Splendor (1935 Elliott Nugent)

Extremely talky, sludgy melodrama, a Sam Goldwyn project with Gregg Toland again on camera. Impoverished Joel McCrea (difficult to take seriously as wannabe writer) marries Miriam Hopkins despite protests of horrible family headed by quintessential mother-dragon, theatre acting Helen Westley. Paul Cavanagh is the love rival with the charisma of a tree stump (perhaps unfair on the latter). Billie Burke shiny as gossipy socialite, David Niven feckless, gambling brother.