MovieChat Forums > Three on a Match (1932) Discussion > Vivian's motivation

Vivian's motivation

posted 14 years ago by momsabeach
7 replies | jump to latest

Do you think Vivian "duped" her husband into encouraging her to take the cruise/ Was taht her plan all along, to get away from him?

[–] brackenhe 14 years ago

I don't know if that was her intention but she was definitely a bored housewife who was on the verge of hating her husband, like pretending she was asleep when he came into change for bed near the beginning of the film. There's a lot left to the imagination, but I assume that he was a driven guy who kind of neglected his home life a little, even though he loved his son very much. She just seemed restless and wanted something to shake up her life. The meeting with Lyle Talbot's character was coincidental, but gave her an excuse to run away. She really didn't have a good excuse to get divorced, back when it was darn near impossible to get one without good reason like adultery or cruelty.

[–] darryl-tahirali 10 years ago

The meeting with Lyle Talbot's character was coincidental, but gave her an excuse to run away. She really didn't have a good excuse to get divorced, back when it was darn near impossible to get one without good reason like adultery or cruelty. - brackenhe

Vivian was certainly looking for Mr. Goodbar decades before Diane Keaton was. With specific respect to cruelty, I'm not sure that would even qualify her for a divorce.

One of the raciest exchanges takes place between her and her husband Robert, when he is questioning her about her "mood" and what she wants. At one point, he remarks that in order to snap her out of it, he may need to give her a beating before breakfast every morning. Her response? "Well, that might prove effective," delivered in offhand, slightly amused agreement--and not in shock or outrage.

Later, when she shacks up with Loftus, one could only wonder what they were getting up to behind the door.

And of course the greatest misdirection is that prim, seemingly high-bred Vivian turns out to be the baddest girl of the three. Terrific film!
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"Man becomes the food of the divinity he worships." - Chris Stevens

[–] Popcorngal (4321) 4 years ago

That is sad and pathetic when a woman encourages her husband to beat her, even in the 30's. Was she that dissatisfied with her upscale life.

[–] kikiteka 14 years ago

No, I think they had the scene of Vivien when she was a teenager, reading a racy romance novel to the other girls, to show that she dreamed of intense passion. Then she went and married a very nice lawyer, and had a very nice life yet found herself depressed because there was no intense passion. I don't think her intent when going on the cruise was to leave her husband, but she just happened to run into the exact thing she was looking for and impulsively grabbed it.

[–] willowtara 10 years ago

I think she was bored and when a bad boy gave her a way out, she took it.

[–] Popcorngal (4321) 4 years ago

I think she realized too late what an idiot she was. She burned too many bridges. At least she saved her son's life.

[–] heyteegs (1207) 4 years ago

I didn’t put all that together but it makes a lot of sense.