Thirteen Women

with Myrna Loy

Release date October 14.  1932

"Stop talking about it, stop thinking about it! Anyone can think themselves in anything!"(Laura)

"What have I done? What have anyone done to make you so inhuman?"

"Do I hear the very human white race ask that question?"

Ursula Georgi (Myrna Loy) a Javanese/Indian half-caste who had to endure a lot from her classmates that led to her leaving school searches for revenge. Via clairvoyant Swami Yogadachi (C.Henry Gordon), she sends them terrifying horoscopes using her knowledge about them and believing that the power of suggestion will make the predictions come true. Soon the first women are victims of self-fulfilling prophecies: accidents, murder and suicide seem to be their inescapable fates. Even the Swami can´t get away from what is written for him in the stars and throws himself in front of a train - hypnotized by Ursula though. Alarmed by those premature deaths young widow Laura Stanhope (Irene), the most sensible and poised one of the whole troupe, tries to assemble the last of the sorority sisters trying to "laugh those fool horoscopes right out of our heads". However, before the gathering the next victim is to bemoan...should Laura take seriously her horoscope which predicts the death of her son Bobby? Who has sent those poisoned candies for his birthday? Can police sergeant Barry Clive (Ricardo Cortez) stop Ursula? Who will win the mental battle between Laura and Ursula...

 Laura with Bobby (Wally Albright)

That´s an interesting, odd, disturbing little film which hadn´t the luck of being successful in its time but has got some appreciation in the last years. After poor reviews, "Thirteen Women" was edited from its initial 74´minutes down to 59´minutes, which is the duration of the print we can watch nowadays. Those missing 15 minutes explain some of the discrepancies of the script - to start with the fact that there are only 10 women and not the announced 13. Two characters were deleted completely and as rumors will have it a scene of Myrna chasing Irene through a train - I´d love to watch that! Considering what is packed in the surviving 60 minutes one can only imagine what happened in this missing quarter of an hour. Even the fact that RKO held back the release of  "Thirteen Women" to take advantage of Irene´s great success in "Back Street" didn´t help matters. It seems this story of deleting one victim after the other, which reminds slightly of slasher elements of our modern films was just too brutal for contemporary moviegoers - and I assume that this film was quite a shock for Irene Dunne fans having still the impression of "Back Street" on their minds.  

Ursula (Myrna Loy) gone wild...

The most compelling role is the one of murderess Ursula which is fortunately in Myrna´s very capable hands. Made up almost unrecognizable as an exotic vamp she finds impressive, calm-sinister facial expressions making the hypnotic impact believable. In an intense scene between Ursula and Laura shortly before the climax and end of the film she hurls her accusations into Laura´s face: the rejection of the girls which led to her leaving school had the most horrible consequences for her. It´s not said directly but it seems that she had to prostitute herself. Though Ursula is brutal, sexual-manipulative, and even tries to kill an absolutely innocent child one can´t help to have some kind of understanding for her, especially because all of her former classmates - but Laura - are rather weak characters. All of them have their weak spots like Ursula had hers having to live as a half-breed with all the occurring prejudices against her - it´s implied that with one chance Ursula could have made it...an interesting mixture of crime and action elements with a social background! 

Action, action!

As Myrna is typecast in this period as exotic vamp - still some way to the "Thin Man Myrna" - Irene is typecast as being poised, behaved and sensible - the most interesting aspect being that she is totally defined through motherhood in this film. Irene´s screen persona certainly had a maternal streak through the years; she played 18 times a mother in her 41 films. I can´t imagine that "Thirteen Women" was much of an acting challenge for Irene - not after "Back Street" - but it´s surely once again a consolidating of her screen image.

Irene...hypnotized...

Although Myrna only gets third billing behind Irene and Ricardo Cortez, her role is the most extensive one. For me this film is more interesting as a Myrna Loy film and an early representative of its genre than as an Irene Dunne film - but of course having two of my favorite actresses at hand playing an impressive scene together is a real treat!

This time the last word is reserved for Miss Loy - she deserves it:

"The only one who escaped me in this picture was Irene Dunne, and I regretted it every time she got the parts I wanted."("Being And Becoming" by Myrna Loy)

Consolation Marriage

                  The romantic proposal...with Pat O´Brien

Release date November 21.  1931

"Sure - getting married isn´t a great lead for a couple of moody fighters like us! Might give us a chuckle or two..."

A film about first love and laughs, illusions and laughs, crying for the moon - and laughs!

