I Live My Life

Rumor Has It (OT: I Live My Life) is an American comedy film starring Joan Crawford and Brian Aherne, directed by WS Van Dyke from the year 1935.

Action

Kay Bentley is a bored heiress who fills her time with endless trips around the world. One day anchored their yacht off the Greek island of Naxos, where she meets the poor but respectable archaeologist Terry O'Neill and immediately fell in love with him. The two young people still argue endlessly, especially since Terry felt a decided aversion to a life in luxury and without financial worries. He wants to work for his money, instead of playing golf on Long Iceland. The controversy reached its peak just before the wedding, when Terry decides to let Kay sitting in front of the altar, because in his opinion it better for both of them was. Kay learns of the plan and for even more quarrels it works but still with the wedding and both live poor, but happy of Terry's modest income.

Background

Joan Crawford was yet at silent film days as a performer exuberant girl called Flapper in a series of light romances to fame. After 1933, the actress specializing in the representation of wealthy women, experience the romantic entanglements and find true happiness in the end. Only in 1934 was the actress three times in more or less identical situations on screen presence: never marry the first time, Sadie McKee, and in golden chains hardly differ in the basic premise, but all played a lot of money at the box office one.

It was therefore only logical that MGM applied the proven formula again. Where love is falling down painstakingly produced. Again going through the Crawford emotional vicissitudes of life in a never-ending succession of spectacular costumes of MGM chief designer Gilbert Adrian with ever- changing hairstyles and most opulent studio backdrops, all of which were designed by Cedric Gibbons. The camera work lends the scenes by the MGM preferred soft skylight in a luxurious, soft drawn aura of prosperity and solidity. At the same time some of the best supporting actors of Hollywood are required, including Frank Morgan and Aline MacMahon. However, started by the constant repetition of the same situations, the career of Crawford, albeit initially to stagnate at a high level.

Joan Crawford was not very happy with the finished result. Compared to Roy Newquist she was:

" [ T] he only thing I want to remember are the costumes of Adrian. The usual standard story, but I think people wanted me to see time and time again to do the same things. Or at least thought Metro that it would be so. "

Theatrical Release

Was with production costs of 586,000 U.S. dollars Rumor one for MGM ratios slightly above average and expensive production corresponded to the prestige of Joan Crawford in the studio hierarchy and its traction at the box office. There is also this film proved to be extremely popular and played in the U.S. alone 921,000 U.S. dollars. There were also 557,000 U.S. dollars abroad and thus a cumulative total profit of 1,478,000 U.S. dollars. The end result was a profit of 384,000 U.S. dollars for MGM.

Reviews

Gradually, the constant repetition of the same situations in the Crawford films fell to the critics.

Andre Mountain forest was even more relatively benevolent in the New York Times.

" " Rumor Has It " [ ... ] turns out to be more entertaining proof that love is a fairly democratic affair, although the costumes of Adrian contribute to fan this feeling. [ ... ] Miss Crawford is just as appropriate in the role, while Brian Ahern is excellent as a swashbuckling scientist. "

" [ The film ] exudes something of the vitality that the director WS Van Dyke gives his work usually, but overall it is a fairly routine matter. But if you're a fan of the usual Crawford movies, you will love the result. "

Sources and literature used

  • Roy Newquist (ed.): Conversations with Joan Crawford. Citadel Press, Secaucus, N. J. 1980, ISBN 0-8065-0720-9.
  • Lawrence J. Quirk: The Complete Films of Joan Crawford. Citadel Press, Secaucus, N. J. 1988, ISBN 0-8065-1078-1.
  • Bob Thomas: Joan Crawford. A Biography. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1978, ISBN 0-297-77617-7.
  • Alexander Walker: Joan Crawford. The Ultimate Star. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1983, ISBN 0-297-78216-9.
1935 in film Screenplay Joseph L. Mankiewicz Film score Dimitri Tiomkin George J. Folsey Tom Held Chained (1934 film) W. S. Van Dyke Winners of the Wilderness Trader Horn (1931 film) Guilty Hands Tarzan the Ape Man (1932 film) Eskimo (Film) Manhattan Melodrama Hide-Out Rose Marie (1936 film) San Francisco (1936 film) Marie Antoinette (1938 film) Sweethearts (1938 film) Bitter Sweet (1940 film)
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