When Ladies Meet (1933)

Information

Siskoid
Why the heck is Myrna Loy's name under the line when she's the main character of the 1933 version of When Women Meet? Not to say Ann Harding doesn't do a good job, and indeed, their chemistry, whether it's friendship or tension, makes their boring turns in The Animal Kingdom even more mystifying. The story, based on a 1932 play (and you do feel that), has Loy play a novelist in love with her married publisher, and her obnoxious spurned suitor (Robert Montgomery who I always find rather doofy as a romantic lead, so this works well) introducing her to the wife (Harding) under false pretenses to stir the pot. It's a lot more adult than you'd expect, and I don't mean just in a pre-Code way. The ladies have a hypothetical conversation they could never have if they knew each other's identity, and remain honest - intellectually and emotionally - even once they've connected the dots. Better, the movie does not go for a facile Hollywood ending, not even for Montgomery's character. While the core of the story is a drama, there are many light moments, and the comedy MVP of the piece has to be Alice Brady who had me giggling a lot with her portrayal of the slow-to-the-station best friend. Yes, it's all rather talky, but it's damn good talk. 3 years 10 months ago