A week or so back, TCM aired two Basil Rathbone movies from 1930, his
single performance as Philo Vance (in a script that made Holmes and
Watson references nine years early!), and in a supporting role in Sin
Takes a Holiday.

Constance Bennett was the star. In the very early 1930s, after many
popular silent films, she was briefly the top paid actress. Remember, in
the early '30s, top actresses typically got top billing because they
attracted the audience, and were usually better paid than their leading
men. There were early Academy Awards that didn't have enough quality
performances to nominate men in. In fact, the awards were segregated by
sex to encourage men to win!

Miss Bennett was always delightful, charming, intelligent, and witty,
and acted by opening her eyes wide or posing or holding her head in a
specific way while dancing. It wasn't exactly natural but that's how
actors were directed and I can never take my eyes off her.

She was adept at both comedy and drama. She often played upper-class
women, but she was a secretary in this movie, complained about being
ugly and couldn't attract a man for marriage who truly wanted her.

Ugly duckling she wasn't.

She worked for a divorce lawyer (Kenneth MacKenna) who was determined to
stay single by enjoying the company of lovely married women only.
Friends were in lousy marriages. His clients were usually repeat
business.

The latest is Rita La Roy.

Divorce and cheating spouses were discussed more in this pre-Code movie
than all of Hollyood movies for the next two and a half decades!

The lawyer is in danger of being forced to marry when she announces
she's divorcing her husband (or he's divorcing her), so he schemes with
Miss Bennett to have a sham marriage. She and Basil Rathbone fall in
love while she's on her honeymoon, alone, crossing the ocean. Back home,
the lawyer's would-be future bride is shocked to learn that he's
suddenly married. Months later, Miss Bennett returns, and has to play a
scene in which she wants her husband back to discourage Miss La Roy.

Of course they fall in love for real, having had no scenes together in
which they truly like each other (although she's a bit in love with her
boss), and Rathbone sums up that Miss Bennett was more delightful on her
fake honeymoon than in reality.

Parts of the movie amused me. Miss Bennett was wonderful and Rathbone
was good in his scenes.

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
> A week or so back, TCM aired two Basil Rathbone movies from 1930, his
> single performance as Philo Vance (in a script that made Holmes and
> Watson references nine years early!), and in a

I think I saw that recently. Did he have breakfast on an absolutely
fabulous terrace?

supporting role in Sin
> Takes a Holiday.
>
> Constance Bennett was the star. In the very early 1930s, after many
> popular silent films, she was briefly the top paid actress. Remember, in
> the early '30s, top actresses typically got top billing because they
> attracted the audience, and were usually better paid than their leading
> men. There were early Academy Awards that didn't have enough quality
> performances to nominate men in. In fact, the awards were segregated by
> sex to encourage men to win!
>
> Miss Bennett was always delightful, charming, intelligent, and witty,
> and acted by opening her eyes wide or posing or holding her head in a
> specific way while dancing. It wasn't exactly natural but that's how
> actors were directed and I can never take my eyes off her.
>
> She was adept at both comedy and drama. She often played upper-class
> women, but she was a secretary in this movie, complained about being
> ugly and couldn't attract a man for marriage who truly wanted her.
>
> Ugly duckling she wasn't.
>
> She worked for a divorce lawyer (Kenneth MacKenna) who was determined to
> stay single by enjoying the company of lovely married women only.
> Friends were in lousy marriages. His clients were usually repeat
> business.
>
> The latest is Rita La Roy.
>
> Divorce and cheating spouses were discussed more in this pre-Code movie
> than all of Hollyood movies for the next two and a half decades!
>
> The lawyer is in danger of being forced to marry when she announces
> she's divorcing her husband (or he's divorcing her), so he schemes with
> Miss Bennett to have a sham marriage. She and Basil Rathbone fall in
> love while she's on her honeymoon, alone, crossing the ocean. Back home,
> the lawyer's would-be future bride is shocked to learn that he's
> suddenly married. Months later, Miss Bennett returns, and has to play a
> scene in which she wants her husband back to discourage Miss La Roy.
>
> Of course they fall in love for real, having had no scenes together in
> which they truly like each other (although she's a bit in love with her
> boss), and Rathbone sums up that Miss Bennett was more delightful on her
> fake honeymoon than in reality.
>
> Parts of the movie amused me. Miss Bennett was wonderful and Rathbone
> was good in his scenes.
>

--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:
>Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

>>A week or so back, TCM aired two Basil Rathbone movies from 1930, his
>>single performance as Philo Vance (in a script that made Holmes and
>>Watson references nine years early!), and in a

>I think I saw that recently. Did he have breakfast on an absolutely
>fabulous terrace?

Yes.