Chained (1934 film)
- Joan Crawford: Diane Levering Field
- Clark Gable: Mike Bradley
- Una O'Connor: Amy
- Akim Tamiroff: Pablo
In golden chains (OT: Chained ) is an American feature film with the popular screen couple Joan Crawford and Clark Gable. The film is a good example of the excellent production values that were MGM available.
Action
Diane Levering rejects at the beginning of the complicated action on the proposal of marriage to the much older ship magnate Richard Field, who is willing to leave his wife for her. Diana is aware of its feelings are not safe, and decides to take a luxury cruise in the Caribbean and South America on a ship from Richards to think in peace about the further development. On board she meets the charming Mike Bradley know and immediately falls in love with a handsome man. Both swear eternal love. Hardly back in New York, Diane will instantly break with Richard. Before they can raise for their explanation, you make Richard a new request. His wife has now agreed to a divorce. Diane is overwhelmed and spontaneously decides for the marriage to Richard and against Mike. A year passes and suddenly Diana and Mike are facing on Park Avenue. The initial bitterness of Mike quickly gives way more romantic feelings. After many complications recognizes Richard how much Diane is in love with Mike. Full gentleman he agrees to the divorce and returns to his first wife back, forgives him everything.
Background
Joan Crawford was yet at silent film days as a performer exuberant girl called Flapper in a series of light romances to fame. At the beginning of 1930 she was able to consolidate its status as a star by the role change towards heroine tearful melodramas. Most Crawford was seen as an ambitious woman who copes with the adverse circumstances under its own power, thus creating the social advancement and / or won by obstinacy her happiness with a man against any prejudice. After 1933, the actress specializing in the representation of wealthy women who experienced the romantic entanglements between two men and in the end finds true happiness, preferably in the arms of Clark Gable. In golden chains is a typical example of this produced a lot of effort films. Crawford lived through the emotional crisis 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.
The cameraman George Folsey designed for setting aboard the luxury liner when Crawford and Gable in a romantic moonlight her love admit a very special lighting that. Having a single small headlights, a so-called spot, aimed directly at the top of Crawford's face The gentle accent the expressive eyes and high cheekbones, the actress came to their best advantage. For Joan Crawford filming brought personal problems. During a break in filming she was visited by her biological father, Thomas leseur. He had left the family shortly after Crawford's birth and she had never seen him before. The meeting was the only personal contact between the two.
Cartoonist Milton Caniff took Joan Crawford as inspiration for the character of the "Dragon Lady" in his successful comic Terry and the Pirates.
" I saw her in a movie where she played a seductive woman. She wore a center parting and a coat with a high collar. And that was then the "The Dragon Lady". "
Theatrical Release
The film came in the national rental on September 1, 1934. A budget of 544,000 U.S. dollars made from golden chains in an expensive MGM production. The film played in the U.S. with 1.33 million U.S. dollar a very considerable sum, an, indication of the continuing high widespread popularity of Joan Crawford with her fans. With the foreign income of 687,000 dollars and a cumulative total profit of 1.988 million U.S. dollars, the studio was able to realize a high profit of 732,000 U.S. dollars at the end.
Reviews
Most critics were sympathetic to the stars, but complained about the banality of the script.
M.H. in the New York Times criticized the absence of content under the beautiful surface:
" " Chained " [ ..] is a ansehliche production, with pretty views of steamboats and life on a South American ranch. Miss Crawford contributes to the attractiveness of the scenes in [ ... ] by wearing an unusually extensive wardrobe and a variety of hairstyles. However, when it comes to the act itself, it is nothing more than another boring love triangle [ ... ]. "
" Although the producers determined $ 1 million may have put into the movie, it is for me but only a set with seriousness in scene frivolous continuation story from a chic magazine [ ... ] The two stars who know their business very well, have wisely chosen to make their charm and personality to the fore, but this is enough to make the film for the masses attractive. "
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
- Alexander Walker: Joan Crawford. The Ultimate Star. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1983, ISBN 0-297-78216-9