Steve Porter (Pat O´Brien) is at last at the goal of his dreams: he has a good job as reporter and  can afford to marry his childhood sweetheart Elaine (Myrna Loy). But Elaine, Myrna in her nasty vamp phase, plays accordingly to her image, and is already married when Steve turns up to fetch her. We don´t get to know her husband but looking at Elaine´s surrounding that guy seems to be rich...poor Steve ends as up as being a clunk which throws him off the track.

The fate of Mary Brown (Irene) isn´t any better. Her valentine Aubrey (Lester Vail) - a promising young pianist at the brink of marrying rich to get his career in full swing - declares shop girl Mary his love before he leaves for the altar. As long as she waited for his love declaration as shattered is she now.

                            Aubrey on his way to the altar...

Steve and Mary - those two lost, suffering souls - meet in a speakeasy both celebrating the weedings of their bygone beloveds. It´s interesting how Irene is presented here: Steve´s sidekick  - that practical film instrument this time done by John Hallyday - tries to distract Steve by telling him about millions of nice girls who are around, just like the one sitting at the next table. Well, the nice girl is Miss Dunne, by the way the star of the film!

            Meet a nice girl...there are millions around!

What can two lost souls do? They try to comfort each other and the method of their choice is to share some laughs - not the worst idea for finding some consolation. Trying to give a dog which they bought together a home they decide to marry under the premise of an open marriage. No romantic feelings - those are still reserved for Elaine and Aubrey - and if the whole thing doesn´t turn out right, it´s goodbye without trouble or blurbs. As odd as this relationship is, it´s not platonic because a cute curly offspring is soon the result. Sounds all nice and cozy and my Irene already starts to sing while setting the table for dinner, but then the valentines and sweethearts pop up again...

   The Porters and one shadow from the past in the background

Okay, that´s not much of a storyline and soon we know in what direction the whole thing is heading, but "Consolation Marriage" defenitely has its charms. Being still a pre-code there are some options possible which will be lost in the summer of 1934. First and foremost the handling of the instituition of marriage which is treated neither as a till-death-do-us-part relationship nor like a meaningful, responsible tie between two people, but as a playground for having fun - and sex.

Having fun...                                                              

             and more fun...

A scene in which Mary tries to explain her little kid why she has to leave by saying "What is a baby more than an episode in a woman´s life?" - really took me by surprise because it breaks with all accustomed expectations of motherhood. Of course she didn´t mean it, and I guess I won´t spoil too much by telling that Mary and Steve are a very married couple - with all consequences. Even a pre-code has to return to and to emphasize the universally valid society values.

The bottom line of the film that clinging to our past, to illusions and "crying for the moon" hinders us from living, appreciating and loving the present(s) isn´t new but handily displayed.

                           Another shadow from the past...

Back on the RKO lot from her loan out to MGM Irene gets for the first time the real star treatment billing above the title,  but has to share a lot of screen time with Pat O´Brien. In fact we learn more about his character´s background than we learn about Irene´s. What really impressed me about her characterization are the 15 last minutes of the film. She out acts a touching balance of trying to react bravely to the possibilty of Steve leaving her and being heartbroken about the situation. It´s a steady twist between those contrary emotions and she masters this movingly.

                Trying to be brave...Elaine is preparing for Steve

Under one aspect this film is very "Dunnish" because for the first time it´s Irene´s "normal" speaking voice in opposite to the slightly higher pitched voice she used for Helene and Diana. Of course Irene is going to use the instrument of her speaking voice back and forth, up and down accordingly to her roles throughout her career, but nevertheless this is the speaking voice we are accustomed to.  

                 Irene at the premiere of "Consolation Marriage"

I´m not much of a Pat O´Brien enthusiast but his type is just right for Steve and he and Irene have some good moments on screen - especially when they are kidding around  and sharing some chuckles.

Kindly I get two personal extras in this film: to start with a song - which isn´t much of a surprise considering with whom we are dealing -  but always welcome. This time it´s only Irene and her piano, melancholy singing hers and Aubrey´s torch song "Devotion" - plain and simple beautiful. And there is Myrna - really not much of a part, and dyed blondish she looks odd, but it´s always good having Myrna around!

And don´t forget : "Stop crying for the moon!"

PS. Here is a little extra service for my German friends who are babes lost in the wood when it comes to old Hollywood. Nonetheless they face bravely and kindly a lot of Hollywood/ Irene talk nowadays - thanks, folks! And here is the answer to the urgent question  -thanks to Wikipedia:

                          

  What the heck is a pre-code film??

Susanne