The Flirting Widow

The Flirting Widow
Amusing: Sometimes Draggy

It's all been done before in various forms, yet this Dorothy Mackaill vehicle comes through the production mill as a pleasant, innocuous enough attraction.

Nothing heavyweight about "The Flirting Widow" from any angle. The mob probably won't remember much about the film except that it afforded an hour or more of light entertainment, occasionally weighed down by skimpy situations, stretched thin over footage that has trouble carrying the load. For warm weather patronage, however, this production is nicely tempoed and bids fair to give general satisfaction.

The yarn is English and is based on "Green Stockings" by A.E.W. Mason. Miss Mackaill plays the part of the oldest of three daughters, the others being the attractive Leila Hyams and Flora Bramley. Leila, the middle daughter, is married. Flora isn't, but wants to and would if Claude Gillingwater didn't adhere to the old-fashioned idea about marrying off the oldest before the youngest takes the step. Dorothy is eager for the leap, but it seems she hasn't met anyone who measures up to her standard. But when Flora and her beau, Anthony Bushell, attempt to palm her off on William Austin, Dorothy hurdles the situation by declaring she is in love with a Colonel John Smith, British army officer then Arabia-bound to quell a native rebellion. The family, tickled into several shades of pastels over the news, makes her write a letter and mails it when Dorothy is trying to trump somebody's ace. The obvious happens, of course. There is a Colonel Smith, smartly as well as suavely played by Basil Rathbone who gives a lot of women this scribe knows chilly shivers of excitement whenever his celluloid physique fills the screen.

Smith, or Rathbone, reads through the gag and makes up his mind to milk it for all it's worth. He does, is successful in giving the audience a number of laughs and in making Mackaill go for him. Storywise, that's all.

Miss Mackaill's performance is workmanlike, but unmarked by either high or low spots. Just an experienced trouper going through an easy role. Rathbone, as note, does very nice work. Flora Bramley's ancestry must have made its mark in oil; she's that gushy. Emily Fitzroy has little to do and does that way. Austin is often amusing as the damfool Englishman, but is permitted to overact heavily.

Reviewed by "Red" Kann

—Motion Picture News, June 7, 1930, p. 137

First National Picture
(Review at W.B. Downtown)

This picture has its moments of hilarity, and when they are good, they are very, very good. But it also has some long arid stretches, and it frequently ha promises of fun to come which it fails to deliver. In other words, with this situation and this cast, "This Flirting Widow" should have been both funnier and more appealing than it was. the humor arises from the intrinsic developments of the plot provided by the stage play "Green Stockings" and not by what was done to it by First National.

The picture in the main follows the stage play, telling the story of a girl who, to escape reproaches for not marrying, invents a fictitious army colonel as her betrothed. She writes to him, and it then develops there is really such a man. His arrival to learn what it is all about provides the comedy, and the fadeout is of course the happy one.

EXHIBITORS' VIEWPOINT:
A mediocre picture that promises no better at best than mediocre returns. And this only where Dorothy Mackaill is a draw.

PRODUCERS' VIEWPOINT:
Credits here are slight. William Seiter directed, but disclosed only routine ability. The scenario was bad, missing many opportunities, and frequently having draggy dialogue.

CASTING DIRECTORS' VIEWPOINT:
Dorothy Mackaill worked hard, but she has had so much better opportunities that she did not shine. That is except in certain sequences. In a few she was most appealing.

Basil Rathbone, opposite her, played with his usual poise, but the part didn't give him one-tenth the opportunity he has had in other pictures.

Emily Fitzroy overdid in her role, most particularly in a drunk sequence. It wasn't funny, some way. Miss Fitzroy's hard menace is so good it's a shame to waste her in this kind of part.

Claude Gillingwater was very good as a crusty old man, while completing the cast well enough were Anthony Bushell, Leila Hyams, William Austin, Laura Bramley and Wilfred Noy.

Frederick.

—Inside Facts of Stage and Screen, May 31, 1930

The Flirting Widow

Dorothy Mackaill is seen at her best in the newest comedy, "The Flirting Widow." Based on the story, "Green Stockings," by A.G.W. Mason, First National has produced one of the smoothest comedies of the season.

The story concerns an English family whose rule is, that the youngest daughter cannot be married until after the older sister. Should she do so, the older sister shall wear green stockings, which is a badge of dishonor.

In this instance the older sister invents a mythical fiance who turns up at a most inopportune time, but true love runs true to form and she weds her mythical lover.

W.A. Seiter directed this picture and he injects his whole personality into it, which means much.

Dorothy Mackaill, who plays the older sister, is at her best, while Flora Bramley, who enacts the younger one, is the spirit of youthfulness.

The palm must be given to that sterling actor, Basil Rathbone for his performance of the "mythical lover." Where another actor might have overacted and spoiled the illusion, he plays his role with suave and telling emphasis.

Leila Hyams, as another sister, is, as usual, splendid, and William Austin, as the "silly ass," is most amusing.

Claude Gillingwater adds much to the smooth performance as "the father" while Emily Fitzroy as "Aunt Ida" gets "many a laugh," especially in a drunken scene.

Anthony Bushell, who did such excellent work with George Arliss, plays "Bobby" with much sincerity.

We mustn't forget Wilfred Noy as the "perfect butler." an old timer at the camera, Norbert Brodine, showed us many new camera shots and demonstrated a master's hand throughout.

Should Warner Brothers' Theatre continue to put on such good productions as they have lately, they may be assured of the leadership which they have assumed.

Arthur Forde.

—Hollywood Filmograph, May 31, 1930, p. 18

The Flirting Widow

Light, sketchy, pitter-patter story for the screen. Well cast, but mechanically directed. "The Flirting Widow," an exaggerated title for the original story's "Green Stockings," slim for the key houses and really built for entertaining in the neighborhood theatres.

Old Man Faraday believes the oldest daughter should marry first. Celia, the eldest, unknown to all but Aunt Ida, frames it so that Evelyn and Martin can beat her to the altar.

Writing to one Colonel Smith, supposedly a mythical character, Miss Mackaill gets a series of laughs by her nicknaming him Wobbles. Audience, in on the secret with the aunt, is interested when the live Smith gets the first letter, one mailed unintentionally. Then Celia's trick of inserting a death notice about smith in the paper and her feigning sorrow gets another rise.

When Smith shows up, along with a course of mathematically times and correct coincidences, he automatically falls into line and poses as a fellow buddy of the "dead" officer. There is a certain amount of fun in the masquerading of Rathbone and Mackaill. It's a little too long and too bromidic of dialog to pack the laughs which a situation of this kind should.

Emily Fitzroy, as the aunt, provides one of the most comic moments when she downs a goblet of spirits and goes through the lurch routine.

Love interest, despite the reaching situations, comparatively slight.

Waly.

—Variety, August 6, 1930, p. 38