She's nearly forgotten today, but Ann Harding was a true cinema aristocrat in the '30s, a movie star who didn't look like one (she wore practically no makeup) but was lovely all the same. She didn't act like one, either. Here, she's a free- thinking artist (referred to by other characters as "Bohemian," and it's clearly an insult) whose projected tell-all autobio is going to put an old flame's political career in jeopardy, and she's so obviously more intelligent than any of her co- players that you can't take your eyes off her. Calm, ladylike, and vaguely amused by her surroundings, she's a lot like her contemporary Irene Dunne, but less forced. The movie, from a smart S.N. Behrman stage comedy, is a civilized affair where characters bat around words like "propinquity" without flinching and the slowish pacing feels right. Perfect it's not, particularly in the male casting: Robert Montgomery, as her perpetually dissatisfied editor, doesn't stint on the character's unlikability, which leaves one rooting only halfheartedly for their romance to alight. And Edward Everett Horton, as her compromised ex-beau, isn't believable for a moment, being so obviously... Edward Everett Horton. On the other hand, Edward Arnold, the screen's best Evil Plutocrat of the '30s, is here a quiet, sympathetic spurned beau, and completely charming. It's a pleasant journey back to a time where the general public was more sophisticated, though without Ms. Harding's presence, it wouldn't add up to nearly as much.
11 Reviews
A woman of the world
blanche-22 July 2015
Robert Montgomery is helping a free-thinking artist, played by Ann Harding, write "Biography of a Bachelor Girl," a 1935 film.
Harding plays a famous artist, Marion Forsythe, who's been around (as bluntly as it could be said after the code went into effect), and Montgomery is Richard Kurt, a magazine editor, who wants her to write her biography. She has painted the portraits and heaven knows what else of some of the most famous people in the world.
Marion agrees, but an old beau of hers, Bunny (Edward Everett Horton) shows up and tries to discourage her from publishing her story. He is a chapter, and he's running for the Senate and presently engaged to the daughter of an influential publisher. This could ruin him.
Nice story with a fine performance by Harding, and a departure from the films of hers I've seen. She is usually a very serious, proper woman. Here she is flirtatious, comfortable, and disarming. Every man she meets succumbs to her gentle charm. This includes Kurt, whose name she never remembers and who is becoming increasingly frustrated, particularly when she begins to second-guess the biography.
Edward Everett Horton is very funny as Bunny (whom she doesn't remember when she first meets him), and Montgomery is good as Kurt. He, like Melvin Douglas and some other actors, was much better than his material and really didn't have a chance to show what he could do until, at his insistence, he did "Night Must Fall." Later on, he became a successful director.
Worth seeing for Harding's performance.
Harding plays a famous artist, Marion Forsythe, who's been around (as bluntly as it could be said after the code went into effect), and Montgomery is Richard Kurt, a magazine editor, who wants her to write her biography. She has painted the portraits and heaven knows what else of some of the most famous people in the world.
Marion agrees, but an old beau of hers, Bunny (Edward Everett Horton) shows up and tries to discourage her from publishing her story. He is a chapter, and he's running for the Senate and presently engaged to the daughter of an influential publisher. This could ruin him.
Nice story with a fine performance by Harding, and a departure from the films of hers I've seen. She is usually a very serious, proper woman. Here she is flirtatious, comfortable, and disarming. Every man she meets succumbs to her gentle charm. This includes Kurt, whose name she never remembers and who is becoming increasingly frustrated, particularly when she begins to second-guess the biography.
Edward Everett Horton is very funny as Bunny (whom she doesn't remember when she first meets him), and Montgomery is good as Kurt. He, like Melvin Douglas and some other actors, was much better than his material and really didn't have a chance to show what he could do until, at his insistence, he did "Night Must Fall." Later on, he became a successful director.
