Private Lives (1931)

Director:

Sidney Franklin

Writers:

Noel Coward (play)
Hanns Kräly (scenario) ...

Release Date:

12 December 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Elyot and Sibyl are being married in a big church ceremony. Amanda and Victor are being married by a French Justice of the Peace...

Plot Keywords:

Honeymoon | Hotel | Chalet | Church | Fight

Cast

Norma Shearer	...	Amanda Prynne
Robert Montgomery	...	Elyot Chase
Reginald Denny	...	Victor Prynne
Una Merkel	...	Sibyl Chase
Jean Hersholt	...	Oscar
George Davis	...	Bell Hop

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Franklin Canyon, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The original play opened in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and starred Noel Coward (who also directed), Gertrude Lawrence, Laurence Olivier and Adrianne Allen. After a 5-week tour of England, it opened a scheduled 3-month engagement in London on 24 September 1930, after which it came to Broadway, New York City, on 27 January 1931 and ran for 256 performances, closing in September 1931. Jill Esmond replaced Allen in New York for the role of Sybil. The very popular play had 6 Broadway revivals alone, the last in 2002, and is continually revived the world over.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Elyot, Amanda and Oscar are riding on the gondola, Elyot and Amanda begin to argue. As their argument escalates, the two of them stand up and Oscar, listening quietly, stands up with them. Their is a cut to a medium shot of Oscar which shows him still seated. Then a return to the shot of the three of them which shows Oscar standing again.

Quotes:

Amanda: I think very few people are completely normal really, deep down in their private lives. It all depends on a combination of circumstances. If all the various cosmic thingummys fuse at the same moment, and the right spark is struck, there's no knowing what one mightn't do. That was the trouble with Elyot and me, we were like two violent acids bubbling about in a nasty little matrimonial bottle.

Movie Connections:

Version of Les amants terribles (1936)

Soundtrack:

Someday I'll Love You

A Noel Coward play. Two couples switch partners.

Noel Coward dialogue. What can be bad? Norma Shearer does a star turn and is *very* funny. Her clothes are wonderful. She is obviously "meant for" Robert Montgomery, and they leave the partners they are engaged to and escape with each other on an around-the-world trip. Their physical fights are hilarious.