"BEHOLD! MY WIFE" (1934)

[rmichaelpyle]

In the 1980's the word 'incredible' became standard fare for people to describe something where they probably didn't mean such a thing. The word means that something stretches credulity to the breaking point or posits that something just cannot be. Well, last night I watched a movie that stretched things nearly to the breaking point. We've all watched adventure movies, from early serials to Indiana Jones, where credulity is stretched to the limit, but we understand that that is part of the fun of the film. But - NOT romance! Romance stretched to the limit has its own limits! I watched "Behold! My Wife" (1934) with Sylvia Sidney, Gene Raymond, H. B. Warner, Laura Hope Crews, Juliette Compton, Monroe Owsley, Ann Sheridan, young Dean Jagger, Eric Blore, and several other well known character actors. The story begins by having Gene Raymond drunk as a skunk - evidently, an habitual thing with him - and having proposed to Ann Sheridan, a common secretary. Raymond's family is the snootiest of the snooty and a common secretary is not to be allowed! After several shenanigans, Ann Sheridan jumps out of a high building, commiting suicide. By the way, this is a very early role for her, and its the first where she goes by the name Ann Sheridan instead of Clara Lou Sheridan. She's very good in her part. She also surprised me with the baby fat in her cheeks which disappeared within a year or two. Anyway, Gene Raymond is very upset and takes off on a binge across several states. He eventually meets Sylvia Sidney who is the daughter of an Indian chief. Sidney, for the record, never looked as beautiful as she does in this film. I've seen her in films for years and always found her inviting, but she is downright beautiful in this film. Okay, to continue: Raymond marries Sidney after her father has disowned her (it's too complicated to explain!), but uses the marriage as a revenge tactic against his parents. His parents are not amused by the incident! We have Native American versus 30's white man and it is used in the most obnoxious way! All in all, all of the points are incredible in the real sense of the word. This would never have occurred. And yet... And yet... I really enjoyed this film anyway! It was nicely acted; but...it was acted as if it were comedy much of the time. This was not a comedy. Mitchell Leisen directed the film, and I think he had a difficult time making up his mind what the film was to be. Social study. Romance. Drama. Part comedy, part drama. Who knows. It's only a two star out of four film, to be sure, but I still enjoyed it. So will many who have the opportunity to see it.