Perfect Understanding (1933)

Director:

Cyril Gardner

Writers:

Miles Malleson (writer)
Michael Powell (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 March 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A young couple decide to marry under the condition that they agree never to disagree. That agreement is soon put to the test when the husband finds himself attracted to a beautiful young woman. |

Plot Keywords:

American Abroad | Beautiful Woman | Marriage | Honeymoon | Cocktail Party

Cast

Gloria Swanson	...	Judy
Laurence Olivier	...	Nicholas Randall
John Halliday	...	Ronnson
Nigel Playfair	...	Lord Portleigh
Michael Farmer	...	George
Genevieve Tobin	...	Kitty
Nora Swinburne	...	Stephanie
O.B. Clarence	...	Dr. Graham
Mary Jerrold	...	Mrs. Graham
Peter Gawthorne	...	Butler
Rosalinde Fuller	...	Cook
Miles Malleson	...	Announcer
Herbert Lomas	...	Bradley
Ben Webster	...	Judge
Syd Crossley	...	Butler

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A

Filming Locations:

Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company:

Gloria Swanson British Productions

Trivia:

The acting of Michael Farmer proved so bad that, despite being married to the film's star and main backer Gloria Swanson, he was all but edited out of the film, giving more screen time to Laurence Olivier.

Superstars Gloria Swanson & Laurence Olivier

One of five talkies Gloria Swanson made in her early talkie period. This is a forgotten gem of a romantic comedy-drama about "modernes" whose marriage is not a traditional one but a "perfect understanding." Like INDISCREET, TONIGHT OR NEVER, and MUSIC IN THE AIR, a solid film with a terrific performance by its the star--Gloria Swanson. But along with WHAT A WIDOW (a lost film) a flop at the box office after the smash hit talkie debut with THE TRESPASSER in 1929.

Swanson plays an American interior designer who marries a wealthy Brit, Laurence Olivier, but only after agreeing to have a perfect understanding of a marriage. After a lengthy honeymoon in Europe Swanson heads back to London to do a few jobs while Olivier stays behind in Cannes. Enter the spoiler: a woman who schemes to break up the marriage. Back in London Olivier admits his indiscretion so Swanson sets out to get even. She can't do it but he believes she did. Divorce proceedings begin.

Nothing really new here but the two stars are wonderful and gorgeous and worth every minute of screen time.

Co-stars include John Halliday, Nora Swinburne, Miles Malleson, Genevieve Tobin, and Swanson's then husband, Michael Farmer.

Terrific scenes include the "cocktail regatta," which involves cocktails at various stops during a speedboat race at Cannes! Swanson also sings a nice song, "I Love You So Much That I Hate You." No secret that Swanson is my all-time favorite movie star but she is absolutely wonderful in this film. It's beyond belief that Swanson ended up a flop in talkies.