Here's a fascinating pre-code effort from MGM designed to showcase stage superstar Bankhead, on loan from Paramount. It was the last of her movies released before her twelve-year-long break from film making which lasted until 1944 and Hitchcock's "Lifeboat."
But "Faithless" fails to reach the heights of other classics from that studio at that time, and feels like its plot is lifted from a discarded Joan Crawford vehicle. And unfortunately, the camera just is not kind to even the youthful Tallulah Bankhead's visage, and she lacks the great beauty of her contemporaries like Garbo, Dietrich or the aforementioned Crawford. But nevertheless, she was very elegant and could wear outrageous Hollywood high fashions like an expert.
It's a riches-to-rags story with Bankhead playing a flighty young socialite who spurns the honest affections of middle-class ad man Robert Montgomery, but is eventually brought to her knees by the Great Depression. Based on a romance novel, the film covers all the bases of that time-honored genre, with elements like illness, destitution, prostitution, deceit, forgiveness and redemption all marched out for display.
It goes without saying that Tallulah Bankhead really can command attention, and she makes every attempt to exude her undeniable star quality, especially with her distinctive throaty voice, and her unique body language. In fact, there's a riotous scene where she's drunk on champagne, and her physicality -- including an impromptu dive off a piano onto a sofa -- which is marvelous to behold. And Montgomery elevates the proceedings since he never fails to exude charm and a boyish likability with his endearing demeanor and strikingly handsome appearance.
And for support, there's affable Hugh Herbert who takes advantage of Bankhead's financial ruin, and leads her into a lifestyle of shame and disgrace. Then there's old pro Louise Closser Hale in a seriocomic role as an opportunistic landlady who has a soft spot for fine footwear. But the performance by Maurice Murphy as Montgomery's younger brother fails so badly that this viewer at least cringed every time he appeared on screen. Murphy comes off as wooden as an oak tree, but not nearly as exciting.
So, "Faithless" serves up some standard 1930's romance, sin and redemption, all in a way most of us have seen before. Enjoyable for what it is, and for its two great stars -- but too standard in plot, characters, and dialog for me to recommend wholeheartedly.
*** out of *****
But "Faithless" fails to reach the heights of other classics from that studio at that time, and feels like its plot is lifted from a discarded Joan Crawford vehicle. And unfortunately, the camera just is not kind to even the youthful Tallulah Bankhead's visage, and she lacks the great beauty of her contemporaries like Garbo, Dietrich or the aforementioned Crawford. But nevertheless, she was very elegant and could wear outrageous Hollywood high fashions like an expert.
It's a riches-to-rags story with Bankhead playing a flighty young socialite who spurns the honest affections of middle-class ad man Robert Montgomery, but is eventually brought to her knees by the Great Depression. Based on a romance novel, the film covers all the bases of that time-honored genre, with elements like illness, destitution, prostitution, deceit, forgiveness and redemption all marched out for display.
It goes without saying that Tallulah Bankhead really can command attention, and she makes every attempt to exude her undeniable star quality, especially with her distinctive throaty voice, and her unique body language. In fact, there's a riotous scene where she's drunk on champagne, and her physicality -- including an impromptu dive off a piano onto a sofa -- which is marvelous to behold. And Montgomery elevates the proceedings since he never fails to exude charm and a boyish likability with his endearing demeanor and strikingly handsome appearance.
And for support, there's affable Hugh Herbert who takes advantage of Bankhead's financial ruin, and leads her into a lifestyle of shame and disgrace. Then there's old pro Louise Closser Hale in a seriocomic role as an opportunistic landlady who has a soft spot for fine footwear. But the performance by Maurice Murphy as Montgomery's younger brother fails so badly that this viewer at least cringed every time he appeared on screen. Murphy comes off as wooden as an oak tree, but not nearly as exciting.
So, "Faithless" serves up some standard 1930's romance, sin and redemption, all in a way most of us have seen before. Enjoyable for what it is, and for its two great stars -- but too standard in plot, characters, and dialog for me to recommend wholeheartedly.
*** out of *****