Worth seeing for Harding's performance.
not his anger but the hate
SnoopyStyle11 September 2022
Cynical magazine editor Richard 'Dickie' Kurt (Robert Montgomery) is desperate to sign up artist Marion Forsythe (Ann Harding) for a biography. He doesn't care about her artistry. He's much more enticed by rumors of her celebrity relationships. Leander 'Bunny' Nolan (Edward Everett Horton) is running for the Senate and fears his past fling with Marion could turn into a scandal.
Kurt is too mean. First, his lack of bedside manners would make signing Marion nearly impossible. I question how a guy like him would get such a task. I guess an editor could be that bitter and I can see a hardnosed reporter like him rising up to the job. He just wouldn't be asked to do something that needs him to be nice. More than that, Montgomery is playing so hard that he has no chemistry with Ann Harding. It's almost reflexive that she's going in the complete opposite direction. The movie is trying to use the opposites attract proposition. Normally, romantic combat works but he's just too harsh. It's not his anger. It's his hate.
Kurt is too mean. First, his lack of bedside manners would make signing Marion nearly impossible. I question how a guy like him would get such a task. I guess an editor could be that bitter and I can see a hardnosed reporter like him rising up to the job. He just wouldn't be asked to do something that needs him to be nice. More than that, Montgomery is playing so hard that he has no chemistry with Ann Harding. It's almost reflexive that she's going in the complete opposite direction. The movie is trying to use the opposites attract proposition. Normally, romantic combat works but he's just too harsh. It's not his anger. It's his hate.
Not bad but not exactly magic either.
planktonrules12 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Robert Montgomery is an editor for a magazine and he has convinced the owner to finance a scheme. Montgomery wants to convince a bohemian artist (Ann Harding) to write her supposedly scandalous autobiography to boost the magazine's sales. She is unsure about this but Montgomery is able to convince her. However, another man (Edward Everett Horton) has approached Harding and wants her to keep her life story to herself. That's because many years ago, Horton has dated Harding. Nothing scandalous ever came of it (which isn't surprising since Horton is involved) but Horton is afraid if he's even mentioned that it will hurt his chances in an upcoming senate race. Then, Horton's future father-in-law, a very rich and influential man, comes to beg her to keep Horton out of the story. But what is Harding to do...she doesn't want to hurt Montgomery (especially since she's falling in love with him) but she did promise to expose her life--warts and all.
Choosing Harding was a good decision as in the Pre-Code era (which just ended 1934) she was perhaps the most consistently amoral lady in films. I am NOT talking about her personal life but the characters she played--they were VERY much like the lady she played here--though who exactly she is is only implied in "Biography of a Bachelor Girl". Horton was also very good--playing his usual effete and dull lover. As for Montgomery, he was fine but it was funny that politically the guy he played was the exact opposite of him in real life. His character is a crusader and a bit of a socialist--while in real life he was a very conservative Republican.
Overall, this is a pretty good but not great film. It is enjoyable but perhaps a bit overlong--as there are a few flat portions and the film could have used a bit more energy. Still, the actors fine job and the film is quite enjoyable fun.
Choosing Harding was a good decision as in the Pre-Code era (which just ended 1934) she was perhaps the most consistently amoral lady in films. I am NOT talking about her personal life but the characters she played--they were VERY much like the lady she played here--though who exactly she is is only implied in "Biography of a Bachelor Girl". Horton was also very good--playing his usual effete and dull lover. As for Montgomery, he was fine but it was funny that politically the guy he played was the exact opposite of him in real life. His character is a crusader and a bit of a socialist--while in real life he was a very conservative Republican.
Overall, this is a pretty good but not great film. It is enjoyable but perhaps a bit overlong--as there are a few flat portions and the film could have used a bit more energy. Still, the actors fine job and the film is quite enjoyable fun.
Ann the notorious
bkoganbing21 August 2017
Ann Harding is about to have ghost written her Biography Of A Bachelor Girl. She's a portrait painter, but in a part years before such a thing was an occurrence she's more of a professional celebrity. She paints famous and near famous people's portraits and gets involved with them. She's even got a ghostwriter, the iconoclastic Robert Montgomery who hates even the very idea of her.
