MovieChat Forums > The Divorce of Lady X (1938) Discussion > This thread dedicated to those who LOVE ...

This thread dedicated to those who LOVE 'The Divorce of Lady X'

posted 12 years ago by conductor71
14 replies | jump to latest

I couldn't help noticing that other threads on this message board are negative so I have created a new one which will hopefully balance things up. Lady X is one of my favourite films and it would be great if fellow fans could say what they enjoy about the film on this thread, or maybe ask some questions. I have already posted some brief comments about the film on the Merle Oberon board:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643353/board/thread/185234384?d=197972968# 197972968

Here is a photo of Larry, Merle and Viv which claims to have been taken on the set of Lady X:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l02bocoyG01qb57tho1_1280.jpg

My questions:

1) Can anyone shed light on what became of that wonderful gown worn by Obie in the opening sequences in the hotel? Here is a screen capture by Caitlin S on Flickr, who must be a fan of Lady X:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caitlinghoster/4366516412/lightbox/

2) In the latter part of the film, does anyone know the location for the scenes featuring the hunt with hounds? Were they shot in the grounds of a particular English country home and, if so, which one? Denham Studios were in Buckinghamshire, so were they perhaps filmed nearby?

"After all, what is time? A mere tyranny"

[–] pervangtoft 12 years ago

Do you know where I can get a decent dvd copy of this movie ?
I think it is in the public domain, so it is quite legal to download, but I prefer a dvd copy, so if anyone could sell me one, or know where to buy one please contact me at [email protected]

[–] TANSD76 11 years ago

Well, I loved this film. I thought it was quite sweet and light though the courtroom scenes were a bit unnecessary. And it's a very interesting pairing with Wuthering Heights.

[–] maria6419 11 years ago

I adore this film! Laurence Olivier looks as beautiful and gorgeous as Merle does in Technicolor. Its so much fun I find Merle irresistibly charming.

[–] smartsassysabrina 11 years ago

I think this movie is sweet and silly, and I love it. Unfortunately, the lighting or makeup do not do Merle any favors. In her opening scene she looks so washed out her eyebrows seem to be missing! Too bad, because she's always so lovely, even in her brief appearance as Anne Boleyn in The Private Life of Henry VIII.

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

I really enjoyed the movie. The colors were so vivid, it was beautiful. I hadn't realized Technicolor was around in the '30s so that was an education as well.

[–] trpdean 10 years ago

I love it too. It's Merle's charm - and the funny over the top reactions of Olivier - the pleasure of Barnes and Richardson, the settings, the wonderful WONDERFUL dialogue.

[–] p_chamney-534-910364 9 years ago

I've just seen this for the first time and can't speak to any of the questions re. costuming and location.

This should be a dated wisp of fluff, but in the masterful hands of Olivier and Oberon et al, it becomes a charming romp that has true warmth. I'll be seeing it again.

[–] louiseculmer 9 years ago

the film is quite amusing, and olivier gorgeous as always, but the heroine is so annoying she gets on my nerves. i kept hoping olivier would give her a good walloping but he never does.

[–] conductor71 9 years ago

Well if the rumours are true, he came pretty close to giving her just that a year later whilst they were both filming a scene for Wuthering Heights LOL. There are conflicting accounts of what happened and how seriously they fell out, as this extract by Courtney Rowe on fredonia.edu explains:

Since Olivier had accepted the role of Heathcliff, it seemed as though the casting problems were solved. This was not exactly true . . . Olivier arrived at the set hoping Merle Oberon would be replaced with Vivien, and found that this was no longer a possibility. "Heathcliff" and "Cathy" did not get along very well while making the movie. They once quarreled during a scene in which Olivier had to deliver his lines with Oberon face-to-face, and she became angry, crying: "Please don't spit at me!" (Cottrell, 138). The scene was repeated, and, according to Oberon, Olivier spat again. They became angry and each stormed off the set. Interestingly, Merle Oberon pursued Olivier romantically behind the scenes: "At some point during the preproduction on Heights, she made a pass at him. She used the excuse that since they were both alone in LA . . . it would be all right . . . they ended up as enemies on Wuthering Heights." (Kiernan, 170). In his autobiography entitled On Acting, Laurence Olivier contradicted these statements when he stated: "Wuthering Heights was a success. I experienced my catharsis; Merle and Willie [director William Wyler] and I became friends . . ." (Olivier, 261). These differing sides to the story make it difficult to tell whether the pair actually disliked each other.

http://www.fredonia.edu/department/english/shokoff/Wuthering.htm

http://theredlist.com/media/database/muses/icon/cinematic_women/1940/merle-oberon/001-merle-oberon-theredlist.jpg

[–] jonkennedy 9 years ago

I can't answer your questions, and that old fashioned hooped dress costume certainly was great. But what struck me was that necklace Oberon was wearing with that black strapless dress when she was on her first "date" with Olivier. It was diamonds and large green stones (emeralds?) that sparkled like I've never seen on screen before. I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. It also kinda screams Harry Winston. I wonder what happened to that necklace, especially if it was real. Probably back to the jeweler, sold and is in some safe deposit box somewhere - or broken up for the stones and reset.

