In Name Only (1939)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

John Cromwell

Writers:

Bessie Breuer (novel)
Richard Sherman (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 August 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

While out riding in the country, wealthy New Yorker Alec Walker meets young widow Julie Eden, and a relationship quickly develops...

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Marriage | Loveless Marriage | Fishing | Marriage Proposal

Cast

Carole Lombard	...	Julie Eden
Cary Grant	...	Alec Walker
Kay Francis	...	Maida Walker
Charles Coburn	...	Richard Walker
Helen Vinson	...	Mrs. Suzanne Duross
Katharine Alexander	...	Mrs. Laura Morton
Jonathan Hale	...	Dr. Ned Gateson
Nella Walker	...	Mrs. Grace Walker
Alan Baxter	...	Charley
Maurice Moscovitch	...	Dr. Muller (as Maurice Moscovich)
Peggy Ann Garner	...	Ellen Eden
Spencer Charters	...	Fred, the Gardener
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Adamson	...	Black waiter on train (uncredited)
Arthur Aylesworth	...	Farmer on truck (uncredited)
Jack Chapin	...	Bellhop #1 (uncredited)
Charles Coleman	...	Archie Duross (uncredited)
John Dilson	...	Head train steward (uncredited)
Fern Emmett	...	Hotel chambermaid (uncredited)
Edward Fliegle	...	Night Clerk (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Owen - Alec's front office clerk (uncredited)
Gus Glassmire	...	Yawning hospital attendant (uncredited)
Douglas Gordon	...	Steward (uncredited)
Jesse Graves	...	Train Waiter (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Party guest (uncredited)
Harold Hoff	...	Bellhop bringing bottle (uncredited)
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Hospital elevator operator (uncredited)
John Laing	...	John (chauffeur) (uncredited)
Mary MacLaren	...	Nurse at desk (uncredited)
Harriet Matthews	...	Boat passenger (uncredited)
Tony Merlo	...	Waiter at Tony's (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Boat passenger (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	College man asking about game (uncredited)
Clive Morgan	...	Party guest (uncredited)
Sandra Morgan	...	Boat passenger (uncredited)
Frank Puglia	...	Manager - Tony's Cafe (uncredited)
George Rosener	...	Dr. Hastings (at the hotel) (uncredited)
Robert Strange	...	Hotel manager / Amorous house detective (uncredited)
Grady Sutton	...	Paul Graham (Suzanne's escort) (uncredited)
Kathryn Wilson	...	Party guest (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Party guest (uncredited)
Allen Wood	...	Joe - Bellhop helping hotel detective (uncredited)

Directed by
John Cromwell

Writing credits
Bessie Breuer		(novel "Memory of Love")
Richard Sherman		(screenplay)

Produced by
George Haight	....	producer

Original Music by
Roy Webb

Cinematography by
J. Roy Hunt

Film Editing by
William Hamilton

Art Direction by
Van Nest Polglase

Set Decoration by
Darrell Silvera

Costume Design by
Edward Stevenson		(other gowns)

Production Management
Pandro S. Berman	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dewey Starkey	....	assistant director

Art Department
Perry Ferguson	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Hugh McDowell Jr.	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	special effects (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irene	....	gowns: Miss Lombard

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1957) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #5312)

Filming Locations:

San Marino, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

This movie was intended to be a reunion for Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, but following the failure of Bringing Up Baby (1938) at the box office from the previous year, Hepburn left RKO being after deemed "Box Office Poison". Carole Lombard was subsequently brought in as her replacement.

Quotes:

Alec Walker: [after being asked who was on the phone] I haven't the remotest notion. She calls me up every now and then and we talk. I call her my telephone dream girl. It's practically weird.

Soundtrack:

Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful)

One of the best tearjerkers!

He's unhappily married; She's a feisty widow who has just moved near by. Their love is tested because his bitchy wife will not let him go in spite of the fact that she can't stand him. The husband is Cary Grant; the wife is Kay Francis; the lovely widow is Carole Lombard in a rare dramatic performance. This is the basic synopsis for "In Name Only", released by RKO in the greatest year that movies ever saw: 1939. By this time, Grant and Lombard were established as two of motion pictures greatest stars. Kay Francis, formerly the queen of Warner Brothers, went against type in this unsympathetic role which came at a point in her career where she was listed as "Box-Office Poison". (See my reviews for "Confession" and "The White Angel" for contrasting roles). These three stars are dynamic together, although there is absolutely no sympathy for Ms. Francis. You will be looking forward to her getting her come-uppance as she schemes to prevent Grant from getting his much wanted divorce to be with Lombard. There is also Charles Coburn (one of the most delightful character actors ever!) as Grant's father, and Helen Vinson as Francis' confidante who also once had a thing for Grant. This is the type of drama that Hollywood just cannot produce anymore. There are definate comic overtones, though, which make this delightful fun! (Grant's "thank you" scene with Lombard is one of the all-time classic sophisticated comedy scenes, while the finale scene with Francis, Lombard, and Coburn is one of the greats as well.) Sadly, Francis would only have a few more great parts ("The Feminine Touch", "It's a Date") and Lombard would die tragically a few years later; Grant continued to remain a star for the next three decades. This is all three at their very best, and highly regarded. In any lesser film year, this would have garnered more attention; In fact, this is one of few films ("Trouble in Paradise", "One Way Passage", and "Confession" are the others) where I consider Kay Francis worthy of an Oscar nomination.