One person who is very concerned is Edward Everett Horton who knew her back when and he doesn't want Ann writing about him. He's marrying Una Merkel and her father Charles Richman is Horton's chief backer in the Red state he would be representing.
Montgomery may quit the project anyway because he's getting angrier and angrier about someone he's developing feelings for.
Biography Of A Bachelor Girl is something a decade later Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn might have done. Surely it would be better know if they had. But that's not taking anything away from Montgomery and Harding.
In the supporting cast you'll like Edward Arnold who is a foreign born composer of uncertain nationality. Arnold he's kind of fallen for Harding himself, but he has a sort of bemused tolerance for all that's going on around him. Charles Richman is one tyrannical tyrant, thinking he has the right to tell everyone else how to live. He gets a lot of rebellion in his close circle for his trouble.
Montgomery and Harding are surely not as well known to today's audience. But Biography Of A Bachelor Girl should be better known. This one's a sleeper and a keeper.
One person who is very concerned is Edward Everett Horton who knew her back when and he doesn't want Ann writing about him. He's marrying Una Merkel and her father Charles Richman is Horton's chief backer in the Red state he would be representing.
Montgomery may quit the project anyway because he's getting angrier and angrier about someone he's developing feelings for.
Biography Of A Bachelor Girl is something a decade later Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn might have done. Surely it would be better know if they had. But that's not taking anything away from Montgomery and Harding.
In the supporting cast you'll like Edward Arnold who is a foreign born composer of uncertain nationality. Arnold he's kind of fallen for Harding himself, but he has a sort of bemused tolerance for all that's going on around him. Charles Richman is one tyrannical tyrant, thinking he has the right to tell everyone else how to live. He gets a lot of rebellion in his close circle for his trouble.
Montgomery and Harding are surely not as well known to today's audience. But Biography Of A Bachelor Girl should be better known. This one's a sleeper and a keeper.
The production code cuts the edges off yet another film...
AlsExGal4 December 2021
... because you can tell by the dull empty stretches that everybody involved would just love to make a precode, would love to come out and say what is being insinuated, but they just can't.
The film is about a magazine editor, Richard Kurt (Robert Montgomery) who wants to pay a globe trotting artist who has had many affairs (Ann Harding as Marion Forsythe) to write her biography. He's actually not expecting her to write it so much as have her tell her various stories and then he can translate it into salacious text.
Marion agrees because she needs the money, but the two have a basic difference in viewpoint because Marion is a very tolerant individual and Kurt is not, and he seems to love not only the amount of money to be made in the biography but the idea of exposing the publicly sanctimonious people with which Marion has been involved. Then there is Edward Everett Hornton as a bag of wind who is running for senate who was Marion's first love in Tennessee, and he fears if his name is mentioned in this biography it will be the end of his senate hopes.
This film starts out fast funny and energetic with some great scenes and dialogue, but about a half hour in it begins to bog down, because the film simply is not allowed to come out and say the things that are insinuated. I really love Robert Montgomery, but the end of the precode era really took a bite out of his career for a few years as he was great at playing the precode playboy and those roles no longer existed. Although I will say it was interesting to see Montgomery play a role angry rather than glib as he did in so many other films.
The film is about a magazine editor, Richard Kurt (Robert Montgomery) who wants to pay a globe trotting artist who has had many affairs (Ann Harding as Marion Forsythe) to write her biography. He's actually not expecting her to write it so much as have her tell her various stories and then he can translate it into salacious text.
Marion agrees because she needs the money, but the two have a basic difference in viewpoint because Marion is a very tolerant individual and Kurt is not, and he seems to love not only the amount of money to be made in the biography but the idea of exposing the publicly sanctimonious people with which Marion has been involved. Then there is Edward Everett Hornton as a bag of wind who is running for senate who was Marion's first love in Tennessee, and he fears if his name is mentioned in this biography it will be the end of his senate hopes.
