No More Ladies (1935)

Simply A Masterpiece

Excellent adaptation.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

No More Ladies (1935) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Joan Crawford plays a jealous woman who knows that her womanizing boyfriend (Robert Montgomery) is never up to anything good. Even though that's the case, the two get married but this doesn't stop him from seeing women so Joan decides to throw a party of her own to make him jealous. NO MORE LADIES is pretty much a "B" story with an "A" cast and the end result isn't a classic but fans of the cast should at least want to watch it once. I think the best thing the film has going for it are the performances with Crawford leading the way. She's certainly very believable as the woman whose heart is breaking because the man she loves keeps stepping out on her. She's also believable in her scenes with Franchot Tone, the man who wants to marry her. The two of them share some nice chemistry and this makes for some good scenes. Charles Ruggles is also very good in his supporting role as a drunk and we also get Edna May Oliver, Reginald Denny, Joan Fontaine and Gail Patrick in small roles. I think the biggest problem with this film is that it really doesn't have the guts to stand out or try to be anything special. Crawford basically gets walked on the entire movie and once her revenge starts to happen the film just goes extremely soft. I'm not going to ruin what happens but it's quite predictable and leads up to a rather silly and embarrassing ending. Still, fans of the stars will want to check this out for them but just don't expect a classic.

While this genre of film is not my viewing of choice, I watched it for an entirely different reason, and was I surprised! Although a bit slow in parts, its star, Joan Crawford, seems to drag it down just a bit, by playing it too seriously. Every other character fits their part perfectly and more! Robert Montgomery is an absolute cad, Franchot Tone as suave as he can be, and all the others playing the part as though they're all a bit drunk or tipsy, make it worthwhile. Charlie Ruggles, as opposed to his later suave, smooth roles, plays a happy drunk, who lightens up the story with his goofy aphorisms, and Edna May Oliver, parodies her "dowdiness" with an endless stream of "bon mots" and one- liners for every scene, but it's Arthur Treacher, as the happy drunk, who steals the show. It's almost as though he's parodying his "Englishness" for the role, he's absolutely hilarious! I've never seen Treacher as anything but the stuffy butler, it's him who makes it worth watching and laughing! Yes, a real keeper! If you enjoy light comedy, watch this one. it's just plain FUNNY!

This film is not entirely dismal. Robert Montgomery is light and smooth as the playboy who nails anyone he wants, including the wives of his friends. The long list includes Gail Patrick, who plays Carole Lombard's nasty older high society sister in "My Man Godfrey". In this bizarro world film, she is a banjo playing bar fly. Anyway, before RM and Joan Crawford get married, he is told not to go into her room because she is in bed. Response: "Since when is a lady in bed an object of repugnance?" Joan runs around in sharp designer outfits, and restrains herself from chewing the scenery - much. In short, some snappy dialogue amid the heavy drinking and innuendos. To quote someone clever, "marriage is the death of hope and the birth of despair." BC

You've seen it all before, folks--another tiresome romantic comedy, unredeemed by an accomplished cast and the trademark MGM gloss. Joan Crawford is especially wasted in the airy proceedings; her dramatic intensity has no outlet here, and she is forced to rely on her lesser skills as a sophisticated comedienne. This is Carole/Claudette/Irene territory, and, although Joan can give these ladies cards in spades when it comes to glamour, she lacks their lighter touch. I suspect two forces were at work here: the Production Code of 1933, which forced out earthy drama and bawdy comedy and pushed stars like Harlow and Crawford into fluff, and the "Norma" syndrome at MGM, which forced Crawford to take Norma's castoff parts. (No wonder Joan ended up "box-office poison" shortly after pictures like this alienated her fan base!) If you'd like to see Joan in comedies more suited to her persona, check out her splendidly bitchy Crystal in "The Women", or as the clueless Susan in "Susan and God".