Terrific performances by Ann Harding and Mary Astor guide this comedy based upon the Philip Barry play where socialite Astor becomes engaged to factory worker Robert Ames, planning to "better" him even though it's her who needs lessons in being "bettered". When Ames meets her sister, Harding, it is apparent that they have a lot more in common than Astor and Ames, and that Astor intends to manipulate the entire marriage. The whole family becomes involved in the undeclared war between sisters with Harding begging Astor to accept Ames for who he is, and the seemingly decent Astor proving how much of an elitist she is.
Best known for the remake starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, early talky version is quite good on its own and got Oscar nominations for the remake was completely overlooked. There are excellent supporting performances by Hallam Cooley, Edward Everett Horton (from the Broadway play as well as the remake) and I don't want gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Cooley is Harding and Astor's stuffy businessman father, objecting to Harding's free thinking nature (accepting everybody for who they are regardless of their background), and more concerned with the family's public perception rather than what Harding feels.
Harding at times seems to sound like Katharine Hepburn who had not made her film debut but ironically appeared in the play on Broadway. she was exquisite, and proves herself to be adept at drawing-room comedy even though RKO would mainly cast as long-suffering sophisticated heroines. Astor gives a very grounded, diversified performance, easy going and sweet at one moment and hard-headed at others. It only suffers slightly from early sound technology, and while the camera may not move as fast as it would later in the remake, it is still quite good and innocent even better because it is not played for screwball comedy, but rather as a drawing-room comedy with moments of drama that have important social ramifications.
Best known for the remake starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, early talky version is quite good on its own and got Oscar nominations for the remake was completely overlooked. There are excellent supporting performances by Hallam Cooley, Edward Everett Horton (from the Broadway play as well as the remake) and I don't want gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Cooley is Harding and Astor's stuffy businessman father, objecting to Harding's free thinking nature (accepting everybody for who they are regardless of their background), and more concerned with the family's public perception rather than what Harding feels.
Harding at times seems to sound like Katharine Hepburn who had not made her film debut but ironically appeared in the play on Broadway. she was exquisite, and proves herself to be adept at drawing-room comedy even though RKO would mainly cast as long-suffering sophisticated heroines. Astor gives a very grounded, diversified performance, easy going and sweet at one moment and hard-headed at others. It only suffers slightly from early sound technology, and while the camera may not move as fast as it would later in the remake, it is still quite good and innocent even better because it is not played for screwball comedy, but rather as a drawing-room comedy with moments of drama that have important social ramifications.