Interesting that the two players who hold viewer's attention are
Dorothy Bartlam and the delightful Kay Hammond as Kay, a straight
shooting cockney chorus girl who by telling it like it is, really propels
the narrative. Dorothy Bartlam soon faded unfortunately and Kay had
to wait until she wowed audiences in "Blithe Spirit" in 1945.
By the time Madeleine Carroll makes her appearance as the petulant Gwenda, Bartlam as Vera has been able to establish rapport with the audience as the devoted wife and in a very sweet opening scene (with an adorable Freddie Bartholomew pretending to be a minister), it shows that she and Larry have been childhood sweethearts. Enter the alluring Gwenda, a self centred actress who is just coming down from an affair with rake Ronnie (a young Roland Culver) - she finds herself interested in Larry (a very boring Carl Harbord) and he is all too easily persuaded into an affair. She knows he is married but doesn't care and selfishly feels she deserves some happiness - even though Kay has no sympathy with her. It's hard to have sympathy with Larry either, due to Harbord's rather wooden acting and the ending shows Vera commanding centre stage. Things come to a head when a romantic letter meant only for Larry is accidentally seen by Vera. She doesn't reveal she has seen it but sets up a meeting with Gwenda who actually thinks she is going on a rendevous with Larry. Vera reveals herself as a caring wife who is willing to sacrifice her own happiness so that Larry will be content and things can stay as they are. Gwenda realises her self centredness and the ending finds her struggling to put on a glad face as she prepared for her stage appearance!!
Merle Oberon appears in a bit part as a flower seller in a night club.
By the time Madeleine Carroll makes her appearance as the petulant Gwenda, Bartlam as Vera has been able to establish rapport with the audience as the devoted wife and in a very sweet opening scene (with an adorable Freddie Bartholomew pretending to be a minister), it shows that she and Larry have been childhood sweethearts. Enter the alluring Gwenda, a self centred actress who is just coming down from an affair with rake Ronnie (a young Roland Culver) - she finds herself interested in Larry (a very boring Carl Harbord) and he is all too easily persuaded into an affair. She knows he is married but doesn't care and selfishly feels she deserves some happiness - even though Kay has no sympathy with her. It's hard to have sympathy with Larry either, due to Harbord's rather wooden acting and the ending shows Vera commanding centre stage. Things come to a head when a romantic letter meant only for Larry is accidentally seen by Vera. She doesn't reveal she has seen it but sets up a meeting with Gwenda who actually thinks she is going on a rendevous with Larry. Vera reveals herself as a caring wife who is willing to sacrifice her own happiness so that Larry will be content and things can stay as they are. Gwenda realises her self centredness and the ending finds her struggling to put on a glad face as she prepared for her stage appearance!!
Merle Oberon appears in a bit part as a flower seller in a night club.