Brief Moment

Gene Raymond and Carole Lombard, both 25, star in one of the abundant upper crust society pictures made in the early 1930s. Raymond is Rodney Deane, and brings singer Abbey Fane (Lombard) home to meet the family. Abbey is quite cordial to Deane's family, but they are less than enthusiastic to meet her, and things go downhill from there. Lombard had been in films, silents & talkies, for 10 years already, so she is a little more polished here. No real surprises in this one; they needed a comical sidekick, like Edward Everett Horton, or Eric Blore to spice things up. In this one, Abbey does have a sidekick "Steve" (Arthur Hohl) , but he has a small, bland part. She would also make Lady by Choice with Hohl, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith with G. Raymond. A pleasant little film, all neatly wrapped up in an hour & 10 minutes. The film production code must have kicked in already at Columbia Pictures, since it is scrubbed clean of any naughty lines or double entendres. Lombard even sings a song (as of today, its not listed in the "soundtracks" section yet.. anyone know that song?) Good to see performances by Lombard and Raymond, but it is light fluff, and the actors weren't challenged.

Brief Moment is a moralistic melodrama, starring Carole Lombard and Gene Raymond.

Instead of the bar singer, a gold-digger, who hunts down a millionaire to live in leisure and abundance for the rest of her life, we have a young, idealistic and passionate woman who intends, through marriage and love, devoted to her husband, to transform an alcoholic and idle playboy into a modest worker, proud to earn his living by his own means.

As a script it is weak and unconvincing. American moralism, which makes Lombard a guardian angel, hidden in the vicious night of the city, to save a young millionaire from himself, from bad companies and from the vices of abundance and a frivolous life.

A role reversal that would have pleased some audiences in the 1930s, but today, honestly, doesn't convince anyone.

A bearable film, just for the pleasure that it is, always, to see Carole Lombard fill the screen with her charm and elegant beauty.

So one cliché, the greedy gold digger, is subverted and replaced by another one, the spoiled heir redeemed through real hard work. This is a one-idea morality tale, and probably not a particularly original one at that. Yet Carole Lombard and Gene Raymond are very fine, dialogues are brisk and the tempo lively. Some of the supporting actors are also worth a mention - Arthur Hohl as the torch singer's caring boss, friend and wishful would-be husband, Herbert Evans who has a very funny scene as a butler with some useful experience of dealing with his master's hangovers - he looks and sounds like a twin brother of Edward Everett Horton of Lubitsch's fame. That's quite enough to make this simple-minded, unambitious story quite worth watching.

Director David Burton must have been one of the pioneer Hollywood directors and he does a splendid job with this 1933 production, BRIEF MOMENT. Not only does he extract top performances from Lombard, Raymond, Cook and Hohl, he serves a rich vs poor marriage in the Depression years, which studio heads must have regarded as socially thorny box office poison.

BRIEF MOMENT encapsulates the spirit of the film: everything happens briefly and in the moment. Rodney (Raymond) falls for cabaret singer Abby (Lombard); introduces her to his doubting family and shows backbone in marrying her regardless; the two live the high life paid for by his father; she decides it is not right they should live so carefreely whilst others work their fingers to the bone; she demands that he find a job; he finds a job in Dad's company, promptly leaves it to attend horse races without telling Abby; meanwhile, honest friend Steve (Hohl) loves Abby and tells her about Rodney's deception and the latter commendably tells her the truth; the next brief moment they separate, he rejoins the rich life, she the cabaret; then the final moment, when he has the backbone to go job hunting so he can win her over again. At the end, he proudly shows her his hard earned salary check... but how long will that moment last? You can see the strains of a failing marriage, of excessive outside influence by friends and family, and you know this will be no long-lasting love story.

For 1933 I think it a darned intelligent flick, with a keen insight into men's and women's values, even if I found it tough to swallow that a beautiful woman like Lombard would in real life ever pass up on a life of luxury to have her rich hubby start from the bottom instead.

Nearly a century later, much has changed, women have gained importance in the labor market, but the momentum remains in state hands, to skin the taxpayer to the marrow and get men and women involved in paying for state folly under the guise of national interest.

Interesting, 69 minutes long, eminently watchable. 8/10.

Typical quick time 'soap opera' churned out by all the studios to fulfill their theater chain commitments. This COLUMBIA PICTURES effort clocks in at 71 minutes and entertains for most of them. Not a classic but well worth watching.

The story is a typical one of the period, working girl played by Carole Lombard (ABBY FANE) falls in love and marries upper crust scion. Being in 'show business' she does not meet with approval of her in-laws. The husband played by Gene Raymond (RODNEY DEANE) is a aimless but wealthy drifter heavily under the influence of his friend played by Monroe Owsley (SIG).

ABBY keeps trying to get RODNEY to stand on his own feet and become the man she believes he is. SIG at his parasitical best tries to hold on to a good thing, which means plenty of Booze, Night Clubs and 'Fast Times'! ABBY seeks help from RODNEYs' family to get him on the straight path, but no luck. Usual misunderstandings, separation and then RODNEY has a epiphany realizing ABBY was right all along. Redeems himself and true love triumphs.

Carole Lombard portrays her role with intelligence and sensitivity. Hard to believe this attractive and lithe actress the previous decade was a chubby comedian at MACK SENNETT. Gene Raymond a amiable though limited actor fulfills what is required of him. Monroe Owsley has his parasite gig down to a 'T', making a career of such roles. Though his character of 'SIG' is always in the company of women you get the feeling he swims both ways and his friendship with RODNEY may be more then platonic.