The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Sidney Franklin

Writers:

Frederick Lonsdale (play)
Hanns Kräly (continuity) ...

Release Date:

6 July 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

There is a big charity function at the house of Mrs. Cheyney and a lot of society is present. With her rich husband...

Plot Keywords:

Pearl | Thief | Australian | Deception | Con Artist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Norma Shearer	...	Fay Cheyney
Basil Rathbone	...	Lord Arthur Dilling
George Barraud	...	Charles
Herbert Bunston	...	Lord Elton
Hedda Hopper	...	Lady Maria
Moon Carroll	...	Joan
Madeline Seymour	...	Mrs. Mattie Wynton
Cyril Chadwick	...	Willie Wynton
George K. Arthur	...	George
Frank Finch Smiles	...	William 'Bill' O'Dare (as Finch Smiles)
Maude Turner Gordon	...	Mrs. Webley

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The play opened in London, England, UK on 22 September 1925 and on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 9 November 1925. The Broadway production had 385 performances with an opening cast including Helen Hayes, Roland Young, Felix Aylmer, Ina Clare, Winifred Harris and Lionel Pape.

Quotes:

Fay Cheyney: How disappointing you look in that dressing gown.
Lord Arthur Dilling: Oh, and I chose the one that suits me best. How depressing; it must be me.

Movie Connections:

Version of Frau Cheneys Ende (1961)

Soundtrack:

Carefree and Happy

Stagey early talkie adaptation of famous play.

You'd hardly know that a year later MGM put Norma Shearer in THE DIVORCEE which glows with MGM technical know how. How far they came in one year. CHENEY is a very stagey early talkie. The camera hardly moves. Shearer is her usual charming self and Rathbone does well in a romantic leading role. They are all very careful to speak clearly and slowly into the microphone source which does mitigate against a naturally flowing dramatic scene, but the play is a sturdy and fun warhorse so one can enjoy oneself if one's expectations are not too high. Oh, by the way, the plot involves a ring of upper class jewel thieves who infiltrate themselves into society to prey on their victims. There are some clever twists in the script and true love conquers all. An Oscar nom for Best Screenplay Adaptation.