Bachelor Apartment

I didn't expect much from this film when I first saw it, not knowing who Lowell Sherman was and figuring it would be extremely dated.

I found out the film provided some good laughs, some clever sarcastic dialog, realistic characters and a certain charm at the same time.

Sherman might have been a bit too old to be playing the role of playboy but he carried it off, being enjoyable to watch. It was fun seeing such a young Irene Dunne, too, complete with the early '30s short hairstyle. Unlike most of the women pictured in this film, Dunne played her typical high-principled character, reflecting the classy lady she was off screen, too.

Back before the newer, tougher Production Code was enacted in July, 1934, films were often quite bawdy--far bawdier than most folks today would expect. While nudity was rare (but NOT unheard of), topics like homosexuality, promiscuity, infidelity and even abortion were talked about in Hollywood films. While not among the more risqué films of the day, "Bachelor Apartment" is very Pre-Code in its sensibilities!

Wayne Carter (Lowell Sherman--who also directed this film) is an unabashed womanizer and playboy. He uses a wide variety of pickup lines and routines to get women to sleep with him and in this Pre- Code world, the women are more than eager to oblige. However, when he meets a nice lady, Helene (Irene Dunne), he has second thoughts about his life. While he loves the hot sex, he starts to realize that he's missing out on something. So, to be near Helene, he hires her to be his secretary and through most of the film admires her without telling her he loves her. Does this dirty old man have a prayer with Helene? And, is he capable of changing to get her?

I liked this film. Sherman was a terrific actor and if he hadn't died so young, he'd probably be remembered today--both for his stage and screen work. It talks about the old double-standard and exposes both the positive side (it can be fun) and negative (ultimately, it's rather lonely) without being preachy or heavy-handed. Well worth seeing.

I watched this on TCM for one reason: curiosity about Mae Murray. I had never seen her in a talkie, heard she was exceptionally bad and was expecting her to have a high-pitched or grating voice with a common accent. What a surprise to hear something more like a cross between Billie Burke and Myrna Loy but deeper. She still had "it" in the Thirties, with a fine figure, and I am not alone in wondering why she fizzled out so quickly. Over the top? Yes. Even obnoxious (particularly when she bursts into kooky peals of laughter) - but entertaining. When she's on screen you don't look at anyone else.

The second surprise was the direction by Lowell Sherman and the story by John Howard Lawson. There is a naturalness to the dialogue and a lifelike quality to the characters' frequent and casual banter that brings you inside the world of young ladies struggling in New York City during the early Depression years. Some exteriors are actual location shots of New York City streets and the interiors are depicted in detail, particularly clutter on tables (the aftermath of a wild party in the titular penthouse and breakfast paraphernalia in the humble flat inhabited by Dunne and her sister). Surely the leftwing Lawson was responsible for the haves-vs-have-nots element of the story. It's a witty and somewhat farcical tale about a Park Avenue business executive consumed with the pursuit and avoidance of an army of attractive young women until he meets Miss Right (Irene Dunne - no one ever righter). The supporting cast is mostly excellent, particularly Noel Francis as one of Sherman's pickups. She registered very strongly in a very brief scene as the prostitute in I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG.

At first sight one cannot accept the puffy and dissipated Sherman as a desirable ladies' man. Only in his mid-40s when he directed and starred in this film, he looks 10 years older and occasionally slurs his speech but nevertheless manages to be charming and totally in control in the kind of role Robert Montgomery was born to play. I see from IMDb that Sherman was a director of some note and consider it a sad loss for cinema that he died so young, though seeing him here and in WHAT PRICE Hollywood it's obvious he was far from robust. I intend to look for other films he directed based on my happy experience with BACHELOR APARTMENT.