This film starts out fast funny and energetic with some great scenes and dialogue, but about a half hour in it begins to bog down, because the film simply is not allowed to come out and say the things that are insinuated. I really love Robert Montgomery, but the end of the precode era really took a bite out of his career for a few years as he was great at playing the precode playboy and those roles no longer existed. Although I will say it was interesting to see Montgomery play a role angry rather than glib as he did in so many other films.
The write stuff
jarrodmcdonald-130 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Not too long ago I pulled out a disc of films I recorded on a day that TCM was celebrating the birthday of noted writer Anita Loos. Miss Loos was a feminist and staunch liberal. Typically, her stories are about what women have to do get ahead and stay ahead. These are fun little enterprises in the world of precode cinema, and she turned out several gems like BLONDIE OF THE FOLLIES (1932) and HOLD YOUR MAN (1933), a particular favorite of mine.
With BIOGRAPHY OF A BACHELOR GIRL (1935) she is adapting a stage play by someone else, but it has been sufficiently "converted" to the Loos woman way of thinking. And though this film was made after the establishment of the production code, and it is not quite as daring as it might be...the story about a female Casanova is still rather vivid in what it suggests.
Ann Harding's character is a leftish type who crosses paths with a flippant editor played by Robert Montgomery. Miss Harding and Mr. Montgomery had previously been teamed by Metro for the first version of WHEN LADiES MEET (1933), and they were already a bankable pair. What I love about this duo is that they are both so self-assured, so conceited that they don't need anyone else, least of all each other! Yet they do still need each other. In a big way. They must prop one another up, since it takes a lot of energy to stand out and defy society's conventions.
We learn that Harding caught Montgomery's eye, professionally speaking, because he realized she had an extremely social life, with countless affairs, romances, whatever you want to call them, with important men. She loved them and left them at breakneck speed, then moved on to the next with seldom a regret. Because of her important connections around the globe, she's a natural go-to for an editor wanting to publish material that reveals the unblemished truth about such people. And who better to pen these (auto)biographical ditties than someone like Harding's character?
As the film starts Harding is currently involved with a pseudo-composer (Edward Arnold), and she is somewhat distracted. But don't you fear, Montgomery will pull her away from all that and get her to focus on what's important. Of course, not every person featured in Harding's tell-all will be pleased about their sordid adventures now being exposed to the public in this way.
One person who is vehemently opposed to the airing of his dirty laundry by Harding is a pretentious buffoon played by Edward Everett Horton. He is living a respectable conservative lifestyle, engaged to an influential man's daughter (Una Merkel). In fact, he is up for a top political job. And tsk tsk tsk, Harding's anecdotes could ruin his chances and end his new career before it starts!
An interesting aspect of the story is the fact that Harding's character is first and foremost a painter. Producing text for Montgomery's company is a second career. So some of the dialogue focuses on how Harding cultivates relationships as a serious artiste (painter) as opposed to providing fodder for the masses as a writer.
As her editor Montgomery gets to hack the heck out of what Harding gives him, and he can reshape the material to his own tastes. He is basically a ghostwriter if you will, which gives the film another layer...especially when they start to fall in love. It becomes about how they can edit or censure their most private thoughts, if they feel the need to, and how they can control the direction they're heading in as a creative team.
The best scene is a bit where he's taken her to some remote cabin to concentrate and finish writing. They go into the local village to buy groceries and must deal with some ignorant hicks. She starts speaking a false language, so the locals will find her even more strange and become even more fearful of her otherness.
She is mocking how they regard her ways as a woman, since their narrow mindedness has already caused them to consider her foreign to them and their small community "sensibilities." It's a wonderful scene that spoofs the uneducated conservative views of that time, and it applies very much to some of our uninformed folks on the so-called right side today.
