-But the Flesh Is Weak

This features all the contemptible cliches that can mar a romantic comedy: 1) Love at first sight. At the mere sight of a pretty girl, the hero drops the more interesting one he has and immediately proposes marriage. 2) Unwanted attentions. William Haines could learn some tricks from this character, whose boorish insistence on forcing himself on the gal, even in her bedroom, brings her to hysterical tears. 3) Double standard. Both of them are offering themselves to the opposite sex for money, but, though she seems forced to it ("remember, it's harder for a woman") and he seems to freely choose it, she gets his wrath when she decides to marry Horton (before she's even acknowledged Montgomery as a possible romantic partner), and then she somehow gets his wrath again when HE decides to marry someone else for money (AFTER he spent the night with her and promised to marry her). 4) Battling lovers make a good marriage. Though they've known each other for only a few days, one or both has been mad at the other the whole time. Why should they be any happier later?

All that said, this still has its worthwhile moments. C. Aubrey Smith shines in a significant role as "Senior," Montgomery's dad. The father-and-son scenes are excellent. Asther makes a terrific gigolo, and Kerr plays his classic, amiable dodderer, though not quite at top form. Thatcher is fine as the girl who's not in the running, and the scene between her and Montgomery when he tells her how things are is excellently written and played. As to Nora Gregor, her English is not good, and, intentionally or not, her playing emphasizes the negative aspects of the odious cliches. It remained for Renoir to get a measured performance from her in RULES OF THE GAME.

A couple of penniless gentlemen - father & son - would probably prefer not to have to live off the money of wealthy women -BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK...

Full of rather sophisticated, pre-Code dialogue, this sadly obscure film of romantic misadventures among the British upper crust should come as an enjoyable surprise to viewers looking for witty words & fine performances.

Robert Montgomery fits in perfectly with the tenor of this production. Dapper & handsome, with just the faintest tinge of scurrility about his demeanor, he fills the part quite nicely, while making it easy for the viewer to comprehend the type of mindset this sort of charming charlatan needs to survive socially.

Two excellent actresses play the women in Montgomery's life; both, unfortunately, are seldom remembered or recalled in Hollywood's histories. English Heather Thatcher is very touching as the lonely, monocled daughter of a duke; her unrequited adoration of Montgomery is quite palpable. Austro-Hungarian Nora Gregor is beautiful & slightly mysterious as the Viennese widow who captures Montgomery's gigolo heart; her confused hesitation in surrendering to his blandishments is both very human & utterly delightful.

Wizened Edward Everett Horton scores as a perplexed, suspicious lord who desperately wants Miss Gregor's love. Wonderful old Sir C. Aubrey Smith is nothing less than terrific as Montgomery's elderly roué of a father, constantly on the lookout for another rich widow to buy him supper. Smith was one of Hollywood's most distinguished actors - and his talent was never more on display than in the sequence here where his character discovers the awful consequences to personal honour of incurring an unpayable gambling debt.

Silent screen matinee idol Nils Asther enlivens the last few minutes of the film, playing a rakish prince. Eva Moore & Frederick Kerr are very humorous as elderly aristocrats. Movie mavens will recognize an unbilled Ray Milland as a young man at Miss Thatcher's party.

This film has an impressive pedigree, based, as it is, on The Truth Game, a popular London stage play by Welshman Ivor Novello (1893-1951). One of the United Kingdom's biggest celebrities, Novello was a phenomenally successful stage & screen actor, composer & playwright. Brought to California by MGM in the very early 1930's, he spent a good deal of time waiting for the Studio to find a suitable American film project for him. Novello eventually wrote the continuity & dialog for -BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK, which would be one of the few substantial outcomes of his brief Hollywood sojourn.

This film is a fine example, I believe, of the many, many, many mediocre films in which the so-called "bright stars" of the past participated in.

Not unlike today, the VAST majority of Classic Hollywood's film productions were very dull and uninspired affairs; the comedies were often unfunny and the dramas were undramatic. Today, film festivals, universities and cable TV (TCM & AMC) generally display the best of the best from the Golden Years, so today's viewers becomes bias towards imagining that most of Classic Hollywood's films were indeed "classic." That, of course, is far from the truth. "But the Flesh is Weak" is a fine case in point.

It is a slightly enjoyable bit of fluff. Montgomery is well cast, but has little to do and a weak script with which to do it. C. Aubrey Smith is, well, C. Aubrey Smith--good as ever, but no surprises. Nora Gregor tries hard but falls flat. I tried to like her character, but in the end I couldn't see why most men would pant after this girl. Strangely, Heather Thatcher has a much stronger and interesting character, and she nails her "Lady Joan" nicely. When Thatcher was on the screen, I enjoyed the film much more. At times, Thatcher and Ann Harding could be confused as sisters.

So, sit back for a scant 77 minutes (they could've knocked 10 minutes off the running time), and see what a mediocre film from the pre-Code era with a big star was like. Today we pay hundreds of millions of dollars for so much mediocre nonsense on our movie screens, so why not check out this minor film from 1932.

Again, it isn't bad, but it will not receive many accolades.

Father son gigolo team Flavian (C. Aubrey Smith) and Max Clement (Robert Montgomery) wile their days away coming up with schemes to be wined, dined and supported by upper crust wealthy victims. Max however is swept off his feet by widower Rosine Brown (Nora Gregor) who he begins to relentlessly pursue in competition with other paramours. Finally getting her to capitulate he is suddenly forced to back out and marry someone else in order to save his dear old dad from jail.

There's a charming bounder like quality to both father and son in the presence of the suave Montgomery and the distinguished rascality of C. Aubrey Smith. There is an ease of rapport and affection between the two that makes Max's sacrifice a little less far fetched than it is and C. Aubrey's curmudgeonly Flavian with a twinkle or two left in his eye is impossible to dislike. Both also look like they were born to wear tuxedos and live from soirée to soirée. But there is an undertone of male chauvinism in The Flesh is Weak typified by the adolescent outbursts of Max chiding Rosine that leaves a bad taste. Rosine is treated like a child for being more of an adult than her accuser with the script enabling Max's petulant child and Nora Gregor's lack of confident English devaluing Rosine.

Heather Thatcher as a monocle wearing bohemian of title and money is the film's most interesting character remaining observantly aloof and on the periphery throughout giving bratty dead beat Max all the room he needs to have his self righteous tirades. For the sake of the film he should have been sent to his room.

I'm a big fan of Robert Montgomery, whom I think paired best with Norma Shearer. In his early dashing leading man roles, he's like a princely powder puff, smelling of lavender. In this movie, "But the Flesh Is Weak," he's a sticking rose. Like a bee after honey, he pesters Nora Gregor in frame after frame. The movie became too sickly sweet for me midway, and I was wishing for more scenes with Montgomery and Sir C. Aubrey Smith, who plays his gambling father, surprisingly far more dashing than Montgomery in this film. My guess is that another viewing might be more pleasant. Nora Gregor and Heather Thatcher deliver solid performances and are dressed beautifully. Nils Asther plays an even bigger powder puff in this movie, but he's a delight.