This is another of those pre-Code movies in which someone literally gets away with murder--as can happen in real life. Neither the killer nor the victim is totally good or bad, which is also the way life is. That was until 1934, after which point in Hollywood the murderer was always punished and "fallen" women were always doomed to suffer.
The film covers a long period of time, giving elegant Kay Francis the chance to appear in clothing of many styles. She could be very compelling in her performances, although it was a somewhat declamatory style of acting very much of its time. Consistent with that is the "old" make-up for the character--essentially, silver hair and a touch less lipstick. Wistfulness was something that she did very well, and with her cello-like voice and big shining eyes, she was a treat to hear and see.
The storyline is somewhat improbable (surprise) and Kay is the only thoroughly likable character, but if you just go with it, there are some rewards--her cardsharping is a lot of fun.
The film covers a long period of time, giving elegant Kay Francis the chance to appear in clothing of many styles. She could be very compelling in her performances, although it was a somewhat declamatory style of acting very much of its time. Consistent with that is the "old" make-up for the character--essentially, silver hair and a touch less lipstick. Wistfulness was something that she did very well, and with her cello-like voice and big shining eyes, she was a treat to hear and see.
The storyline is somewhat improbable (surprise) and Kay is the only thoroughly likable character, but if you just go with it, there are some rewards--her cardsharping is a lot of fun.