I Live My Life ** (1935, Joan Crawford, Brian Aherne, Frank Morgan, Aline MacMahon, Eric Blore, Jessie Ralph, Arthur Treacher, Hedda Hopper) – Classic Movie Review 6769

Director W S Van Dyke II’s 1935 screwball comedy romantic drama stars Joan Crawford, who is from the right side of the tracks this time as pampered, bored New York society girl, Kay Bentley. But she takes a trip to Greece, and soon gets on the wrong side of archaeologist Terry O’Neill (Brian Aherne), in this surprisingly under-par romance from a normally sparkling director and writer.

Joseph L Mankiewicz’s unsubtle screenplay, based on the story Claustrophobia by A Carter Goodloe, is the main problem, producing a strained air in the very kind of film that needs to look effortless. However, Crawford and the other talented actors are worth a look though. It also stars Frank Morgan, Aline MacMahon, Eric Blore, Jessie Ralph, Arthur Treacher and Hedda Hopper.

Crawford, though dressed up to the nines by Adrian, does not look too happy with this kind of over-broad screwball comedy to do, and, let’s face it, she was always at her best playing characters coming from the wrong side of the tracks.

Also in the cast are Etienne Girardot, Edward Brophy, Fred Keating, Frank Conroy, Esther Dale, Hale Hamilton, Hilda Vaughn, Frank Shields, Sterling Holloway, Vince Barnett, Lionel Stander, Tom Dugan, Nella Walker, Harry Tyler, Charles Trowbridge, Harry Semels, Adrian Rosley, Jason Robards Sr, Buster Phelps, Garry Owen, Leona Maricle, Wilbur Mack, Leonid Kinskey, Howard C Hickman, Sarah Edwards, Jan Duggan, Harry Depp, Nick De Ruix, Barbara Worth, Freeman Wood, Betty Jean Hainey, Gino Corrado, Granville Bates, Marion Clayton and Jane Barnes.

I Live My Life is directed by W S Van Dyke II, runs 97 minutes, is released by MGM, is written by Joseph L Mankiewicz, based on the story Claustrophobia by A Carter Goodloe, and the screen story by Gottfried Reinhardt Ethel B Borden, and shot in black and white by George J Folsey and William H Daniels, produced by Bernard H Hyman, scored by Dimitri Tiomkin, and designed by Cedric Gibbons.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6769

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