Chained (1934)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Better Late Then Never

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Despite having heard her name a number of times,I have somehow never got round to seeing Joan Crawford in a film!,which led to me searching around on Amazon UK for a film that would allow me to finally break my non-Crawford watching chain.The plot:Meeting up with her long-term lover Richard I. Field,mistress Diane Lovering starts to hope that she is about to become part of Field's cruise ship business empire,thanks to Field announcing to Lovering that he is finally going to divorce his wife Louise.Despite having hardly seen his wife for over a year,Field's plans are left in tatters,when Louise reveals that she won't divorce him,due to the doors that have opened since she has gotten the 'Mrs.Field' title.Desperate to heal the sadness that Lovering has suffered from his failure to get a divorce,Field arranges for Lovering to go on a cruise ship of his,which will allow her to go on an all expenses paid South American cruise.Spending time on her own thinking about Field,Lovering soon catches the attention of a wealthy ranch owner called Michael 'Mike' Bradley,which will lead to Lovering wondering if she is really chained to Field's love.View on the film:Teaming up for the 4th (of 8) times,Clark Gable and Joan Crawford each give excellent performances,with Gable showing a devilish side which contains real warmth,as Bradley finds himself getting closer to Lovering.Walking round the cruise ship with a dazzling elegance,Crawford places Lovering's concern for Field right at the heart of the character,thanks to Crawford showing a real charm in the largely improvised scenes she shares with Gable,which along with showing the characters flirtatious side,also displays Lovering's fear of someone getting hurt.Taking the character in an unexpected route,Otto Kruger gives a masterful performance as Richard I. Field,as Kruger keeps away from dipping in sleaze,to instead give Field a genuine sense of sincerity,as Field finds himself unable to stop the chain that he has with Lovering from breaking.Filmed just after prohibition had been lifted in the US,director Clarence Brown displays the wealthy world that the character's inhabit by covering the movie with lashings of booze,which are joined by glamorous tracking shots which show Crawford's beauty and also show the beauty of the luxury cruise (something that only the very rich could afford at the time) that Lovering is on.Sadly not being able to match the glamour that Crawford gives the movie,or the stylish tracking shoots that Brown uses,the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, John Lee Mahin and Edgar Selwyn keeps away from looking at the seedier aspects of the title,which leads to no real sparks being allowed to set off between Lovering and her would-be lover's,that cause this chain to break apart far too soon.

I was surprised when I saw this film because in all the films these two made, I don't think that either ever looked any better than they do in this film. Crawford was about 29 and Gable 33, and each was really in their prime. And the chemistry showed too.I thought that the swimming pool scenes were especially interesting as one can easily take them very lightly. But the thought of actually acting, reciting lines and swimming back and forth across the pool is a lot easier said than done. Considering the number of scenes, I wonder how many takes it took to get that sequence filmed? It was also a good vehicle to get both stars in bathing suits for the time, and Crawford's is actually pretty revealing.Some other reviewers believe that the Crawford character would not have wanted to stay with the Kruger character, but I thought that Crawford completely sold it. Not an unusual plot but a somewhat unusual ending especially for the time. Crawford could have come across as sleazy given her characters morals, but somehow she came across as noble, no easy feat, and a tribute to her ability. Gable? what can you say, he just had "it".One to see for old movie fans.

Forget the plot, as it's the typical 1930s love triangle. You've seen it all before, probably, but Clarence Brown adds his usual sure touch, and the plot unfolds satisfyingly. Crawford is at her most beautiful and glamorous in the role of Diane Lovering. Each scene is like part of a fashion show, with Crawford modeling the latest and greatest of 1934 fashions by Adrian. She is given the full MGM star treatment here, ala Garbo or Shearer. It was said that this was the film in which the cinematographer, and Joan, learned of the lighting which produced what we recognize now as the Joan Crawford face. The viewer can certainly tell in the stunning closeups. Gable is again playing dashing, robust, virile, and has plenty of clever dialog. It's not a standout role for him, but Crawford and Gable always create plenty of sexual chemistry to keep the viewer interested. Overall, CHAINED is an entertaining film, thanks to gorgeous art deco sets, costumes, fine performances by the entire cast, and the usual Gable-Crawford chemistry. The big stars, sex, and glamour manage to carry a fairly routine script.

The love triangle was and is a popular movie theme, so when Clark Gable and Joan Crawford are part of it, you can expect some good entertainment. They have very good chemistry together, perhaps because they were reportedly lovers offscreen. The third leg of the triangle is suave Otto Kruger, who never gives a bad performance, and there is also Gable's best friend, Stuart Erwin, who is there mostly for comic relief. I enjoyed the shipboard romance, which was neatly combined with some comedy, and included scenes with a young Mickey Rooney before his Andy Hardy days. I was surprised at the ending, which seemed to go against the Code.