. She is too kind, too loving, and much too wise. The true villain of the piece is Melvyn Douglas, who wants it both ways. He wants a reasonable, hardworking woman like Louise to take care of the house and Frou Frou to take care of the sex. At one point in the film, Louise confronts him and says so, and thus he is finally able to question the kind of husband he has been.

The acting in the film is variable. Douglas is good as the fickle husband, who only finds error in his wife instead of looking within himself. Rainer has moments of brilliance but her acting style is difficult to get used to, and is glaringly different from the more restrained performances from the other actors.

The production, however, is a first class star vehicle for Rainer, who was usually not given the attention two Oscars warranted. Overall, an interesting and, at times, moving melodrama with a central character who was basically good and should not be dismissed as a femme fatale.

This is a seldom seen film. We caught it on TCM, the best source for some of the best classic films of all times. The main attraction in watching this 1938 movie was a curiosity for watching Luise Ranier at the height of her Hollywood days.

As directed by Richard Thorpe, the film has its merits. This movie, based on a play, seems artificial, but that was the taste of those days and it will not disappoint, although it is a typical melodrama. The art direction of Cedric Gibbons is evident in the lush interiors of the elegant New Orleans mansions and the antebellum plantation owned by the Vallaire family.

This is a story about two sisters who loved each other dearly, but their relationship suffers a blow as George Sartoris will ask the flighty Gilberte "Frou Frou" Brigard to marry him instead of the woman who really loved him, her sister Louise. Frou Frou, a frivolous girl, only wanted the glamor of the social life in New Orleans. She liked George, but she never felt anything for her husband. Dashing Andre Vallaire awakens a fatal passion in her. In fact, that is her downfall and she lives to pay for her indiscretion.

Luise Ranier plays the young girl well. Her acting reminded us of another star of the day, Greta Garbo, although Ms. Ranier was not a product of the silent era. Both believed in the large gestures as a way to emphasize the lines they were reciting and both played to the camera in similar fashion. In fact, she sticks out from the rest of the cast, which obviously had another approach to acting.

The dashing Melvyn Douglas was good as George. Barbara O'Neil is perfect as the Louise, the noble sister that gives up her own happiness to make George happy. Robert Young cuts quite a figure as the handsome Andre. Alma Kruger, H.B. Warner, are seen in minor roles.

The film is a curiosity, and it should be seen as such because it probably will resonate with admirers of the classic films of that era.

The reviews should help potential viewers decide whether or not they will like a movie. I thought there were certain aspects of this movie that were exceptionally good so I was surprised to see a below average rating. When this occurs, I often see a sharp disparity in the reviews where one group loves it and another group thinks it a flop. Both are valid subjective comments. Readers should read a couple of reviews from each of the two groups and see which group they identify with and view or not accordingly. I belong to the former group. I was blown away by the fantastic performance of Luise Rainer, arguably the best actress of her era - it was exactly the characterization the original play and movie called for. In contrast, when the movie came out, critics did not like it and it didn't do well at the box office (suffering a small financial loss). Critics called it too melodramatic, but melodramas have always been one of the major genres of movies - especially in the '30s and still survive today. Critics called Luise's performance "too feminine" (NY Times) and too animated. Those criticisms are a bit like calling a Boris Karloff horror film "too scary" - if you don't like horror (or melodrama), then don't watch horror (or melodrama). The movie and story line are NOT on the same level as, say, Gone With The Wind, but it's a good B level melodrama with all supporting actors and others doing A level jobs albeit on a modest budget. Individual reviewers thought Luise's style was too animated, but that's what the role calls for and her Oscar winning performance in The Good Earth had was no animation as that's what that role required. Others thought Luise's acting style was too different than the other actors. However, the others were playing "normal" people whereas Luise was portraying a character that was qualitatively different and doing it perfectly. The key theme is the Melvyn Douglas character (solid, all business, male) falling in love with Luise's (animated, happy-alive, ultra female) character. I've seen Luise's character in real life - rare, but still seen again and again - and those who are like Melvyn's character are very strongly attracted to her as they seem to sense that she will add another dimension, or two, to their life. Melvyn's character falls for Luise's character because of who she is - her personality. But then, to be brief and not give too much away, Melvyn's character begins to become disenchanted and critical as she's not more like him. This is a deep theme for a melodrama. Being fiction, there are many possible endings and many may have been disappointed (and lowered their rating) by the chosen ending not matching their preferred ending - I preferred a different ending, but my subjective choice is NOT inherently better than the chosen ending. And as I reflect on the movie, I'm free to change the ending to fit my taste.

Quite the period piece... the south, before the civil war. But some big names.. .Melvyn Douglas (star of silents and talkies), Robert Young (Marcus Welby), HB Warner (many films). some similarities to Gone With the Wind.... girl likes one guy. another guy proposes, so she accepts. but still likes the other guy. and doesn't really get over it. stuff happens. many references to slavery. not all complimentary, but historically accurate. goes on and on. lessons learned. one lives with ones' decisions. Directed by Richard Thorpe. about the biggest films for him were Jailhouse Rock and Fun in Acapulco.

With the US Civil War on the horizon, coquettish 16-year-old Luise Rainer (as Gilberte "Frou Frou" Brigard) returns from a French finishing school to her Louisiana plantation. After looking over her slaves, Ms. Rainer selects self-described young "darkie" Theresa Harris as her personal attendant. Called "Pick" (short for "Pickaninny"), Ms. Harris is the cast member with the most star quality in this story. Rainer becomes involved with two men, stable lawyer Melvyn Douglas (as Georges) and more irresponsible Robert Young (as Andre). Her immaturity and flirtatious nature causes heartache in Ms. Rainer's relationships with these men and her older sister Barbara O'Neil (as Louise)...

It should have been obvious by "The Toy Wife" that MGM's much hoped-for success with Luise Rainer was not going to materialize. Here, she impersonates Greta Garbo (from "Camille") doing Bette Davis (from "Jezebel"). The studio and Rainer would soon give up on each other. It's a shame, because Rainer might have gone on to have an engaging US film career. MGM and studio head Louis B. Mayer should have originally pushed Rainer for a "Supporting Actress" award (for "The Great Ziegfeld") and given her some more suitable projects. Here, she is way off the mark. "The Toy Wife" is also notable for its threatening treatment of house slaves. Alma Kruger does well as Mr. Young's mother.

*** The Toy Wife (6/10/38) Richard Thorpe ~ Luise Rainer, Melvyn Douglas, Robert Young, Barbara O'Neil