As a resident of a small town, this film made me wince at times because the meanness it portrayed is so accurate. In 1935 it was the party line and in 2009 it's email and text messages, but nothing has really changed in small town America.
Others have dissected the party line concept at length, so there's no need for me to do that. It is the basis of this movie, though, so if one doesn't understand that than this movie will make no sense.
Charles Grapewin (as Marge's father) and Helen Lowell (as Matt's aunt) gave particularly wonderful performances in a film full of great performances. I absolutely loved Aunt Nettie's dressing down of the town during the meeting. I only wish she had aired more dirty laundry during that speech. It was highly amusing.
My one fault with the movie is that they didn't seem to develop the relationship between Matt and Marge. Yes, Matt spent quite a bit of time with Marge and her father, but there was no sense of any affection between Matt and Marge before they decided to marry.
This movie was a wonderful way to spend an hour (plus a few minutes). I wouldn't call it great cinema, but it's definitely worth seeing. If nothing else, you'll thank your lucky stars that party lines are a thing of the past.
Others have dissected the party line concept at length, so there's no need for me to do that. It is the basis of this movie, though, so if one doesn't understand that than this movie will make no sense.
Charles Grapewin (as Marge's father) and Helen Lowell (as Matt's aunt) gave particularly wonderful performances in a film full of great performances. I absolutely loved Aunt Nettie's dressing down of the town during the meeting. I only wish she had aired more dirty laundry during that speech. It was highly amusing.
My one fault with the movie is that they didn't seem to develop the relationship between Matt and Marge. Yes, Matt spent quite a bit of time with Marge and her father, but there was no sense of any affection between Matt and Marge before they decided to marry.
This movie was a wonderful way to spend an hour (plus a few minutes). I wouldn't call it great cinema, but it's definitely worth seeing. If nothing else, you'll thank your lucky stars that party lines are a thing of the past.