"Water...I used to drink it!", the drunken Frances Larrimore comments after seeing a huge pool at a large mansion party where she is more than just slightly out of place. She's equally as obnoxious and outspoken when sober, referring to wealthy logging industrialist Edward Arnold as a pig when she spots him stopped in his luxurious town car as she stands idle on a street corner. She's not a prostitute in the standard term, but that doesn't stop her from going to his house and demanding a meal. He's engaged to socialite Gail Patrick, but Larrimore fascinates him in ways he can't explain. But making her his wife has repercussions as she gets highly involved in his business and interfering in ways that could make or break him.
This is an interesting failure, showing off veteran stage actress Larrumore who is a combination of Frances Farmer and Gladys George, giving an interesting, off beat performance, and stealing the film from the bombastic Arnold. She's playing a more crass version of Stella Dallas, evidenced in a confrontation with Patrick that results in a slap, verbally from Patrick and physically from Larrimore towards Patrick. An enjoyable analogy of class vs. crass is uneven but interesting. George Bancroft is very good as Arnold's chauffeur, obviously in love with Larrimore but devoted to his ruthless boss.
The film changes gears an hour in from the soap opera aspect of the film in a brief effort to try and be socially relevant. This involves Larrimore's discovery of her estranged husband's activities and it's like seeing different characters in a different film. That's where this goes awry, trying too hard to make the forgotten Larrimore a star. She delivers an impassioned speech, but it's an attempt to make someone a star that the public didn't quite get.
This is an interesting failure, showing off veteran stage actress Larrumore who is a combination of Frances Farmer and Gladys George, giving an interesting, off beat performance, and stealing the film from the bombastic Arnold. She's playing a more crass version of Stella Dallas, evidenced in a confrontation with Patrick that results in a slap, verbally from Patrick and physically from Larrimore towards Patrick. An enjoyable analogy of class vs. crass is uneven but interesting. George Bancroft is very good as Arnold's chauffeur, obviously in love with Larrimore but devoted to his ruthless boss.
The film changes gears an hour in from the soap opera aspect of the film in a brief effort to try and be socially relevant. This involves Larrimore's discovery of her estranged husband's activities and it's like seeing different characters in a different film. That's where this goes awry, trying too hard to make the forgotten Larrimore a star. She delivers an impassioned speech, but it's an attempt to make someone a star that the public didn't quite get.