I really don't know why Mae Murray didn't continue on with her film career. She's quite sexy in this RKO picture. I first saw this in a crystal clear copy on the old AMC cable channel. A number of Lowell Sherman films, of which he either directed, starred in or both have shown up on AMC in newly struck prints in the past. This being a far cry from the old C&C television released prints of the 50s & 60s which were murky at best. This movie is basically another situation/drawing room type of comedy of which Sherman was showing so much adeptness at. Hopefully, this like Royal Bed, will show up on DVD in that nice print more or less. Mae Murray plays a sassy character similar to those then being played by the younger Jean Harlow over at the MGM. Having been a silent star Murray's voice modulated acceptably and her cross over to sound wasn't as harsh as let's say John Gilbert or Clara Bow. Then again Murray had been a stage performer(like Sherman) & Ziegfeld girl prior to entering silents in 1916 so she was no stranger to dialogue. Her silent movie sexiness & vivacity is toned down here but is in evidence notably in the bedroom scene. The bedroom scene is particularly striking as Murray wears a gown that can only be described as being 'nearly diaphanous'. She walks towards the door after calling for Sherman's character and her still fine figure at 42 is very much in shape. Irene Dunne is so much less sexy than Murray even though she's ten years younger. Dunne is already looking schoolmarmish years before her major successes with Cary Grant later in the decade. I must confess that I watched & liked this for Sherman's directing & acting and most of all for Murray's appearance. Having seen her beautiful face in so many silent film stills I wanted to see her in an actual movie(she also appeared in Sherman's next movie and her last titled HIGH STAKES). I really don't know why Mae Murray didn't continue on with talkies. She was delectable and still quite beautiful and even more beautiful than some of the up-n-coming new stars. Watching Mae Murray in a talkie one sees that she's a beautiful concoction of Jean Harlow & Mae West at best. She certainly could've adapt to talkies' situation-dramas or comedies. This being in contrast to her over the top silent film fantasy queen image such as in THE MERRY WIDOW or CIRCE THE ENCHANTRESS. Though beautiful as she was in those silents. But more than likely Mae sensing that she was aging and that talkie picture making environment certainly changed from the freedom of the silents chose to bow out like many a silent star. Also her fabled temperament with directors like Stroheim & Von Sternberg hampered her employment chances with the studios as she aged and that reputation she couldn't shake. Her later life after these early talkies was quite sad as she lived in poverty and perhaps seclusion ending up in obscurity before her passing in 1965. Something similar to Clara Bow whose crossover to sound was more harrowing. Curiously, Mae Murray was offered the now famous role of Norma Desmond first before it went to Gloria Swanson. Perhaps the role hit too close to home for the then 60 year old Murray with lines like "...we had faces then" a quote from when Norma is referring to bygone silent stars. But of Mae's few films(silent or sound)that are even shown on cable or television BACHELOR APARTMENT appears very occasionally on Turncer Classics and usually in the dead of night. Hopefully there's a revival of Lowell Sherman & Mae Murray performances and their talkies together BA & HIGH STAKES along with Sherman's THE PAYOFF and Mae's talkie debut PEACOCK ALLEY(she also did a silent of this) can be released on DVD.

We open on an bachelor apartment. We know this, because the place is trashed and littered with glasses, champagne bottles, cigarette butts, and something that looks like cigarettes all over the place, from the night before. We also know this, because this is aptly named "Bachelor Apartment." The bachelor in question is Lowell Sherman, whose other screen credits include What Price Hollywood?, the original "A Star is Born" movie, and his silent movies where he usually played the villain with the pencil-thin mustache. Here, he tries to stop playing the game, after finding it very tiresome having to keep track of who comes and goes through his revolving door. But it seems he decided just this morning. It makes the viewer wonder if this decision is one he makes all the time. But, in the meantime, the, er, um, ladies, yes well, they don't know of his conversion to sainthood and still show up unannounced, notably Mae Murray, in an unforgettable and saucy role, who can be seen in one scene in a see-through nightgown. Really! You can see.... Her husband suspects she's cheating and it's driving him crazy, He's going to find the @#$*& or die trying. Meanwhile, through a series of events, Irene Dunne enters the picture as a stenographer who doesn't like fast workers for bosses. He dares her to take this well-paying job, which she does. Will she fall for his charming ways? Will Irene's clean reputation rub off on him and make him see the light? Only I know, and you've got to see this very well-written and racy Pre-Code movie to find out.