The Divorce of Lady X **** (1938, Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, Binnie Barnes, Ralph Richardson) – Classic Movie Review 8685

Director Tim Whelan’s fun and carefree 1938 British screwball romantic comedy drama The Divorce of Lady X stars Laurence Olivier as barrister Everard Logan, a divorce lawyer who thinks widowed Lord Steele (Morton Selten)’s daughter Leslie Steele (Merle Oberon), masquerading as a client seeking a divorce from a nobleman, is up for divorce after they spend an innocent night together.

Based on Gilbert Wakefield’s play Counsel’s Opinion, the material is a theatrical trifle about mistaken identities, but it is full of amusing lines and situations, and producer Alexander Korda drenches it with gorgeous Technicolor, shot by Harry Stradling Sr, and employs a welcome host of big stars giving entertaining turns.

It is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, relaxed, laid back and noticeably brief at 92 minutes. But the main enjoyment now to be gained is from watching Olivier and his friend Ralph Richardson as Lord Mere flexing their still developing youthful acting muscles, and the pleasures of their performances have survived better than those of the rest of the film.

Also in the cast are Binnie Barnes as Lady Mere, J H Roberts, Gus McNaughton, Gertrude Musgrove, H B Hallam, Eileen Peel, Eva Moore, Edward Lexy, C Denier Warren, Lewis Gilbert and Hal Gordon.

It is a remake of Counsel’s Opinion (1933), which also starred Binnie Barnes (but that time in the Oberon part) and based on Gilbert Wakefield’s play of that title.

The Divorce of Lady X is directed by Tim Whelan, runs 92 minutes, is made by London Films, is released by United Artists, is written by Lajos Biró (adaptation), Arthur Wimperis (scenario and dialogue) and Ian Dalrymple (scenario and dialogue), is shot by Harry Stradling Sr, is produced by Alexander Korda, is scored by Miklós Rózsa, and is designed by Lazare Meerson (settings designer) and Paul Sheriff (assistant art director).

Oberon and Korda became friends, which meant rehearsals often started at 12.30 pm, quickly followed by lunch, till 3:30 pm, so filming continued till 10 or 11 pm.

Oberon and Olivier reconvened for Wuthering Heights (1939).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8685

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