Evelyn Prentice (1934)

Evelyn Prentice - 1934

Our next film is 1934's "Evelyn Prentice", starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, as a husband and wife who's marriage is threatened by a series of circumstances that spiral out of control.

The film's supporting cast includes Una Merkel, Rosalind Russell (in her film debut), Isabel Jewell, Harvey Stephens, Edward Brophy, Cora Sue Collins, Jessie Ralph, and Sam McDaniel.

The film opens with John and Evelyn Prentice (Powell and Loy).  John can't stay for his wife's dinner party because of out of town business.  He's a highly successful defense attorney.

On his out of town business, John bumps into a former client (Rosalind Russell in her film debut).  They start a fling which distracts John from his familial obligations.

Later that evening, Evelyn meets Lawrence Kennard, a poet who is very interested in her.  She puts him off, but he is persistent.  When Evelyn discovers a bracelet belonging to Rosalind Russell that was apparently given by John, she gives in to his advances, and a relationship is started.

My favorite character in this film comes in the supporting role provided by Una Merkel.  She goes around saying things like, "Oh, look at all the forks.  One, two, three.  Hooray!  We're going to have an entree," and "Who was the broad-shouldered thrill you were talking to?"  She brings such a marvelous energy to the film.  When she casually asks Myrna Loy what she's reading, Loy tells her it's a book of poetry.  "Poems in the morning?" Merkel asks.  "Darling, it's your liver."

This is my favorite image from the film.  Evelyn is seeking solace from having to be at a barn dance, one of the things she detests.  The film moves on.  Evelyn writes Larry Kennard some letters, perfectly innocent, but they could be misinterpreted out of context.

Evelyn has a change of heart about the whole affair.  She goes to Kennard's apartment and asks for the letters.  He refuses unless she gives him $15,000.  He's drunk and abusive.  She sees a gun in a drawer and grabs it, intending to scare him into giving her the letters.  He strikes her, and she stumbles, the gun going off.  Evelyn rushes out of the apartment after seeing him fall to the floor dead.  Or is he?

Another lady is charged in the murder of Kennard with Evelyn's husband John representing her.  Evelyn can't stand it and rushes to the courtroom declaring that she killed Kennard.

I won't go into the particulars of the trial except to say that the performance given by this lady (Isabel Jewell) is very moving.  The courtroom is absolutely silent as she gives her testimony, and that hold-your-breath momentum carries through to the viewer.  Will Evelyn be charged with the murder of Lawrence Kennard?  You'll have to watch to find out.

Cast rundown:

   William Powell.......................................John Prentice

   Myrna Loy.............................................Evelyn Prentice

   Una Merkel...........................................Amy Drexel

   Rosalind Russell.....................................Mrs. Nancy Harrison

   Isabel Jewell.........................................Judith Wilson

   Harvey Stephens...................................Lawrence Kennard

   Edward Brophy......................................Eddie Delaney

   Cora Sue Collins....................................Dorothy Prentice

   Jessie Ralph..........................................Mrs. Blake

   Sam McDaniel........................................Porter

And that's all for Evelyn Prentice.  It's a good film, full of funny one-liners, drama, and touching moments.  Rosalind Russell gives a good performance for the all of 5 minutes that she's in the film.  The studio evidently knew a good thing when they saw it.

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