Libeled Lady (1936)

A newspaper man, his jilted fiancée, and his lawyer hatch an elaborate scheme to turn a false news-story into the truth, before a high-society woman can sue for libel.

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Maurine Dallas Watkins (screen play), Howard Emmett Rogers (screen play),

Stars:

Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Harlow	...	Gladys
William Powell	...	Bill Chandler
Myrna Loy	...	Connie Allenbury
Spencer Tracy	...	Haggerty
Walter Connolly	...	Mr. Allenbury
Charley Grapewin	...	Mr. Bane
Cora Witherspoon	...	Mrs. Burns-Norvell
E.E. Clive	...	Fishing Instructor
Bunny Beatty	...	Babs (as Lauri Beatty)
Otto Yamaoka	...	Ching
Charles Trowbridge	...	Graham
Spencer Charters	...	Magistrate
George Chandler	...	Bell Hop
William 'Billy' Benedict	...	Johnny (as William Benedict)
Hal K. Dawson	...	Harvey Allen

Storyline

Warren Haggerty is the chief editor of the New York Evening Star. He keeps on delaying his marriage with Gladys because of problems his newspapers must face. When it is filed a 5 million dollars claim by Connie Allenbury for having printed she is a marriage-breaker, he organizes the unconsummated marriage of Gladys and the don Juan Bill Chandler. The goal is to catch Connie alone with a married man...

---

Plot Keywords:

marriage | newspaper | libel | lawyer | high society | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 October 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los enredos de una dama

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jean Harlow was forced to stay out of the production for ten days due to a severe case of sunburn poisoning.

---

Goofs

Spencer Tracy refers to William Benedict's character as "Joe", although the opening credits identify him as "Johnny".

---

Quotes

Connie Allenbury: You can't build a life on hate, or a marriage on spite. Marriage is too important. Mine only lasted an hour, but... I know.

---

Connections

Remade as Easy to Wed (1946)

---

Soundtracks

"You"
(1936) (uncredited)
Music by Walter Donaldson
Lyrics by Harold Adamson
Played during the opening credits

User Reviews

Old-time madcap screwball comedy in the best sense!

It's always a pleasant surprise to run into one of Myrna Loy and William Powell's legendary pairings. "Libeled Lady" was even more pleasant than usual! Spencer Tracy is marvelous as the too smooth operator, while Harlow shrills her way through the film, stealing every scene.

Still and all, the real selling point of this film is the clever drawing room dialogue and rat-a-tat-tat delivery! One does not see this type of intelligent comedic script come out of Hollywood these days. Full of double entendre, perfectly honed sarcasm and beautifully timed quips, this film keeps you smiling, even as you wince at Powell's adept physical comedy, full of falls and falls and falls.

As for his co-star, watching Loy glow on screen is always magic, the moments that she raises an eyebrow and drops in a gem of a line, well, there's the real abracadabra...