beadgirl05 says > I love this movie. I honestly do! Such characteristic pre-code acting. It's a treat to watch. One of the best things about it though is the fact that Franchot Tone actually gets the girl in the end! So often he played second fiddle. It's nice to see him get a chance to take it home in the end, and even more so since Joan was actually his girl in real life! I think they had some unique chemistry here.
I enjoyed this movie too but I don't really agree with everything you've said here. He plays second fiddle throughout the movie. He even is completely against her for some of it. He does get the girl in the end but it's by default. Had Tommy lived, she'd be with him still; that's much different than her choosing to be with him.
Yes, Joan was really married to him in real life but from what I've read she carried on an affair with Clark Gable for years including while she was married to Franchot Tone. Though she remained friends with Franchot and arranged his funeral years after they were divorced.
Joan apparently said Gable was the only man she truly loved. That chemistry is obvious in the many movies they made together. There are at least two movies in which both Tone and Gable star with Crawford. The chemistry seems stronger with Gable but maybe that's due to the plot. Then again, her chemistry was strong with all her male co-stars. I can't say the same about the women. Bette Davis claims Crawford slept with every male actor at MGM; maybe that explains it. She always seemed to compare herself to other actresses.
I was never a big fan of Joan Crawford but having seen more and more of her movies and heard her story, how determined she was and how she struggled, I have become a fan of her work and feel bad for her on a personal level. She did a lot of good things in her personal life so I have to assume she had good intentions but was not always effective in her delivery; including with her own children.
Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]
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