Cortesãs Modernas

The Goldwyn production based on Zoe Akin's racy play about three gold diggers has Joan Blondell, Madge Evans and Ina Claire playing the trio, double-crossing each other as the mood suits them with the men falling like tenpins. David Manners, Phillips Smalley, even Lowell Sherman, the director, who doubles as a concert pianist is not immune to their machinations and *ahem* talents. Apparently George Barnes, the director of photography fell in love with Blondell on the set. They married the next year; presumably Claire would have stolen him from her, except every time she put on a new costume, she rushed over to show soon-to-be ex-husband John Gilbert how she looked.

The wisecracks fly fast and furious. Miss Claire, with her cigarette voice and scheming role steals the show every time she's on. It's a crackling Pre-Code, even though the lingerie shots are kept to a minimum

Joan Blondell, Madge Evans, and Ina Claire bring the Zoe Akins comedy, The Greeks Had A Word For It to the big screen. It's the story of three women who have determined that the good times of the 20s won't last and they're all determined to marry men who can support them in good style. By the time the play was making its 253 performance run on Broadway the Depression was upon us. No doubt those in the audience were saying how wise these girls were.

All three are different personality types, Claire's character isn't the noblest of God's creations, but they do have a bond with each other that seems to override all.

Adkins wrote some really great lines and the three of them, especially Blondell deliver those pre-Code zingers with pizazz. Those lines she didn't write Sidney Howard did for the screen and between the two of them we got one good script.

The American cinema has given us four versions of this story, the others being Three Blind Mice, Moon Over Miami, and How To Marry A Millionaire. All of them were updated to suit the times they were made in. An easy task to do because Akins is writing about eternal situations.

For fans of the leads, especially Blondell.

This fun, pre-code romp from 1932 starring Joan Blondell, Madge Evans, Ina Claire, was remade in color in 1953 as How to Marry a Millionaire. Similar plot, but in the original, the girls steal boyfriends (David Manners and Phillips Smalley) from each other, where as in the remake, they each find their own man, and then have to decide if they want to keep them or not. Interesting that Betty Grable, who starred in the 1953 version had appeared as a hat check girl in the 1932 version. This was one of the last films directed by Lowell Sherman ( also played Boris Feldman in the film) as he died two years after filming this. Ina Claire (played Jean) would have been the oldest of the three co-stars, 39 years old in 1932, and she only made three more after this. "The Greeks" was made during prohibition, so of course part of it takes place in a loud, smoke-filled "speakeasy". Lots of dark eye makeup, and the picture and sound quality are pretty terrible in the version I watched, but this IS a pretty old flick. A little slow, but fun if you have the patience. Gives you an idea of how some of the young, poor women got by in those days if they weren't willing to go look for work.

Polaire (Madge Evans), and Schatzi (Joan Blondell), are two Broadway actresses with manageable problems, but when their conniving friend Jean (Ina Claire) returns from Paris, broke and in search of a rich husband, their tranquility is upended. Polaire is trusting, and engaged to the honorable and wealthy Dey (David Manners). Schatzi has Pops, a sugar daddy, who remains off screen. Jean then goes to work trying to break them up, so she can have the men to herself.

Lowell Sherman ably directs and appears as Boris, a famous concert pianist who bets Jean money he can make her fall in love with him, but Boris falls for Polaire instead, allowing Jean an opportunity to wreck another couple. Jean's problem isn't that she's too clever for own good, it's that she needs excitement dull but respectable men can't provide. Once she has the money to send her away, and quiet down any scandal, Jean can do what she loves most: being in the company of Polaire and Schatzi. Adapted from Zoe Akins's play, the film is sprinkled with bon mots, and is a funny and sophisticated look at the complexity of female friendship.

This isn't a Warner Brothers quickie but there's a warm sense of familiarity about it and although we don't have the usual Warner family, the three girls do have a sparkling on-screen chemistry. Fans of 'Gold diggers of 1933' will like this - it is of course not as exceptional but it's got a similar plot, similar characters and that same upbeat, fun feel - but without songs.

Joan Blondell enjoyed the opportunity of working at a more relaxed pace in a more luxurious studio with Coco Chanel dresses and that enthusiasm coupled with her natural comic timing make her shine in this. George Barnes on camera captures her vibrancy brilliantly and his love making through the camera leads to him actually marrying her. Surprisingly though, she isn't the star in this, that accolade goes to Ina Claire, whom I confess know little about but she's fabulous in this. Not too sure about Madge Evans but nevertheless considering they've only just been thrown together for this, there's a real chemistry between them making them seem like they really are best friends.

Kind of remade twenty years later as 'How to Marry a Millionaire' but this original version, although only o.k. Is still just marginally better.