Perfect Understanding ** (1933, Gloria Swanson, Laurence Olivier) – Classic Movie Review 13,009

Gloria Swanson and Laurence Olivier star in the 1933 British romantic comedy film Perfect Understanding as a newly married couple who agree to a marriage based on not arguing.

Director Cyril Gardner’s 1933 British romantic comedy film Perfect Understanding is based on a story by Miles Malleson and stars Gloria Swanson as Judy Rogers, an American vacationing in the UK, and Laurence Olivier as Nicholas Randall, a young British lord. It is very old and it has aged badly, but it is a curiosity for film buffs.

The teaming of Swanson and Olivier proves to be less dynamic than expected in this tale of a marriage contract which forbids the couple – who meet, fall for each other and marry – from arguing. (Well, you can’t argue with that as a movie plot, or can you?)

But then the husband is attracted to a beautiful young woman. Nicholas gets drunk in Cannes, and ends up sleeping with his former mistress Lady Stephanie (Nora Swinburne). When Judy tells her friend Ivan (John Halliday) she is angry with Nicholas, Ivan tells Judy he loves her and would like to spend the night with her. When Nicholas accuses Judy of having an affair, she denies it and there is, gasp, an argument!

Miles Malleson’s story is fine and entirely serviceable, but, alas, laughs are few and far between in this flop would-be sophisticated comedy. You are left wondering what on earth went wrong. The combination of the two stars and a script by Miles Malleson (story and dialogue), Garrett Graham (dialogue) and Michael Powell (screenplay, uncredited) must have seemed unsinkable on paper, but it all feels rather forced and uncomfortable up on the screen.

Sad to say, the young Olivier is very shaky and the older Swanson rather stale and florid, though both are still quite watchable of course.

Also in the cast are John Halliday, Nigel Playfair, Michael Farmer, Genevieve Tobin, Nora Swinburne, Charles Cullum, Peter Gawthorne, Rosalinde Fuller, Miles Malleson, Ben Webster, Herbert Lomas, Charles Childerstone, Syd Crossley, Evalyn Bostock, O B Clarence, and Mary Jerrold.

Miles Malleson writes as little part for himself as Announcer.

Perfect Understanding is directed by Cyril Gardner, runs 80 minutes, is made by Gloria Swanson British Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Miles Malleson, Garrett Graham and Michael Powell, is shot in black and white by Curt Courant, is produced by Gloria Swanson, is scored by Henry Sullivan, and is designed by Oscar Friedrich Werndorff.

Release Date: January 1933 (UK) and 24 February 1933 (New York City).

The cast are Gloria Swanson as Judy, Laurence Olivier as Nicholas Randall, John Halliday as Ivan Ronnson, Nigel Playfair as Lord Portleigh, Michael Farmer as George, Genevieve Tobin as Kitty, Charles Cullum as Sir John Fitzmaurice, Nora Swinburne as Lady Stephanie Fitzmaurice, Peter Gawthorne as Butler, Charles Childerstone as Judy’s Counsel, Rosalinde Fuller as Cook, Miles Malleson as Announcer, Ben Webster as Judge, Herbert Lomas as Nick’s counsel Bradley, Charles Childerstone as Judy’s counsel, Syd Crossley as Butler, Evalyn Bostock as Maid, O B Clarence as Dr Graham, and Mary Jerrold as Mrs Graham.

It was shot at ATP Studios, Ealing, London, England, with some location work in Cannes, Gosport, Hampshire, and Portsmouth Harbour.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,009

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