Three Cornered Moon (1933)

 

Three Cornered Moon - 1933

Coming up next we have 1933's "Three Cornered Moon", a story about a once affluent family in New York.  The Rimplegars must come to terms with the poverty that comes from the Depression as they struggle to reinvent themselves in the face of adversity.

The film's cast includes Claudette Colbert, Richard Arlen, Mary Boland, Wallace Ford, Lydia Roberti, Tom Brown, Joan Marsh, Hardie Albright, and William Bakewell.

Mrs. Nellie Rimplegar is having a tough morning.  She is having a hard time explaining some things to her maid/cook, who doesn't speak English.  And she can't seem to locate thirty cents to pay the balance of the laundry bill.  Little does she know, these will soon be the least of her worries.

Mrs. Rimplegar is the mother of four children.  The first is Kenneth, who is cramming for his state bar exam.  He's also a bit distracted by a two-timing girlfriend.

Then there's Douglas, who dreams of a career on the stage.  His brothers don't really take him seriously.

The family's only girl is melancholy Elizabeth, who goes around saying things like "I hate Monday.  What can you do on a Monday?" and "Nothing will ever be the same as it was when I was eighteen.  I was such a happy little dope."

The family's youngest child is Eddie, who goes to college.  Mrs. Rimplegar fusses over Eddie, inquiring if he drink his three glasses of milk a day while he was away.  When he tells her he doesn't like milk, she asks, "How long do you think you can keep on going this way?  Running around without any milk."

Elizabeth is currently dating wannabe novelist Ronald.  Having recently been kicked out of his apartment and realizing that his book isn't going the way he wants, Ronald contemplates a double suicide with Elizabeth.  "I haven’t thought seriously about suicide since I was fourteen and flunked algebra," she says.  She decides to bring him home to live with the family while he works on his book.

Mrs. Rimplegar is informed one day that her stock "Three Cornered Moon" is no longer producing money.  In reality, she is flat broke.  Naturally, she is very upset.

So, of course, the only thing to do is to hire a taxi and a woman to come home with you to wash your hair.  Once the Rimplegar kids find out that they are broke, they are upset with their mother for frivolously spending and not telling them the true state of affairs.

Dr. Alan Stevens, a friend of Elizabeth's (who is also sweet on her), comes to the family's aid by becoming a boarder.  He also helps them sort out what to do.

While Douglas and Eddie look for jobs, Kenneth decides to buckle down even harder to study for his bar exam.  If he passes, it means a pay raise to $25 a week, a sum fit for a president (according to Eddie).

Ronald, however, wants nothing to do with the work force.  Blinded by her love for him, Elizabeth decides to go to work instead.

She goes to work in a shoe factory, but after a couple of weeks she decides to quit.  The sexual harassment is too much for her to bear.

The Rimplegar situation is very dire.  Some relief appears on the horizon when Dr. Stevens announces that he's found a job for Ronald.  It's his for the taking.  All he has to do is go to see a man about it.  The whole family encourages him.  After much cajoling, he agrees to go.

On his way, Ronald meets up with Kenneth's ex-girlfriend Kitty, who is on her way to a party.  She invites Ronald along.

During the course of the evening, Eddie collapses from hunger and exhaustion.  He's been working day and night as a lifeguard for a swimming pool.  He's put too bed and ordered to rest.

When Ronald comes home, he tells the group he never went to the interview.  After seeing what happened to Eddie and hoping that Ronald would be able to help the family out, Elizabeth sees him for what he really is: a moocher.  She breaks off the relationship and kicks him out of the house.

Things start to look up, though.  Kenneth passes the bar exam and gets the longed-for raise.  The whole family is jubilant.

And Dr. Stevens finally confesses his feelings for Elizabeth.  She is overjoyed.

Mrs. Rimplegar, however, is a bit confused by the relationship.  "Elizabeth, you're kissing Dr. Stevens.  I thought it was Ronald," she says.  Elizabeth smiles and replies, "Oh, yesterday it was Ronald," as her brothers cheer them on.

Cast rundown:

   Claudette Colbert...............................Elizabeth Rimplegar

   Richard Arlen.....................................Dr. Alan Stevens

   Mary Boland......................................Mrs. Nellie Rimplegar

   Wallace Ford.....................................Kenneth Rimplegar

   Lydia Roberti.....................................Jenny

   Tom Brown.......................................Eddie Rimplegar

   Joan Marsh.......................................Kitty

   Hardie Albright..................................Ronald

   William Bakewell...............................Douglas Rimplegar

And that's it for Three Cornered Moon.  This film was included in the National Board of Review's 1933 "top 10 films" list.  It was also cited by film critic Leonard Maltin as one of the "25 Vintage Movies You Really Shouldn't Miss".  The dialogue is snappy, the drama is real, and comedy abounds.  It's got it all.

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