This Side of Heaven

Compelling hokum. Lionel Barrymore, in a variation of his trod-upon tycoon from "Dinner at Eight," plays the doting, selfless head of an insensitive, selfish family. Wife Fay Bainter, having just sold a novel to the movies, is on a spending spree before heading to Hollywood; son Tom Brown has his heart set on joining a college fraternity; elder daughter Mae Clark is torn between two lovers; dithery sister Mary Carlisle has thoughts of eloping with her nitwit boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Barrymore is facing scandal and prison on a trumped-up embezzlement charge, a crisis he withholds from his self-absorbed brood. Will the family rally to his side before he ends it all in suicide?

The film is so cunningly constructed that we squirm in suspense in spite of our conviction that all must end well. It's the kind of skillful schmaltz that leaves you feeling at once satisfied and foolish. With Una Merkel as a knuckleheaded maid, saving Louise Beavers and Hattie MacDaniel the indignity of demeaning themselves.

Lionel Barrymore often drives me nuts--the same gestures and vocal inflections, playing so many similar roles so similarly. But in this little MGM soap opera, playing a good family man caught up in a potentially devastating financial crisis at work (it's almost like a warmup for "It's a Wonderful Life," with him as George instead of Potter), he's quiet and unhammy and very moving. He's well supported by a similarly restrained Fay Bainter as his wife, and the whole family is convincing--Mae Clarke as the sensible daughter, Tom Powers as the status-conscious son, Una Merkel as the gossipy maid. No surprises, and the plot is resolved by a deus ex machina one doesn't believe for a minute, but it's a simple story well told. And it shows how good Lionel could be when he held back; he's just as good the following year in "Ah, Wilderness!", in a not-that-different part.

The mother of three young adults, first time novelist Fay Bainter (as Francene E. Turner) has just sold her story to a Hollywood studio. Citing his mom as a famous writer, handsome son Tom Brown (as Seth) hopes to join a college fraternity. Eldest daughter Mae Clarke (as Jane) is a young schoolteacher courted by newspaperman Eddie Nugent (as Vance Patterson), although she plans to marry auditor Onslow Stevens (as Walter Hamilton). Youngest daughter Mary Carlisle (as Peggy) is old enough to go out to the movies with date Henry Wadsworth (as Hal Jennings), and think about eloping...

The excitement and happiness in the family is threatened when father Lionel Barrymore (as Martin Turner) is accused of embezzlement. To prevent both scandal and financial ruin awaiting his family, Mr. Barrymore decides to take drastic action...

This story starts out slow and builds, due to a good cast presented nicely by director William K. Howard. In her search for an ice pick, comic relief maid Una Merkel (as Birdie) manages to be more amusing than annoying. Likewise the stereotypical interior decorator Bobby Watson (as Mr. Worthington) who agrees drapes are "too gay." There is especially fine work from Barrymore, who can sometimes upstage his co-stars. Handing their dramatics especially well are Ms. Bainter and Mr. Brown, who are good with and without Barrymore sharing the screen. This was the first film for Bainter, a stage veteran.

******* This Side of Heaven (2/2/34) William K. Howard ~ Lionel Barrymore, Fay Bainter, Tom Brown, Mae Clarke

The Turner Classic Network showed this film this evening, and it is well acted if a bit pat. Lionel Barrymore plays a company director who has been co-signing a series of checks that Edwin Maxwell (one of his partners) has been pushing on him as part of a scheme to save the firm during the depression. But he announces that the scheme is not working, and that it is a matter of time that the auditors (who are coming in a day) will uncover the defalcation that has occurred. Barrymore goes home worrying about the future. His home-life is usually a happy one, but he is aware of changes threatening his family's unity. His son (Tom Brown)is going to college, and trying to get into a prestigious fraternity. His younger daughter is also beginning a college career, but has fallen for one of the son's friends. His older daughter has two competing boyfriends, a reporter (Onslow Stevens) and an accountant (Edward Nugent), and has just announced the engagement to the accountant. And his wife (Fay Bainter) has written a novel that a Hollywood studio has optioned.

Barrymore decides to commit suicide, after making certain that everything is set up for his family to continue. The defalcation is discovered by his potential son-in-law, who warns him and "gives him a chance" to flee before it is revealed (Maxwell has fled). In the meantime his younger daughter has almost gotten married, but stopped when she finds a cryptic note from Barrymore, and the son suffers a social disappointment and an automobile accident. But Barrymore returns home to commit suicide. Will he succeed or will he pull himself together to save his family.

In some ways his performance here as Martin Turner, the businessman facing ruin and disgrace, is similar to his shipping tycoon in DINNER AT EIGHT, also facing business reverses. But Oliver, the shipping tycoon, never planned to kill himself (he had a serious heart condition that the pressures of his situation was worsening). His family is smaller (just the socially pretentious Billie Burke and his daughter). Martin Turner has a larger family with more individual problems that pull them apart. But in both films, when his physical situation and his social position are threatened, his family does reunite to save him. But while circumstances in DINNER AT EIGHT help force Oliver's wife and daughter to come back to their senses, it is the seriousness of Martin's problems that cause the Turners to circle their wagons around their family head.

Barrymore was a fine actor, but he frequently had a tendency to hamminess (as did his brother John), but here he shows great restraint due to the circumstances of the story. As a result his performance here is pretty solid - one of his best. As for Bainter and the others they give good support. A soap opera tale, but it is a first rate production well worth watching.