Week-end Marriage (1932)

Director:

Thornton Freeland

Writers:

Faith Baldwin (novel)
Sheridan Gibney (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 June 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

St. Louis Missouri | Marriage Proposal | Illness | Skyscraper | Sister In Law

Cast

Loretta Young	...	Lola Davis Hayes
Norman Foster	...	Ken Hayes
Aline MacMahon	...	Agnes Davis
George Brent	...	Peter Acton
Grant Mitchell	...	Doctor
Vivienne Osborne	...	Shirley
Sheila Terry	...	Connie
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Mr. Davis
Louise Carter	...	Mrs. Davis
Roscoe Karns	...	Jim Davis

Also Known As:

Weekend Lives
Working Wives (UK)

Runtime:

65 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

First National Pictures

Trivia:

Harry Holman is in studio records/casting call lists for the role of "The Judge," but he did not appear in the movie.

Quotes:

Doctor: Haven't you brought enough unhappiness to your husband without jeopardizing his life?
Lola Davis: I...?!?
Doctor: Let me give you a little advice. One way or another, a man will find a woman to look out for him not only when he's sick but when he's well. That's something you so-called "modern girls" never seem to count on. You talk about freedom, because you think it's something men have and cherish...
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Blessed Event (1932)

Wild pre-code melodrama, even features toilet paper!

I don't think I've ever seen a 1930's film in which one of the characters buys toilet paper! In fact it wasn't until the 1960's that any film characters (except babies) seem to feel the need to use toilets at all. But in this wild pre-code melodrama "anything goes" (that's even a line in the film!).

It's all about women who want to work even (shock, horror!) after they get married! We are presented with three examples: a seemingly happily married couple in which the husband and wife (played by the dazzlingly funny ALINE MACMAHON) both work; a woman forced by her family to give up work and marry a man she doesn't love; and LORETTA YOUNG, who is having a very successful career while her husband's flounders. Young is terrific and looks sensational. NORMAN FOSTER is also very good as her troubled husband, with GEORGE BRENT providing his usual strong support as a rival for Loretta's hand. The film is very well directed by THORNTON FREELAND, with some magnificent tracking shots from cinematographer BARNEY MCGILL (especially considering how static the camera work in most early talkies is).

The film is hugely enjoyable, and fascinating for its look at the sexual politics of 1932. In fact, until its risible conclusion, the debate about who should "wear the pants" in the home is conducted with intelligence and sophistication. And you see things that really surprise - besides the toilet paper buying, you also see Young and Foster waking up in bed together and Foster rolling over for a bit of nookie! Of course, being a working girl, Loretta declines the advance because she has to go to work. It's a startling moment for a film of this period.

Make sure you see this picture - it's a fascinating little gem - what a shame they copped out at the end. The last five minutes are just horrible!