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The Trespasser (1929)

*** (out of 4)

Strange but winner tale of a poor but pure woman (Gloria Swanson) who marries the son (Robert Ames) of a millionaire but when his father finds out he convinces the son to have the marriage annulled. We flash-forward eighteen months and the woman has given birth to a son but she decides to keep this news from the real father until a few bad choices forces her to confront her past. THE TRESPASSER was Swanson first talkie and it also won her a Best Actress Oscar nomination, which she certainly deserved and for my money she's a lot better than Norma Shearer was in THE Divorcée. I'll admit that there's way too much sugar in some of the scenes and I'd say that the final thirty-minutes don't make a bit of sense but there's no question that the film kept me glued to what was going on and you can't help but get caught up in everything. I think a lot of the credit has to go to Swanson who really does deliver a very strong performance. I've read a few reviews stating that her facial gestures are too over-the-top, which might be true but I still think the pain of her character is nailed by the actress and she really brings this character to life. Ames isn't nearly as good as the one-day husband but he does get to shine in a few scenes as does Kay Hammond as the second wife and Henry B. Walthall has a nice part as well. There's no doubt that the film contain some flaws and for the life of me I never could figure out what Swanson's character was thinking and especially at the end. I won't ruin what happens but we have something predictable happen and then it's followed up with something so sugar-coated and worst of all is that it happens out of nowhere. Still, the incredibly strong performance by Swanson makes up for any flaws and film buffs should enjoy it.

This film essentially begins in Chicago with a young man by the name of "Jack Merrick" (Robert Ames) and a woman named "Marion Donnell" (Gloria Swanson) deciding to get married that very night and spend their honeymoon at a nice hotel overlooking Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, not long afterward, Jack's extremely wealthy father "John Merrick Sr." (William Holden) soon learns of their elopement and angrily rushes over and to convince Jack to have the marriage annulled. Although Jack reluctantly agrees, he does so only because of the negative publicity the elopement might have in the press and tries to reassure Marion that they will soon be married again in a more formal setting. Needless to say, Marion is not at all happy with this new development and leaves Jack that very day. The scene then shifts to 18 months later with Marion on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to her trying to working so hard and trying to support a young child who was born 9 months after she broke up with Jack. To make matters even worse, the newspapers have just printed an article describing the marriage of Jack to an equally wealthy young woman named "Catherine 'Flip' Carson" (Kay Hammond) which depresses her even more. What she doesn't realize, however, is that she will one day meet Jack again and its then that she will eventually have to make the most difficult decisions in her life. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this turned out to be a better film than I initially expected due in large part to the acting of Gloria Swanson who was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. Admittedly, as with most early sound movies made during this time, the overall film quality wasn't that great and some allowances might have to be made for that. Be that as it may, I thought that this was an entertaining movie and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

Famous United Artists film from 1929 with Gloria Swanson in her smash-hit talkie debut. I saw this at the George Eastman House in Rochester last week; it has the only known complete print and it's a beautifully restored version.

Swanson stars as a private secretary who marries a wealthy man's son. But their honeymoon is interrupted by the angry father who bullies the son into getting an annulment to "test" Swanson, while they "gussy her up" for their society friends. Swanson storms out but the boy doesn't follow. Later she reads about his marriage to a "proper" girl in Europe. So she decides to never tell him about the baby from their honeymoon night. Later she reads about a terrible accident and the other wife's injuries. But by then Swanson has shacked up with her boss and living off him even though he is married. Everything comes to a head when the boss dies and Swanson tries to go straight but can't make a living to support herself and her baby. Re-enter the first husband, his crippled wife, and treacherous father.

Pure soap but it's very well done and Swanson (with her 2nd Oscar nomination for this gem) is totally great. Opening scene is a long dolly shot moving in toward her office where she has her back to the camera as she types. Her first words are "and how!" as the 'can-do" secretary. Up thru the honeymoon Swanson is bright and funny as the happy bride. She was a terrific comedienne. But when the story turns tragic, Swanson really comes into her element as the suffering mother, the high-living floozy, and finally the contrite penitent.

Robert Ames is the husband, Henry B. Walthall is the office manager, Kay Hammond is the crippled wife, Blanche Frederici is the nanny, Purnell Pratt is the boss, William Holden is the mean father, Henry Armetta is the barber, Mary Forbes is the boss's wife (in fabulous clothes and jewelry), and Stu Erwin shows up as a reporter.

Swanson sings "Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere" and "My Tormented Heart" in the Italian version.

A pity this film will likely never be released on DVD. The Trespasser is a great moment in a great star's career.

The Tresspasser (1929) : Brief Review -

Gloria Swanson's Talkie debut is problematic but not a passable flick. Perhaps, her only Sound film to remember after "Sunset Boulevard". Gloria Swanson's stardom was at its peak during the 1920s decade. Most of her silent features by the mid-20s were hits and received well. She began to lose something by the end of the 30s, possibly due to the new girls' arrivals after 1925 (not taking any names to avoid competition). The Treespasser makes a watchable romantic melodrama, but one cannot overlook the misled plot or, better said, conflicts. Marion elopes with her boyfriend, Jack Merrick, a wealthy businessman. He is not ready to quit his father's property, despite his refusals to their marriage, and then Marion, high on self-respect, leaves him. She gives birth to his child and lives with her employer as his "kept woman". As expected, Marion and Jack meet again after 3 years when Marion wants her son to have the protection of his father, and all of a sudden, they both rekindle their lost love. That part was too dramatic and unacceptable. I lost half the interest in the film there, but then it had some good things, dramatic I mean, planned for the climax and ended up being a watchable melodramatic pulp. The film was released in both sound and silent versions, and you can notice the irregular lip sync and mismatched dialogues caused by it. Swanson looked convincing with those first-time dialogues, but I couldn't convince myself to like her character. The same goes for Robert Ames, because none of them play an intelligent part. Well, you can say who wants love to be intelligent. That's right too. I have seen many of Edmund Goulding's films from the 30s and 40s, so I don't think this film can end anywhere in my top 10 list. But, yes, it can be watched to get to know contemporary cinema, especially the earliest days of sound cinema.

RATING - 6/10*

Gloria Swanson is Beautiful absolutely stunning in this motion picture. The film is a historical gem as we get a glimpse of life in the late 1920s and the fashion and scenery of the time period. The film itself isnt all over the place like other talkies of the time and the acting is alright all the actors did a good job in making it believable to the audience that is the charachter they're playing. Its a shame Swansons career did not to go as well in the 30s but made somewhat of a come back in billy wilders sunset blvd (1950). The copy I saw on Yout was scratchy and the film didnt seem like it was preserved quite well. Nevertheless the story line was entertaining to see the whole movie in its intiniry.