With BIOGRAPHY OF A BACHELOR GIRL (1935) she is adapting a stage play by someone else, but it has been sufficiently "converted" to the Loos woman way of thinking. And though this film was made after the establishment of the production code, and it is not quite as daring as it might be...the story about a female Casanova is still rather vivid in what it suggests.
Ann Harding's character is a leftish type who crosses paths with a flippant editor played by Robert Montgomery. Miss Harding and Mr. Montgomery had previously been teamed by Metro for the first version of WHEN LADiES MEET (1933), and they were already a bankable pair. What I love about this duo is that they are both so self-assured, so conceited that they don't need anyone else, least of all each other! Yet they do still need each other. In a big way. They must prop one another up, since it takes a lot of energy to stand out and defy society's conventions.
We learn that Harding caught Montgomery's eye, professionally speaking, because he realized she had an extremely social life, with countless affairs, romances, whatever you want to call them, with important men. She loved them and left them at breakneck speed, then moved on to the next with seldom a regret. Because of her important connections around the globe, she's a natural go-to for an editor wanting to publish material that reveals the unblemished truth about such people. And who better to pen these (auto)biographical ditties than someone like Harding's character?
As the film starts Harding is currently involved with a pseudo-composer (Edward Arnold), and she is somewhat distracted. But don't you fear, Montgomery will pull her away from all that and get her to focus on what's important. Of course, not every person featured in Harding's tell-all will be pleased about their sordid adventures now being exposed to the public in this way.
One person who is vehemently opposed to the airing of his dirty laundry by Harding is a pretentious buffoon played by Edward Everett Horton. He is living a respectable conservative lifestyle, engaged to an influential man's daughter (Una Merkel). In fact, he is up for a top political job. And tsk tsk tsk, Harding's anecdotes could ruin his chances and end his new career before it starts!
An interesting aspect of the story is the fact that Harding's character is first and foremost a painter. Producing text for Montgomery's company is a second career. So some of the dialogue focuses on how Harding cultivates relationships as a serious artiste (painter) as opposed to providing fodder for the masses as a writer.
As her editor Montgomery gets to hack the heck out of what Harding gives him, and he can reshape the material to his own tastes. He is basically a ghostwriter if you will, which gives the film another layer...especially when they start to fall in love. It becomes about how they can edit or censure their most private thoughts, if they feel the need to, and how they can control the direction they're heading in as a creative team.
The best scene is a bit where he's taken her to some remote cabin to concentrate and finish writing. They go into the local village to buy groceries and must deal with some ignorant hicks. She starts speaking a false language, so the locals will find her even more strange and become even more fearful of her otherness.
She is mocking how they regard her ways as a woman, since their narrow mindedness has already caused them to consider her foreign to them and their small community "sensibilities." It's a wonderful scene that spoofs the uneducated conservative views of that time, and it applies very much to some of our uninformed folks on the so-called right side today.
Classic Ann Harding Film
whpratt119 September 2007
Ann Harding plays the role of Marion Forsythe who is an artist and looks absolutely beautiful in her role. Marion wears very little makeup and at times looks likes a ghost. Robert Montgomery,(RIchard Kurt) seeks out Marion and tries to get a biography of her along with many other men who have had relationships with her in the past. Edward Everett Horton, (Leander Nolan) claims to have been romantically involved with her and Edward Arnold, (Mre. Feydak) gives a great supporting role. There is plenty of funny scenes and lots of slapstick comedy which went along with most films from 1935. This is truly a great film Classic of Ann Hareding who was a great film star along with all the other actors in this great film Classic. Enjoy.
Gutted
boblipton18 March 2020
Robert Montgomery is the editor of a muckraking magazine. He wants Ann Harding to write her memoirs. She is a painter who has gained a notorious reputation on two continents. She returns to the US broke, and accepts the offer. As she works with Montgomery on the book, she grows kinder and Montgomery grouchier. Also old boyfriend, Edward Everett Horton shows up with fiancée Una Markell and her father, Charles Richman, who fear for Horton's political future if all is known.
