"When Ladies Meet" is a 1933 film based on a 1932 Broadway play of the same title by Rachel Crothers. It is a rare comedy drama that MGM remade in 1941. While far from the top in 1933, this film nevertheless was a success. It earned about double its budget. MGM liked it enough that it remade the film just eight years later, with an all new cast. The six main characters are the same. Most but not all the scenes are the same, and the bulk of the dialog in the same scenes is identical.
Because both films are very good, though with some different scenes and all different casts, they beg comparison. One can't do justice in a small space to all the distinctions of both films. But I will give the story overview and main differences here. Those who enjoy this film should also watch the 1941 film. In my comments on it, I focus on the characters and their different portrayals by the actors.
The story takes place in New York City and at a country home in Connecticut. Mary Howard and Jimmie Lee have been friends for five years. Mary is a successful author with at least two novels under her belt. She is about to finish her next book. Jimmie is a newspaper journalist, who is madly in love with Mary, but she won't commit beyond friendship. Bridget Drake is a wealthy middle-aged widow socialite who is a friend of both. Jimmie has been away for a month on his job and returns with a raise and a new five-year contract. While he was gone, Mary changed publishers and has fallen for her new publisher, Rogers Woodruf. He's a married man, but she thinks true, deep love trumps everything else. Woodruf and Mary have been spending much time together evenings, to finish the last chapter of her new book.
Other characters in the drama include Woodruf's wife, Clare, and Walter Manners, a close friend of Bridget. He is a bachelor architect whom Bridget had hired to completely redo her country home in Connecticut. He is an admirer, and probably in love with Bridget, but she keeps their relationship proper for the time being.
Jimmie thinks Mary is just going through a phase that will pass. He doesn't trust Woodruf and asks Mary how she could trust a married man's affections. Jimmie later meets Clare Woodruf at a dinner party that her husband doesn't attend. They hit it off, and they have a Saturday outing together. On the way back to the city, Jimmie "gets lost" taking a shortcut and they wind up at Bridget's summer home where Mary and Rogers had been invited for the weekend. The invite to Woodruf had been at Mary's request to Bridget.
The drama that takes place that night will change the lives of most of these people - for the better. Woodruf had been called back to the city - by a ruse of Jimmie's with his office. Jimmie gets Clare to pretend she's a girlfriend of his. While Clare has read Mary's books, she has no idea that her husband is now Mary's publisher and that Mary is the woman now in her husband's life. Jimmie keeps Clare's last name a secret, so no one else knows that they are talking with the wife of Rogers Woodruf.
The two films have different openings with a large party being given by Bridget. In this film, it takes place on a yacht anchored in the Hudson River. A large bridge looms in the background. Jimmie Lee has just swum the width of the river and back and is drying off. Woodruf comes out in a boat and picks Mary up to go off and work on her book together. In the 1941 film, the party is in Bridget's Manhattan apartment, as in the play. They go to dinner after that and Woodruf shows up to take Mary away to work on her book together.
The other major setting difference is Jimmie's outing with Clare Woodruf. In this film, they spend a day golfing. In the 1941 film, she is an accomplished sailor, and they spend the day on the sea in Clare's sailing skiff. Also, in the 1941 film, there's a short scene of Rogers in the city dropping off his business manager. He was called there in Jimmie's telephone ruse to meet an author that Woodruf would like to publish. He doesn't return to Bridget's until nearly 2 a.m.
After the people in Bridget's have gone to their rooms for the night, Mary and Clare sit and talk together a long time - especially about her new book. The subject is autobiographical between a woman who is in love with a married man, but neither woman yet knows that they are the two women in the story. Jimmy introduced Clare as Mrs. Clare, with the first name of Clara. In the 1941 film, he calls Mrs. Clare's first name, Lottie.
When Rogers Woodruf returns, knocks on her door, and enters Mary's room, the truth comes out. He is there with Mary and his wife. When he sees Clare there, she says, "She doesn't who I am, Rogers." The subsequent drama will bring the story to a close.
Throughout the film, the humor and drama are clearly divided. The mix is close to 50% comedic and serious scene time. Jimmie and Bridget provide most of the comedy. Walter and Clare provide a little. Most of the humor is in witty and funny dialog. Neither Mary nor Rogers Woodruf have any witty dialog or humorous situations.
