Two Joe Mankiewicz MGM productions, actually released in the reverse order, a sign of how incredibly fast the studios could make films in their heyday, both starring Margaret Sullavan and Robert Young.
In the first, dancer Joan Crawford marries above herself into rich farming family via Melvyn Douglas; Young is the brother who fancies her, Sullavan his good-natured wife. Fay Bainter is another poisonous relative, who goes so far as to actually burn down the new house of the couple. The ending is a rather abrupt and feel-good one. Screenplay by Jane Mirfin and Ogden Nash, from Keith Winter's play.
That arrangement of the Chopin prelude in the night club scene is one of the best things in it, plus Hattie McDaniel. Photographed by George Folsey. I'm not sure there's a great deal of Borzage's famous lyricism on offer here, though did like the moment that face-bandaged Sullavan acknowledges that all is well to Crawford with the slightest of nods.
Based on a novel by Eric Maria Remarque, with a screenplay by F Scott Fitzgerald and Edward Paramour, and set in Germany directly after the First World War, Three Comrades is a weightier affair. Robert Young is the idealist of the trio, Franchot Tone, the understanding one, Robert Taylor the more impulsive, who falls for down-on-her-luck Margaret Sullavan. So close are the buddies they all end up loving the girl.
Quite tough and grown up, for example in the attitudes of sugar daddy Lionel Atwill, the mob violence that's breaking out, the post-war poverty. There's an amazing moment where Taylor kills a murderer outside of a church while Christmas carols play behind it. And Sullavan's apartment - the former family home - in which you have to crawl under the piano to get in, is reminiscent of the touches in A Time to Love and a Time to Die.
Joseph Ruttenberg shot this one. There's a quick Vorkapich montage, not one of his best. With Guy Kibbee, Henry Hull, Charlie Grapewin, Monte Woolley, George Zucco (uncredited).
For the record, we first saw The Shining Hour on 26 July 1992. Hadn't seen Three Comrades since 11 February 1979, aged 15.
Young was in Secret Agent, The Mortal Storm, Crossfire, Sitting Pretty. These two then probably his most significant roles. We've been on quite a 1930s MGM blitz recently.
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