The Lady in Question (1940)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Back in 1937, there was a French film ("Heart of Paris") and it starred the great actor, Raimu. Now, three years later Hollywood released a remake--and I can only assume the remake wasn't as good-- partly because Raimu was a wonderful actor and because this American version just wasn't particularly inspired nor did it make a lot of sense.When the film begins, Natalie (Rita Hayworth) is on trial for murder. Although many on the jury think she's guilty, Andre (Brian Aherne) insists for no real logical reason other than his gut feeling that she's innocent. Because he's so vehement, she is acquitted. Then, Andre invites her home to work for him and he gives her a place to live! None of this makes any sense, nor does it make any sense when inexplicably, Andre turns on his new protégé.The film didn't make a lot of sense and I found it all a bit tedious after a while. Not a terrible film but certainly one that's easy to skip.

Greatly enjoyed this film which is full of drama and plenty of laughs along with a great cast of new stars who would become very famous and successful on the Silver Screen in Hollywood for many years. Charles Vidor produced this film and that is living proof this is a great 1940 extra special film. Brian Aheme, (Andre Moestan) is a bicycle shop owner who desperately wants to become a juror in a court case and gets himself deeply involved with the trial of Natalie Roguin played by Rita Hayworth and Andre Moestan feels great compassion for Natalie and manages to sway the jury into setting her free. Andre gives her a job in his bicycle shop and lets her live with his family above the shop. Glenn Ford plays the role as Pierre Moestan, the son of Andre and he falls madly in love with Natalie. Evelyn Keyes, (Francois Morestan) gave a great supporting role as the daughter of Andre Moestan who wants to get married in the worst way and is simply boy crazy about all men and full of the devil. It is great seeing such great super stars so very young and just starting out in their Hollywood careers. Enjoy this film. I must also mention that Evelyn Keys had just given a great performance in "Gone With The Wind", 1939 and played a great role in this film and went on to become a great Pin Up Girl for our Fighting Troops during World War II.

Where to start? They took an earthy classic French face (Gribouille) & timidly translated it into faux Oscar Wildeian summer stock frillery. Brian Aherne becomes Raimu & Rita Cansino Hayworth becomes Michele Morgan. Glen Ford (14 years Aherne's junior) plays Aherne's son.Aherne was about 38 when he made this, a handsome, debonair lightweight matinée idol (who allegedly was the object of Noel Coward's song, Mad About the Boy). Nice fellow, but a real travesty in this part. Whose fault? Probably the director, Alexander Korda, because the rest of the cast is just as bad, Irene Rich, Evelyn Keyes, Lloyd Corrigan (?).What they forgot when they bought this property is farce is not just about manners & plot, it's about character & culture.Ah well, Ford & Hayworth would grow up & make Gilda 6 years later. Same director!

The Lady in Question is noted in cinema history as the first film to feature both Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. However it's not their film, both are second and third billed respectively below Brian Aherne.Columbia Pictures remade the French film Gibouille which had been done the year earlier with Raimu and Michele Morgan in the roles that Aherne and Rita had. In fact Gibouille was what launched Michele Morgan's career in French cinema.Knowing that I think a lot of the film's humor and innuendo probably got lost on the transatlantic voyage. Aherne is a bicycle shop owner who has been picked for jury duty and is determined to take his responsibilities quite seriously. He gets on a case with Rita as a defendant who is accused of murdering her fiancé. Aherne's questions to her and his forceful advocacy of her, earn Rita an acquittal.But Brian's not finished. He offers to give her any kind of help she needs because while she has a legal acquittal, she's got a reputation like O.J.'s. Aherne takes her in which causes all kinds of complications with his wife, Irene Rich, son Glenn Ford, daughter Evelyn Keyes, and her fiancé Edward Norris.The Lady in Question is probably done in by the infamous Code firmly in place in Hollywood. Stuff that the French cinema could and did do, were forbidden here. Columbia also had to keep it in the French setting because of the differences between their jury system and our's.Still Rita and Glenn do shine together, although no one I'm sure would ever have predicted their mega-hit Gilda six years later. Actually Edward Norris has the nicest performance as the no good rat of a fiancé that Keyes has, who tries to put the make on Rita.It's a pleasant enough film, but I'm betting the original French version must be infinitely better.