There are hints that the S. N. Behrman play this was based on had been hot stuff, and had it been released a couple of years earlier, it would have been very funny, particularly given the farceurs in its cast. I can see the ghosts of many opportunities for exits with slammed doors and circumlocutious language. However, in those two years, the production code had passed, and not only might no one even discuss what Miss Harding had done - not that it was necessary- but no one gets angry enough to slam a door. Montgomery expends all his energy in angry speeches, Miss Harding is too much the lady, and Horton more childlike.
It's probably all that MGM figures they could get past the Hays office. Too bad.
There are hints that the S. N. Behrman play this was based on had been hot stuff, and had it been released a couple of years earlier, it would have been very funny, particularly given the farceurs in its cast. I can see the ghosts of many opportunities for exits with slammed doors and circumlocutious language. However, in those two years, the production code had passed, and not only might no one even discuss what Miss Harding had done - not that it was necessary- but no one gets angry enough to slam a door. Montgomery expends all his energy in angry speeches, Miss Harding is too much the lady, and Horton more childlike.
It's probably all that MGM figures they could get past the Hays office. Too bad.
The Notorious Miss Forsythe!!
kidboots8 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Ann Harding was like a rainbow in the early sound days - she was a Broadway star who came to Hollywood and just wowed everyone with her unique talent, not to mention her silvery blonde hair and her sultry honeyed voice which always seemed to indicate that she would be just as happy having a beer with the boys as residing in the most exclusive penthouse. Unfortunately she had her share of "stinkers", films in which she portrayed women too noble for any mere mortal and with her wicked sense of humor kept on a short leash (ie "Gallant Lady" (1933)) and audiences soon tired of her. Every so often she came up trumps ie "The Lady Consents" (1936) and "Love From a Stranger" (1937) but definitely not this movie taken from the 1932 Broadway play "Biography" which showcased a glowing Ina Claire.
It starts out in an interesting "I want to see more" type of way. Marion Forsythe (Harding), a glamorous artist is the woman all America is talking about - her affairs in Europe have become legend. Steely editor Richard Kurt (Robert Montgomery) is determined that his magazine will be the one to publish her scandalous biography - if he can convince her to. Meanwhile, her first "beau from Knoxville" is now a jittery would be Senator, Leander Nolan (Edward Everett Horton) who is eager to see that the biography is never published, fearing it would stymie his political career as well as his coming marriage to Slade (lovely Una Merkel who unfortunately has to keep her usual quick witted personality under a bush for this movie). Behind Kurt's business like persona are memories of a harsh childhood and a resentment toward the rich and flighty of society but Marion soon shows him she is a regular gal!!
This is when the movie starts to unravel. Richard takes Marion to his mountain cabin so they can work in peace and they instantly fall afoul of the suspicious locals who look aghast at her "bohemian" ways (all except nice Donald Meek) and they are then invaded by Nolan, Slade and her father. The ending has Nolan confessing to Marion that he doesn't love Slade but has always carried a torch for her, with Marion managing to convince him that Slade is really his ideal match.
Apparently the movie had originally been intended to star Marion Davies and I think she would have been great. You couldn't get two stars more dis-similar and I think Ann was just too sincere and "earth bound" to be believable as the frivolous Bohemian who is quick to put her past behind her and settle down with solemn Richard.
It starts out in an interesting "I want to see more" type of way. Marion Forsythe (Harding), a glamorous artist is the woman all America is talking about - her affairs in Europe have become legend. Steely editor Richard Kurt (Robert Montgomery) is determined that his magazine will be the one to publish her scandalous biography - if he can convince her to. Meanwhile, her first "beau from Knoxville" is now a jittery would be Senator, Leander Nolan (Edward Everett Horton) who is eager to see that the biography is never published, fearing it would stymie his political career as well as his coming marriage to Slade (lovely Una Merkel who unfortunately has to keep her usual quick witted personality under a bush for this movie). Behind Kurt's business like persona are memories of a harsh childhood and a resentment toward the rich and flighty of society but Marion soon shows him she is a regular gal!!