[–] conductor71 9 years ago

"But what struck me was that necklace Oberon was wearing with that black strapless dress when she was on her first "date" with Olivier. It was diamonds and large green stones (emeralds?) that sparkled like I've never seen on screen before. I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. It also kinda screams Harry Winston. I wonder what happened to that necklace, especially if it was real. Probably back to the jeweler, sold and is in some safe deposit box somewhere - or broken up for the stones and reset." - jonkennedy

Yes I'd also love to know what became of this necklace, as well as the other gorgeous dresses that she wore in the film - and not forgetting those striped pyjamas of course! I think this photo shows the necklace in question:

http://www.dvdclassik.com/upload/images/galeries/disque-le-divorce-de-lady-x10.png

It also features on the cover of a French DVD (and separate Blu-ray/DVD combo version) that was released in December 2013 and still seems to be available to buy now (a hint to pervangtoft if he's still looking to purchase this on DVD!):

http://blog.dvdpascher.net/index.php/b/2013/12/08/le_divorce_de_lady_x_la_critique

http://www.elephantfilms.com/divorce-de-lady-x.html

It looks like this DVD version has the English soundtrack, with added French subtitles. One question I would ask is whether or not you can switch off the French subtitles as they might be distracting for some people. You can also purchase it on Amazon.fr (relevant purchase links are included at the foot of the blog.dvdpascher.net page).

[–] jonkennedy 8 years ago

Thanks so much for all of that wonderful information! I've just discovered a book that has Oberon wearing this necklace:

‘Twentieth Century Jewelry & The Icons of Style’ by Stefano Papi and Alexandra Rhodes
http://www.jewelsdujour.com/2013/10/20th-century-jewelry-the-icons-of-style/

So, this necklace may have been from her own collection. In the film Hotel (1967), it has been written here and told by Robert Osborne on TCM during the introduction to the film, that Oberon supplied here own jewelry for that film. Just going to watch it now.

[–] conductor71 9 years ago

The silver sports car (registration number: BYT 111) that is driven by Logan (Laurence Olivier) at 1 hr 20 mins into the film, when he stops to talk to Leslie (Merle Oberon) while she is fox-hunting on horseback is a Lagonda M45 Rapide that was apparently owned by Divorce of Lady X co-star Ralph Richardson at the time. The extract below is taken from the website of Stanley Mann Racing. If this advert is up to date then the same car with the same registration number is currently available for sale for £250,000!:

" I’ve got a four and a half litre Lagonda at the moment and she’s pretty good on speed"

Ralph Richardson interviewed in 1936

The Lagonda M45 Rapide with the superb straight six Meadows 4.5 Litre engine was one of the most stylish tourers of the late 1930s.

We were delighted to buy this. Still sporting her original T9 body in excellent order and fresh from long term ownership this M45 Rapide has its original build details on file, showing it leaving the factory in July 1935 and being purchased by its second owner, a motoring enthusiast and lover of all wheeled and winged objects in 1936. This was a young chap named Ralph Richardson, better known as the actor Sir Ralph Richardson. He enjoyed the car so much it was driven by his friend Sir Laurence Olivier in a film in which they both starred with screen siren Merle Oberon called "The Divorce Of Lady X". That film, made in the new "glorious technicolour" and now viewable here,CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW, shows this Lagonda in its original silver livery, painted thus to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George Vth.

http://www.stanleymann.com/showcar.asp?ID=327

Here is the (apparently) same car offered for sale at auction on 6th June 2015. The closing bid was £170,000. It doesn't mention any connection with Ralph Richardson though:

http://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/historics-at-brooklands/catalogue-id-ibhi10009/lot-32e9136c-feda-4687-b81e-a4a500c46be4

Did Stanley Mann Racing purchase it at auction for £170,000 last month and then immediately re-advertise it for £250,000? There is no date on their advert so I can't say for sure that this is what has happened.

[–] karnevilelp 9 years ago

While I don't LOVE this movie, I just watched it on TCM, it was nicely done bit of fluff.

Yes, Olivier is still a bit too "stagey" (especially in his two courtroom speeches) but he does a lot of nice, subtle things that make his character fun to watch. As someone said in a review here, Ralph Richardson is doing what he always does, being Ralph Richardson, but that's not a bad thing. Merle Oberon is lovely, but her character is as Mr. Logan describes in the confrontation at the country house where everyone laughs at him: she's really rather unpleasant. There's some excellent character actor work, it's got some great clothes and lovely settings, it's not a bad way to spend 90 minutes.