The Woman in His House (1932)
"The Animal Kingdom" (original title)

Tom Collier has had a great relationship with Daisy, but when he decides to marry, it is not Daisy whom he asks, it is Cecelia. After the marriage, Tom is bored with the social scene and ... See full summary »

Director:

Edward H. Griffith

Writers:

Horace Jackson (screenplay), Philip Barry (play),

Stars:

Ann Harding, Leslie Howard, Myrna Loy

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ann Harding	...	Daisy Sage
Leslie Howard	...	Thomas 'Tom' Collier
Myrna Loy	...	Cecelia Henry Collier
William Gargan	...	'Red' Regan - the majordomo
Neil Hamilton	...	Owen Fiske
Ilka Chase	...	Grace
Henry Stephenson	...	Mr. Rufus Collier
Leni Stengel	...	Franc Schmidt
Don Dillaway	...	Joe Fiske

Storyline

Tom Collier has had a great relationship with Daisy, but when he decides to marry, it is not Daisy whom he asks, it is Cecelia. After the marriage, Tom is bored with the social scene and the obligations of his life. He publishes books that will sell, not books that he wants to write. Even worse, he has his old friend working as a butler and Cecelia wants him fired. When Tom tries to get back together with Daisy to renew the feelings that he once felt, Daisy turns the tables on him and leaves to protect both of them.

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Plot Keywords:

butler | artist | new york city | publisher | orchestral music score | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 December 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pouco Amor não é Amor

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

George Cukor directed additional scenes after original director Edward H. Griffith left the picture.

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Quotes

Tom Collier: [Explaining his relationship with Daisy to his fiancée, Cecilia] Cee, we've... Well, we've been everything possible to each other, of course, but...
Cecilia 'Cee' Henry Collier: Yes, Tom.
Tom Collier: ...at the same time free as air. I mean, there has never been a feeling of conventional responsibility towards each other's involvement.
Cecilia 'Cee' Henry Collier: I can understand that.
Tom Collier: Can you, Cee? 'Cause I never could.

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Connections

Version of One More Tomorrow (1946)

User Reviews

Good pre-code

Leslie Howard, Ann Harding, and Myrna Loy are all members of "The Animal Kingdom" in this 1932 film based on the play by Phillip Barry. Barry in his way was a transitional playwright - he wrote about the upper class, usually negatively, but always gave a nod to the lower class - they were the ones that had more fun. Just a little bit later, plays about the upper class would go by the wayside for plays about the working class - Waiting for Lefty, Awake and Sing - as America moved through the depression.

Leslie Howard plays a member of said upper class who has engaged in a Bohemian lifestyle, living with an intelligent artist (Harding). They have a no attachment, open relationship, and he takes her at her word and gets himself engaged to a gorgeous, wealthy young woman (Myrna Loy) just as Harding decides she wants to settle down and have a family. She accepts his decision, but not his offer of continuing friendship.

There is a line about the "animal kingdom" in the film, but I prefer to think the title has to do with baser instincts. If Howard passionately desired Ann Harding, he wouldn't have wanted to be friends - and it's her desire of him that makes her reject his "just friends" suggestion. Let's face facts - Loy turns him on and knows it. In fact, she uses sex as a manipulative weapon, and he's putty in her hands. It's more blatant in this film than, say, "Harriet Craig" which was done under the code - but the power of sex is there.

Of course, a relationship based on sexual desire and nothing else eventually grows tired, and Howard finds himself going back to talk with Harding and spend time with her. She smartly keeps running. Clearly, Howard is a man who wants to have his cake and eat it, too.

Harding was an interesting leading woman - she was attractive but not beautiful and had a very low, distinctive speaking voice. She came from the Broadway stage, and her heyday in films was through the mid-thirties, though she worked consistently in films and television until the mid-60s. As was the case back then, at 31 years of age, her time as a leading lady was drawing to a close, and soon would be turned over to people like the younger Loy. Her performance in "The Animal Kingdom" is a very honest one. Loy is absolutely ravishing and wears beautiful clothes. She essays the part of the glamorous wife beautifully, reminiscent of Gene Tierney later on with the ultra-feminine facade hiding the steel underneath. Howard is handsome and thoughtful in the lead, and one can see it slowly occurring to him that he made a mistake.

Very good.