The Rich Are Always with Us ** (1932, Ruth Chatterton, George Brent, John Miljan, Bette Davis, Adrienne Dore) – Classic Movie Review 11,612

Publicity photo for The Rich Are Always With Us (1932).

Director Alfred E Green’s 1932 pre-Code romantic comedy drama The Rich Are Always With Us [East of Shanghai] is based on the novel by Ethel Pettit, and stars Ruth Chatterton, George Brent, John Miljan, Bette Davis, and Adrienne Dore.

After the ten-year-itch sets in, New York socialite Caroline Grannard (Chatterton) divorces her wealthy stockbroker husband Greg (Miljan) after she learns about his affair, and instead she romances novelist and war correspondent Julian Tierney (Brent). But in the end she sticks by Greg (Miljan), when he is hurt in a car crash and the flighty Allison Adair (Dore), whom he has been seriously romancing, is killed.

It is a wildly old-fashioned and moralistic drama, but it is sleek and expensive-looking and Davis scores as Malbro, a light flapper who is in love with Brent (not for the last time in the movies – what did Bette keep seeing in old George?). In real life, Brent and Chatterton married soon after the film was made.

Also in the cast are Mae Madison, Robert Warwick, John Wray, Walter Walker, Virginia Hammond, Berton Churchill, Charles Coleman, Cecil Cunningham, Bill Elliott, Eula Gray, Ethel Kenyon, Ruth Lee, Sam McDaniel, Lee Phelps, and Edith Allen.

The screenplay is by Austin Parker.

It is the first time Davis was photographed by Ernest Haller, her favourite cinematographer (‘the genius’, ‘my miracle man’). They collaborated on 13 more films. She filmed it back to back with So Big, released first.

Davis recalled: ‘The film bubbled with wit and sophistication. I was thrilled to be appearing with Miss Chatterton. On the first day of shooting she swept onto the set like Juno. I was properly dazzled. Her entrance could have won an Academy nomination.’

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,612

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/