This is when the movie starts to unravel. Richard takes Marion to his mountain cabin so they can work in peace and they instantly fall afoul of the suspicious locals who look aghast at her "bohemian" ways (all except nice Donald Meek) and they are then invaded by Nolan, Slade and her father. The ending has Nolan confessing to Marion that he doesn't love Slade but has always carried a torch for her, with Marion managing to convince him that Slade is really his ideal match.
Apparently the movie had originally been intended to star Marion Davies and I think she would have been great. You couldn't get two stars more dis-similar and I think Ann was just too sincere and "earth bound" to be believable as the frivolous Bohemian who is quick to put her past behind her and settle down with solemn Richard.
A movie that seems to change point of view halfway through
richard-178730 January 2024
This for me very unsatisfying movie seemed to change viewpoints half-way through. Most of it is just tepid fluff, but on occasion in the first part the magazine editor, played by Montgomery, makes a few short speeches about bringing down vapid politicians like the would-be one played by E E Horton, and big money, like Horton's soon-to-be father-in-law, Kennicutt. In that sense he sounds like a humorless version of Clark Gable's newspaper reporter in "It Happened One Night", which had been released just the year before. Most Americans were suffering through the Depression by 1935, when this picture came out, so there was a ready market for criticism of the wealthy, who continued to enjoy life while the rest struggled to keep their heads above water.
But as the picture goes on, Montgomery's character sounds angrier and angrier about this. And our way of viewing his anger is changed by Harding's character, who tells him that, while she originally saw him as a crusader, she now sees him as wanting to persecute the wealthy.
From that point on, Montgomery's character is presented as some sort of closet Communist because his father was killed by strike-breakers during a coal miners' labor unrest. And Harding's character, who has lived among the wealthy, does not want anything to do with that. The very ambiguous final scene leaves us up in the air on whether she will accept him as she has grown to see him - and told us to see him.
But how many in the audience would care? There is absolutely NO chemistry between Harding and Montgomery, none whatsoever. It does not help that she is made up to look much older than he, whereas in fact Harding only had two years on her costar.
In the same respect, she comes off as so understated in this movie that we cannot believe she had torrid affairs with many famous men. She really seems almost sexless.
There are minor faults as well, such as the Tennessee accents. The leads, except for Montgomery, are all supposed to be from the Volunteer State, and on occasion each attempts a slight Southern accent. But then it vanishes completely.
I got nothing out of this movie other than the occasional pleasure of Harding's voice when she spoke softly. That was really very beautiful.
The rest just became aggravating.
But as the picture goes on, Montgomery's character sounds angrier and angrier about this. And our way of viewing his anger is changed by Harding's character, who tells him that, while she originally saw him as a crusader, she now sees him as wanting to persecute the wealthy.
From that point on, Montgomery's character is presented as some sort of closet Communist because his father was killed by strike-breakers during a coal miners' labor unrest. And Harding's character, who has lived among the wealthy, does not want anything to do with that. The very ambiguous final scene leaves us up in the air on whether she will accept him as she has grown to see him - and told us to see him.
But how many in the audience would care? There is absolutely NO chemistry between Harding and Montgomery, none whatsoever. It does not help that she is made up to look much older than he, whereas in fact Harding only had two years on her costar.
In the same respect, she comes off as so understated in this movie that we cannot believe she had torrid affairs with many famous men. She really seems almost sexless.
There are minor faults as well, such as the Tennessee accents. The leads, except for Montgomery, are all supposed to be from the Volunteer State, and on occasion each attempts a slight Southern accent. But then it vanishes completely.
I got nothing out of this movie other than the occasional pleasure of Harding's voice when she spoke softly. That was really very beautiful.
The rest just became aggravating.
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