MovieChat Forums > Cain and Mabel (1936) Discussion > Marion Davies' 'Flair for Comedy'

Marion Davies' 'Flair for Comedy'

posted 19 years ago by dmh7
5 replies | jump to latest

"Cain and Mabel" is no comedy classic, that's certain. It's enjoyable enough, if one is fascinated by show biz films of this time, but not really worth going out of one's way for.

But to suggest - as one person does - that Marion Davies has "no flair for comedy" is patently ridiculous. Even in this film she holds her own with the rest of the crew, but to really see her at her best, you have to seek out one of her silents. Admittedly, this is not easy anymore, but TCM has at least one of them, "The Patsy" which reveals Marion to be not only attractive but also immensely adept at physical comedy. Her timing is perfect, and she is never less than utterly charming. Even Orson Welles, who lambasted her in her "Citizen Kane" surrogate role as the awful opera singer, admitted that he had been unfair, and that Marion was far from talentless. I'd go so far as to say Marion's ONLY filmic talent was her flair for comedy. Her sound pictures are - for the most part - disappointing, and only get worse as Hearst steered her toward dreary serious epic roles. But she was a talented film comedian, who would undoubtedly be better known today if her career hadn't been hijacked by the Newspaper Baron. I recommend looking out for "The Patsy" on TCM to catch a glimpse of her abilities.

dmh

[–] Chuck40 19 years ago

I agree with dmh7: Davies did indeed have a flair for comedy. What I find most disarming with her sound films is that her timing for the acutal dialogue seems to be off (even more evident in "Going Hollywood" than in "Cain & Mabel"). Either due to poor direction (scared of Hearst interference?) or lack of interest on Davies' part, her sound performances just seem to come off "wooden" (Anita Page was another one who couldn't seem to time dialogue in sounds films). Contrast Davies' sound films with her terrific silent performances in "Show People" or "Little Old New York", and you'll see a remarkable difference in her presentation.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] brucepantages-1 17 years ago

Good idea, Kid McCabe! And while you are checking out some of her other films, don't miss the much maligned EVER SINCE EVE! Although it was her swan song, she displays her comedic talents beautifully...plus it has a great supporting cast as well. Why it received such terrible reviews was probably more based on politics - and people wanting to take a swipe at W. R. Hearst knew that they could really get to him by knocking Marion Davies. Seem cowardly? It was, and Orson Welles was the biggest pig at that trough (no pun intended)! Her detractors got a chance to see what a REAL WOMAN she was twenty years later when she sold the jewelry and securities he had bought for her and single handedly salvaged his newspaper empire - something the banks had refused to do. Yup, Marion was not only a very talented comedian but also proved once and for all that she was not the "bimbo" that some creeps had made her out to be. History is proving to be very kind to the former Ziegfeld Girl that turned the head of America's most influential newspaper magnate.

[–] atlasmb 11 years ago

I agree with you. In this movie, what charm she might have is dissipated by her lackluster performance. In terms of comedic timing, dancing, or any other measure of talent, she is no Ginger Rogers--at least not in this film.

[–] heyteegs 10 years ago

Three agree. Davies was horribly underused in this one. Why did she not sing the lead on Coney Island? Second verse she comes in with some patter and the chorus? David Carlyle had the bulk of that song but Marion is the star of the movie. The other number felt the same despite its size. Marion started her career on stage; it's where she met Hearst. The character of Mabel was also not very likable. At 2:30 in the AM in a hotel she thinks nothing of practicing a tap routine? Bad script (although there were some great quips - Gable will tan her 'hide so when she sat on a paper she could read it' was particularly ear-opening.) Marion is a wonderful comedienne and has some scenes displaying that 'flair' in Cain and Mabel but search out Show People to see her in her comedic prime. The Patsy (as mentioned) is also wonderful. Little Old New York from 1923 is on archive.org and her autobiography too in a PDF.

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