Confession

This Kay Francis film is a textbook on how to act in a natural manner, even for the minor characters. The dialogue, expressions of the actors, direction and camera work make this little film a true gem. Note that there is no obscene language, nudity or violence for its own sake, and yet the message is very powerful and memorable. Perhaps someday a farsighted film company will come along and make films like this once again so that serious subjects can be viewed and absorbed by the whole family.

Kay Francis gives what is probably her best, most stunning performance in "Confession" - a near shot-by-shot remake of a 1935 Pola Negri soaper called "Mazurka" about a mother/singer who kills her former lover (Basil Rathbone) as soon as she finds out that he is about court her daughter (Jane Bryan). She is put on trial and asked to recount her story. This is a pretty much a routine "Madame X" weepie about maternal sacrifice but under the direction of Joe May, a German emigré who once collaborated with Fritz Lang in Germany, it becomes an amazingly stylish melodrama with sprawling narrative, expressionist outbursts, inventive camera movements, and interesting use of flashbacks. The final moments after the trial are tragic and sad. I love all Kay Francis' movies; "Confession", I think, is her very best.

If you love old movies, here's another good one. Kay Francis is great as both Vera's. The happy, charming, wife-to-be, and the broken, sad woman destroyed by Basil's character. Considering all the bad movies made today, this movie inspires me to continue to look for old Hollywood treasures such as "Confession". I think the rest of the cast was good too!

This must be the best role Kay Francis ever had - and she rises to it, giving an astonishing performance. When you first see her - in blonde wig, singing and dancing Dietrich style but half-drunk - you know you're in for something different. As the film flashes back Francis transforms into an innocent young girl, and back to the present she stands with solemn dignity, a woman all but "washed-up". You'll never forget the final moments of this film.

When Francis is not on, and it takes her a while to appear, the film is less extraordinary - but by no means bad. Jane Bryan's a bit wet, but Basil Rathbone is suitably slimy as her seducer. And there are strong performances from the wonderful Laura Hope Crews (Aunt Pitty-Pat as an opera singer) and the excellent Donald Crisp.

But it is the visual style of the piece that, coupled with Francis' performance, makes the film unforgettable. The story goes that this is a frame by frame remake of a German film called "Mazurka" starring Pola Negri. This would explain why the film looks so different to the usual Hollywood style. There are bizarre camera angles, expressionist sequences, non-realistic moments, haunting music and bizarre costume, make-up and set designs. Joe May directs with a steady hand, and Sidney Hickox's cinematography and Orry-Kelly's costumes warrant special mention.

This film deserves to be resurrected and re-assessed. It is one of the most original American films of the 1930's. It also makes me want to re-assess the career of Kay Francis, who is an actress I never warmed to before this film. See it and tell me what you think!

Looking older than her years, pretty Polish teenager Jane Bryan (as Lisa) finds herself seduced into kissing suave concert pianist Basil Rathbone (as Michael Michailow). On a date, they see beautiful lounge singer Kay Francis (as Vera) synching "One Hour of Romance" in a sexy costume. When Ms. Francis sees Mr. Rathbone, she faints. As it turns out, Francis has a past connection to Rathbone. Next, one of the film's two startling plot developments occurs, and we move to a murder trial. Francis takes her star position with a flashback to 1912 - and years thereafter, to 1930 - revealing a dark, melodramatic mystery...

Francis proves herself a dynamic tragedienne, especially during the ending trial; darkly costumed, with blonde hair, she emotes fiercely and looks glorious. Ian Hunter (as Leonide Kirow) is credited as the leading man, but he is a supporting player, with relatively little to do. The real leading man is Rathbone, who takes full advantage of a delicious role. "Confession" is a shot-by-shot re-make of Willi Forst's "Mazurka" (1935), which starred Pola Negri (a very influential "silent" actress who lost favor when off-screen affairs preempted on-screen performances). The direction, Joe May swiping Mr. Forst, is excellent.

******* Confession (8/19/37) Joe May ~ Kay Francis, Basil Rathbone, Jane Bryan, Dorothy Peterson