This is a mature subject that most adults should enjoy. Besides the humor, it has some good lessons about life, love, marriage, and trust. See my review of the 1941 movie for character and actor comparisons of the two films.
Because both films are very good, though with some different scenes and all different casts, they beg comparison. One can't do justice in a small space to all the distinctions of both films. But I will give the story overview and main differences here. Those who enjoy this film should also watch the 1941 film. In my comments on it, I focus on the characters and their different portrayals by the actors.
The story takes place in New York City and at a country home in Connecticut. Mary Howard and Jimmie Lee have been friends for five years. Mary is a successful author with at least two novels under her belt. She is about to finish her next book. Jimmie is a newspaper journalist, who is madly in love with Mary, but she won't commit beyond friendship. Bridget Drake is a wealthy middle-aged widow socialite who is a friend of both. Jimmie has been away for a month on his job and returns with a raise and a new five-year contract. While he was gone, Mary changed publishers and has fallen for her new publisher, Rogers Woodruf. He's a married man, but she thinks true, deep love trumps everything else. Woodruf and Mary have been spending much time together evenings, to finish the last chapter of her new book.
Other characters in the drama include Woodruf's wife, Clare, and Walter Manners, a close friend of Bridget. He is a bachelor architect whom Bridget had hired to completely redo her country home in Connecticut. He is an admirer, and probably in love with Bridget, but she keeps their relationship proper for the time being.
Jimmie thinks Mary is just going through a phase that will pass. He doesn't trust Woodruf and asks Mary how she could trust a married man's affections. Jimmie later meets Clare Woodruf at a dinner party that her husband doesn't attend. They hit it off, and they have a Saturday outing together. On the way back to the city, Jimmie "gets lost" taking a shortcut and they wind up at Bridget's summer home where Mary and Rogers had been invited for the weekend. The invite to Woodruf had been at Mary's request to Bridget.
The drama that takes place that night will change the lives of most of these people - for the better. Woodruf had been called back to the city - by a ruse of Jimmie's with his office. Jimmie gets Clare to pretend she's a girlfriend of his. While Clare has read Mary's books, she has no idea that her husband is now Mary's publisher and that Mary is the woman now in her husband's life. Jimmie keeps Clare's last name a secret, so no one else knows that they are talking with the wife of Rogers Woodruf.
The two films have different openings with a large party being given by Bridget. In this film, it takes place on a yacht anchored in the Hudson River. A large bridge looms in the background. Jimmie Lee has just swum the width of the river and back and is drying off. Woodruf comes out in a boat and picks Mary up to go off and work on her book together. In the 1941 film, the party is in Bridget's Manhattan apartment, as in the play. They go to dinner after that and Woodruf shows up to take Mary away to work on her book together.
The other major setting difference is Jimmie's outing with Clare Woodruf. In this film, they spend a day golfing. In the 1941 film, she is an accomplished sailor, and they spend the day on the sea in Clare's sailing skiff. Also, in the 1941 film, there's a short scene of Rogers in the city dropping off his business manager. He was called there in Jimmie's telephone ruse to meet an author that Woodruf would like to publish. He doesn't return to Bridget's until nearly 2 a.m.
After the people in Bridget's have gone to their rooms for the night, Mary and Clare sit and talk together a long time - especially about her new book. The subject is autobiographical between a woman who is in love with a married man, but neither woman yet knows that they are the two women in the story. Jimmy introduced Clare as Mrs. Clare, with the first name of Clara. In the 1941 film, he calls Mrs. Clare's first name, Lottie.
When Rogers Woodruf returns, knocks on her door, and enters Mary's room, the truth comes out. He is there with Mary and his wife. When he sees Clare there, she says, "She doesn't who I am, Rogers." The subsequent drama will bring the story to a close.
Throughout the film, the humor and drama are clearly divided. The mix is close to 50% comedic and serious scene time. Jimmie and Bridget provide most of the comedy. Walter and Clare provide a little. Most of the humor is in witty and funny dialog. Neither Mary nor Rogers Woodruf have any witty dialog or humorous situations.
This is a mature subject that most adults should enjoy. Besides the humor, it has some good lessons about life, love, marriage, and trust. See my review of the 1941 movie for character and actor comparisons of the two films.