La Folle Alouette

Lydia and Tony Kenyon (Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland) are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary. Their relationship now contains about as much excitement as a straight line. Along comes Jim Blake (Brian Aherne), providing a point of conflict that defines a love triangle.

This is not a drama. The story comes from a play and its comedy is probably best appreciated if seen as Shakespearean. Blake is a passive-aggressive "Puck" who constantly picks at the relationship's frayed edges. A marriage is in the balance, but the characters banter wittily as if discussing the correct price for a cow. Lydia and Tony could have been played by Myrna Loy and William Powell.

The writing is clever and enjoyable. The characters are fun to watch. If you can let the story just be what it is, you might enjoy it. Suspend disbelief and engage your sense of humor. Otherwise, you might be tempted to think this film makes light of wifely dissatisfaction.

Lydia (Claudette Colbert) and Tony (Ray Milland) have been married for five years. Tony is in love with his job and his wife is mostly an afterthought. Inexplicably, she accepts this and loves the big jerk in spite of this. However, after years of being neglected emotionally, the problem comes to a head during their anniversary. Instead of a romantic dinner for two, he invites over clients-- clients who Lydia doesn't like--and she has every reason to dislike these nasty folks. She's in a funk and a dashing guy, Jim (Brian Ahern), offers to take her away from this dinner party and she impulsively goes. She returns many hours later--long after all the guests have gone home.

Jim realizes, finally, that his marriage is in trouble. His plan to woo her back--lie to her and tell her he's quitting his job. But, he has no intention of leaving this job--and it really isn't much of a plan. Eventually, Lydia learns about this and leaves him. Soon they are divorced and NOW Jim finally tries to actually do something to win her back. But, considering they are divorced and she doesn't want to see him, it really seems like he's stalking her and is an abusive ex-spouse. It's really quite creepy and about as romantic as a case of the clap. The film might have seemed cute back in 1941, but today it comes off as an endorsement for a man to claim ownership over his 'property'--and Jim would, in the real world, end up in jail for his boorish behaviors!

Considering how good these actors are, the film should have been so much better. I also take off a point for the terribly overdone scene where Lydia keeps falling in the sailboat--it was about as subtle as a stripper at a Baptist picnic. Overall, it's a big disappointment, though the film does have its moments.

This is one of those movies where a childless, jobless wife has an enormous, beautiful house, a cook, a butler, more exquisite clothes than she can count, and we're supposed to feel sorry for her. Because she is married to Ray Milland, who, after five years, gives her a huge, passionate kiss when he comes home. Yeah, that's suffering, all right.

Claudette Colbert's problem is that Ray spends too much time and thought on his job--you know, the one that provides the house, cook, butler, etc. So she flips and takes off with the pleasant but sexless Brian Aherne. Wouldn't be my move.

True, Ray is something of a bully. He literally strong-arms Claudette into coming with him, and harshly orders her in a way that a servant wouldn't take these days. So, to satisfy the women in the audience, he has to be made to grovel. And to keep Claudette from a complete triumph that would make her look domineering, she has to be made ridiculous.

It's all part of the movie's desperation to pretend marriage is romantic and amusing. Can I explain something? It isn't.

Or, if you prefer, Comedy Lite, because 'Skylark" is only semi-funny. I can only guess Director Mark Sandrich didn't have a good feel for comedy as several scenes which could have been funny seemed forced and heavy-handed. A Leo McCarey or Mitchell Leisen could have gotten more mileage out of them, but, as is, "Skylark" is unsatisfying and leaves you feeling unfulfilled, like Lite beer or diet soda.

Other reviews recount the plot, but just let me say that the main reason to watch this one is to watch several old pros give their all and try to make a mediocre picture better just by their presence. It belongs mainly to Claudette Colbert, who tries mightily and comes off the best of the principals. She is ably supported by Ray Milland and Brian Aherne, who also do their best. Walter Abel does not come off so well and is better in straight drama parts. And the old pop standard 'Skylark" is apparently not from this picture. I put my star rating in the heading as the website no longer includes them.

Skylark finds Claudette Colbert feeling like she's just running second fiddle to her husband Ray Milland's advertising business. So at another party where she's simply to function as the decoration on his arm, Claudette becomes susceptible to lawyer Brian Aherne who turns on the charm and makes her feel important. This woman is a Skylark and needs to spread her wings so he tells Milland.

In no time at all Aherne has moved right in as Claudette divorces Milland. After that Milland is busy planning his campaign to win her back.

Skylark probably needed a Mitchell Leisen or an Ernst Lubitsch to have been a real classic. Still all three of leads acquit themselves well. Aherne has a part that was normally reserved for David Niven, all charm and smiles. There's also a nice turn by Binnie Barnes as the hard hearted wife of Milland's boss Grant Mitchell who has her own claim on Aherne and his vocabulary. Her confrontation scene with Colbert is priceless.

As is Colbert trying to take to a life at the sea when tries whip up enthusiasm for Aherne's passion for sailing. Her scenes on Aherne's boat are priceless.

A good comedy of the era, a bit shy of greatness however.