Forsaking All Others (1934)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

Frank Cavett (play) and
Edward Barry Roberts (play) ...

Release Date:

23 December 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Dyl leaves Mary standing at the altar in order to marry his old flame, Connie, instead. Knowing that Mary still has feelings for Dyl...

Plot Keywords:

Fire | Party | Ship | Wedding | Elopement

Cast

Robert Montgomery	...	Dillon 'Dill' / 'Dilly' Todd
Joan Crawford	...	Mary Clay
Clark Gable	...	Jeffrey 'Jeff' / 'Jeffy' Williams
Charles Butterworth	...	Shemp 'Shempy'
Billie Burke	...	Aunt Paula
Frances Drake	...	Connie Barnes Todd
Rosalind Russell	...	Eleanor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hooper Atchley	...	(scenes deleted)
Margaret Bert	...	(scenes deleted)
Edward Brophy	...	(scenes deleted)
Lillian Harmer	...	(scenes deleted)
Forrester Harvey	...	(scenes deleted)
Ted Healy	...	(scenes deleted)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #487)

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The original play opened in New York City, New York, USA on 1 March 1933 and had 110 performance. Tallulah Bankhead played Mary Clay and the cast included Ilka Chase, Barbara O'Neil, Cora Witherspoon, Fred Keating, Anderson Lawler, Harlan Briggs and George Lessey.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Mary shows Jeff a picture of the three of them as kids, it's a photo of children with the three star's adult pictures obviously pasted on their bodies - Mary even has on lipstick. Though they did at least use a picture of Gable without a mustache.

Quotes:

Jeffrey 'Jeff': Come on, Shemp, my boy. We've only got one night to do a weeks drinking.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)

Good solid fun

A better than average comedy that certainly entertains. Plot is believable and somewhat unusual. Clark Gable returns from Madrid (we are not told what he was doing there nor really what anyone does for a living) in order to propose to Joan Crawford. Clark has secretly loved Joan since they were children but in his absence, Joan has agreed to marry Robert Montgomery who she has loved since they were children. Enter the old flame, Frances Drake, who whisks Montgomery away on the eve of his nuptial leaving Crawford standing at the alter. The marriage does not work and soon Crawford steps out with Montgomery on the side. Gable criticizes and consoles Crawford eventually making plans to return to Spain. Good performances by Crawford (opening shot with cream on her face is in contrast to other stars who preferred glamorous introductions), Montgomery (he really is funny), Gable, Billie Burke (who can do "flustered" any better), Rosalind Russell (does well in one of her early films) and a very droll Charles Butterworth. I never thought Frances Drake was believable as the lower class wife but this can easily be overlooked. Recommended as an evenings good entertainment.