The Shining Hour *** (1938, Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas, Margaret Sullavan, Robert Young, Fay Bainter) – Classic Movie Review 9188

Director Frank Borzage’s polished 1938 The Shining Hour is a shining hour or so (76 minutes, actually) of well-acted melodrama as a rich, upper-class farmer Henry Linden (Melvyn Douglas) takes his new nightclub dancing hoofer wife Olivia Riley (Joan Crawford) to his homestead in Wisconsin.

His brother David Linden (Robert Young) and sister Hannah Linden (Fay Bainter) don’t take to Olivia (Crawford) at all, but genteel sister-in-law Judy Linden (Margaret Sullavan) sets out to make friends with her.

The Shining Hour is an intriguing fusion of different talents, with the spotlight on the opposing acting styles of Crawford and Sullavan. The appealing acting and Borzage’s ingratiating direction raise the emotional temperature throughout.

Ogden Nash and Jane Murfin’s screenplay derives from Keith Winter’s play.

Also in the cast are Allyn Joslyn Hattie McDaniel, Frank Albertson, Oscar O’Shea, Harry Barris, Claire Owen, Jimmy Conlin, Roger Converse, Francis X Bushman Jr, Frank Puglia, George Chandler, Bess Flowers, Grace Goodall, Grace Hayle, Cyril Ring, E Alyn Warren, Edwin Stanley, Jack Raymond and Sarah Edwards.

The Shining Hour is directed by Frank Borzage, runs 76 minutes, is made and released by MGM, is written by Ogden Nash and Jane Murfin and Joseph L Mankiewicz (uncredited), based on the play by Keith Winter, is shot in black and white by George J Folsey, is produced by Joseph L Mankiewicz and Frank Borzage (uncredited), is scored by Franz Waxman, and is designed by Cedric Gibbons.

After Ogden Nash had done what he thought was a ‘respectable job’ on the script for months, producer Mankiewicz finished his rewrite in 24 hours.

Crawford insisted on Sullavan as co-star despite MGM boss Louis B Mayer’s warning that she could steal the movie. Joan told him: ‘I’d rather be a supporting player in a good picture than the star of a bad one.’

Crawford added improvised autobiographical lines such as ‘I couldn’t go to school much. I was too busy doing shirts in the laundry, and, when I finally landed that job in the chorus, it was too late for school.’

Keith Winter’s play opened on Broadway on 13 February 1934 and closed in May 1934 after 121 performances. Raymond Massey staged it and starred as David Linden. Ironically, MGM bought it for Crawford’s rival Norma Shearer back in 1935.

Other vintage Crawford movies to see include Forsaking All Others, Possessed, Mildred Pierce, When Ladies Meet, and Flamingo Road.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9188

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com

Movie Queens: Joan Crawford by Graeme Jukes.