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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
"Meet the Wife" from 1931 is a real trip, a pre-Code farce that feels like it’s been ripped straight from a stage play. If you're into old movies and snappy, chaotic comedies from that era, you might actually get a kick out of it.
It’s definitely not for everyone, though. Folks who need modern pacing or big-budget spectacle will probably be scratching their heads.
But if you appreciate quick wit and absurd predicaments, this one's a treat. 🎭
Laura La Plante, as Gertrude Lennox, is just caught in such a mess, you almost feel bad for her. Her first husband, Philip Lord, played by Lew Cody, just *shows up* after being presumed dead.
Imagine! One minute you’re settled with Harvey, the next your past literally walks through the door.
Harvey Lennox (Harry Myers), Gertrude’s current husband, doesn't exactly take it well. He’s all bluster and bewildered annoyance, which is pretty funny.
The whole thing spirals fast, and the acting style really leans into the stage roots. Everyone seems to be talking over each other.
The camera stays mostly still, letting the actors do all the heavy lifting with their expressions and rapid-fire dialogue.
Then there’s Gertrude’s younger sister, Doris Bellamy, played by Joan Marsh. She's got two guys on the hook! 🎣
Gregory Brown (William Janney), the reporter, seems sweet enough, a bit earnest.
But then there’s Victor Staunton, the English fop. Claud Allister just *nails* that role, all preening and high-collar attitude.
He has this way of delivering lines that makes him seem completely oblivious yet also entirely aware of his own, uh, charm, which isn't much.
The contrast between the two suitors for Doris is just hilarious. You kinda wonder what she even sees in the fop beyond the money. 🧐
There's a scene where Philip (Lew Cody) is just trying to make sense of everything, and Gertrude is trying to keep him quiet. The way she keeps *shushing* him and pulling him into another room feels so desperate and real.
It’s chaos, but a very specific kind of chaos, where you can almost feel the stage directions pushing them around.
And the way they handle the legal stuff, or rather, *don't* handle it, is pretty funny. Nobody seems to know what to do when a "dead" husband returns.
It’s more about the social embarrassment than the actual legality, which I thought was a neat touch. It just adds to the screwball vibe.
I kept thinking about how dressed up everyone was. Even at home, these women are in these elaborate gowns. It’s a different world, for sure.
Also, one shot of Lew Cody just staring into the middle distance after being told he’s basically a ghost... *priceless*. He just looks so utterly confused.
The whole thing wraps up pretty quickly, as these sorts of things often do. It doesn't overstay its welcome.
You spend the whole time wondering how they're going to untangle this mess, and then they just... do. Not always neatly, but satisfyingly enough for the era.
It’s a quick, zippy little film. 🎬
IMDb —
1924
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