Tonight's film was a pre-code romance called "Christopher Strong"(1933), starring Katharine Hepburn and Colin Clive. We haven't seen much of The Great Kate in our movie travels, and that is partially by design. I guess I haven't been a huge fan of hers, compared to all the other female stars of the era. I know she is legendary and some consider her the greatest star of them all. AFI did. They listed her as #1 among actresses in their Top Fifty Greatest Screen Legends, above such luminaries as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. For me, I dunno....maybe it was her voice or her delivery. She just seemed a little too wiry for me, rail thin yet athletic, with that clipped New England accent. Whatever the reason, I never sought out her films, but I may have to rethink that stance after seeing her in this picture.
Hepburn plays Lady Cynthia Darrington, a record-setting aviatrix who is introduced to Clive (playing Christopher Strong) at a "treasure hunt" party in which Clive's daughter Monica (Helen Chandler) is a participant. We saw another such treasure hunt in "My Man Godfrey" a few weeks ago. It appears to have been a fad among wealthy young people of the 1930s, but at any rate, in this film, the partygoers are instructed to bring back "a man who has been married at least five years who has never been unfaithful to his wife" and "a woman over twenty years of age who has never had a love affair". These two types of people are said to be difficult to find, hence the treasure hunt.
Yow. Talk about pre-code. That's some pretty salacious innuendo for 1933. At the party, Monica brings back her father, who is a member of Parliment. He is her example of a faithful husband, and she wins that part of the contest. Her boyfriend Harry is involved in a road accident with Hepburn, and he brings her back to the party as the second example, of a woman over twenty who has never had a love affair.
Like Colin Clive, Hepburn readily admits to her condition, but adds that "I haven't had time for love. I've been too busy flying around the world". Many at the party already know of her. Her picture has been in the paper due to her aerial accomplishments, and indeed it turns out that Monica is a fan of hers. They strike up a conversation which is soon joined by her Dad Colin Clive, and before long Clive and Hepburn are hitting it off quite well. Their conversation extends into the night.
Back at home, Mrs. Clive (Billie Burke aka Glenda the Good Witch) runs a moral household. She doesn't approve of Monica's party hearty lifestyle, and as an aside I must mention that kids nowdays or even from my time have nothing on the youngsters of the 1930s. Monica stays out till 4 in the morning, drinks lots of champagne, and is sexually liberated at 20 years old. Her Mom doesn't like it, but Monica says "soon I will be 21, Then you will have no more say over what I do". She loves her parents and calls them both "darling" (another trait we have seen in 30s youth), but she will not curtail her lifestyle to please Mama, who basically throws in the towel except for one issue. She demands that Monica stop seeing Harry, a married man. Of course, Monica won't stop seeing Harry, so Mom asks Colin Clive, her husband, to talk to Harry and convince him to drop their daughter. Clive does this. He tells Harry that what he is doing is ungentlemanly. Harry agrees not to see Monica any more, and that problem is solved for the time being.
However, Clive is being ungentlemanly himself. He is getting closer to Katharine Hepburn, going to visit her at the airport where she keeps her high performance plane. Kate asks him if he'd like to go up with her and he accepts. Just like in "The Killers", when John Cassavetes took Angie Dickinson for a spin in his race car, the breathtaking flight builds intimacy for Hepburn and Clive. The next thing you know they are on a rowboat together, late at night in the middle of a shimmering lake. Under the stars, they declare their mutual love. Clive is about to complete the deed that he warned his daughter's married boyfriend against. Now who's being ungentlemanly, hmmm?
Hepburn is willing to marry Clive if he'll get a divorce, but he says he can't do that to his wife. In fact, he hasn't even told her about Hepburn, because...well.....who ever tells their spouse about an affair? He says he "doesn't want to hurt her". That's the same old lame excuse you'd expect to hear. Hepburn doesn't care one way or another. She loves Clive and wants him with her, but - married or not - she's got too many other things to do, world records to break. Her flying is of equal importance to her love life. Clive is acting like a typical two-timer, wanting to have things both ways. Meanwhile, Billie Burke is The Soul of Honor, remaining stoic while she holds down the fort of hearth and home. Whether she's aware of the affair isn't clear, though she certainly knows her husband is out quite often with Hepburn. Perhaps she's deceived herself that they're only friends.
Then daughter Monica makes a discovery that will lift the wool from everyone's eyes. I shall leave it to you to investigate further, by watching the movie yourself. I very much enjoyed "Christopher Strong", which at a tight 77 minutes is chock full of risque pre-code behavior and melodrama. It is noteworthy as well for being Katharine Hepburn's second ever screen appearance. She's only 25 here but already close to the top of her game. There's no doubt she was an incredible movie star and a very good actress. Her four Oscars must attest to that, and I'll have to find out myself by looking for more of her movies. I now feel I've unfairly neglected her. One side note about KH, in this movie she gets to don a glittering skin tight outfit that I believe is well-known in Hollywood costuming circles. It's for a promotion about a round the world air race. She's dressed up as "The Silver Moth" and it's quite a striking look.
Another performance worth mentioning is that of Helen Chandler as the Strong's daughter Monica. Though her role is smaller, in many ways she's the heart and soul of the film. I believe we've seen her in other pictures from the 30s and we'll definitely be looking for more.
Colin Clive, of course, is best known for playing Dr. Victor Frankenstein. He was an excellent actor who unfortunately lived only four more years after completing this movie, dying at 37 of severe alcoholism.
Let's dedicate this review to him, and give "Christopher Strong" Two Big Thumbs Up. Highly recommended for fans of the pre-code era, and anyone who likes a good story.
That's all for now. We had good singin' in church this morn. I'll see you tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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