Outcast Lady

Constance Bennett and Herbert Marshall have known each other since childhood, but his father, Henry Stephenson, doesn't want them to marry. He sends Herbie away on business, and Constance isn't able to wait. True love has its time limit, I guess. She marries Herbie's best friend, Ralph Forbes, for revenge. Constance really isn't likable in this movie, since her character is both stupid, stubborn, and immature. Later in the movie, she's in knowledge of certain truths that could clear up a lot of confusion and a lot of hurt; but she refuses to tell what she knows. And she's oblivious to the one who's loved her all along. She uses men and doesn't care, but instead of a villainess, we're supposed to feel sorry for her.

It's a big melodrama that can only be seen in the silver screen. If you like the cast, you can try it out. I found it too over-the-top for my taste. It could have been fixed with a better heroine, but I just couldn't get immersed. Plus, I felt the two leads were miscast. Constance Bennett seemed too tired to actually care about anything, and Herbert Marshall didn't seem like the type of man who would let his father boss him around. If you like this movie, you might try out the silent version, A Woman of Affairs, starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.

Constance Bennett is terrific in this not so terrific film. Late in life she told an interviewer she was no Sarah Bernhardt but her self-appraisal was off target and doesn't apply to her performance as the outcast lady. MGM filmed this story in 1929 with Garbo and audience comparison of the 2 interpretations may have been a factor in the 1934 version's box-office failure. Or maybe it was something else.

In the early scenes Iris is a young woman in love, bubbling with happiness, for she's about to marry her true love, played by Herbert Marshall. But Marshall is miscast. He's too old to play Napier, Iris childhood playmate, who allows his father to make major life decisions for him. Iris and Napier don't marry. Years later, Iris marries 'Boy', a man with a secret, which she discovers on her wedding day. Boy's response to her discovery is incredible. Iris then makes her own incredible decision that results in the ruination of those she loves as well as herself. Iris tells a lie. This saves Boy's reputation while destroying her own. More years later, the truth is revealed, but it's too late to be of use to anyone. That Bennett succeeds in making these incredible happenings credible is impressive.

And Bennett is graceful and alluring on the dance floor. A wonderful scene shows the pleasure seeking merry widow in her Adrian gown dancing the tango in a nightclub on the Riviera. She does appear to be enjoying herself and her partner. But we know better. Under that gay exterior there beats the broken heart of a noble woman. Or something like that.

Variety's reviewer wrote, "It's a very good acting job by Constance Bennett and if the story hadn't been such a patch-quilt it might have been one of her memorable performances." I agree. The story is to blame. BTW, the secret Iris guarded is somewhat mysterious. Being referred to as Boy's "purity" has misled today's viewers, but the audience of 1934, especially the males, would have known that Boy had a disease, at that time incurable and considered so shameful that it was spoken of only in confidence with one's doctor. MGM's genius producer, Irving Thalberg, as well as the Production Code were responsible for this hash.

This is an MGM chick flick, 1934- style. Constance Bennett, a first class actress, is Iris, a penniless heiress (I'm still trying to get my brain around how she and her drunken brother can live so well despite their circumstances... they have servants who work whilst politely grumbling over not being paid) who loves the Napier, (Herbert Marshall) son of a prominent English family with interests in India. His father (Henry Stephenson) bans their marriage and each goes off in different directions while carrying awfully large torches for each other. My problems with the production: 1) Marshall is ill-fitted as the somewhat spineless son--- he's 44 here (!) 2) Stephenson is a real one-dimensional turd until the big revelation. 3) The ending (I won't give it away, but it doesn't really fit with Iris' temperament). Connie Bennett ranks (along with Kay Francis and Bebe Daniels) as one of the most underrated actresses around and is always fascinating to watch... even in pedestrian soap like this.

How an actress so magnificent is not more celebrated leaves me shaken with incomprehension.

I love her in comedies such as "My man Godfrey" and "Merrily we live" but in this she suffers so gallantly and beautifully. In my first feature film I style Elizabeth Mcgovern after her and in this film she shimmers and shines.

I cannot recommend it more.

See it and love it and cherish it.

Her sister Joan always said she knew who she was and what she could bring to the screen and boy in this does she deliver the goods.

Hollywood's British colony with the exception of star Constance Bennett filled out the roles in this drama about the British upper classes. I know that American audiences during the Depression did like to see how the upper crust lived. But these noble sacrificing people were a bit much.

Herbert Marshall who appeared regularly in these kind of dramas is going out with Bennett. But dear old dad disapproves because of the unsavory reputation she and brother Hugh Williams have. Henry Stephenson was always playing these upper crust British types as the British like to see themselves is the father.

As a dutiful son and member of Parliament he obeys. Marshall even makes a more suitable match in Elizabeth Allan. As for Bennett she nobly sacrifices herself and Williams does likewise.

A little honesty all around and none of these plot situations would have developed. Outcast Lady should stay outcast.