A woman's trials and tribulations over a romance since childhood, protecting her husband's secret past, and the trouble it causes with her brother.A woman's trials and tribulations over a romance since childhood, protecting her husband's secret past, and the trouble it causes with her brother.A woman's trials and tribulations over a romance since childhood, protecting her husband's secret past, and the trouble it causes with her brother.
Leo G. Carroll
- Dr. Conrad Masters
- (as Leo Carroll)
Wilson Benge
- Fenwick's Butler
- (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey
- Napier's Butler
- (uncredited)
Leonard Carey
- Martin - Passerby
- (uncredited)
André Cheron
- French Waiter
- (uncredited)
Claudia Coleman
- Second Gossiper
- (uncredited)
Adrienne D'Ambricourt
- French Nun
- (uncredited)
Grace Hayle
- First Gossiper
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Hays office refused to sanction the movie under its original tile, "The Green Hat." Michael Arlen's original novel had acquired a salacious reputation, so MGM reluctantly changed it. They were not even allowed to use it as a screen story credit.
- GoofsWhen Napier first arrives, he states it's been five years since he's been there. Later, when he's in the car with Iris, she states she wrote a poem about him when he first went away to India - three years ago.
- ConnectionsVersion of A Woman of Affairs (1928)
Featured review
Noble lie has disastrous consequences
Constance Bennett is terrific in this not so terrific film. Late in life she told an interviewer she was no Sarah Bernhardt but her self-appraisal was off target and doesn't apply to her performance as the outcast lady. MGM filmed this story in 1929 with Garbo and audience comparison of the 2 interpretations may have been a factor in the 1934 version's box-office failure. Or maybe it was something else.
In the early scenes Iris is a young woman in love, bubbling with happiness, for she's about to marry her true love, played by Herbert Marshall. But Marshall is miscast. He's too old to play Napier, Iris childhood playmate, who allows his father to make major life decisions for him. Iris and Napier don't marry. Years later, Iris marries 'Boy', a man with a secret, which she discovers on her wedding day. Boy's response to her discovery is incredible. Iris then makes her own incredible decision that results in the ruination of those she loves as well as herself. Iris tells a lie. This saves Boy's reputation while destroying her own. More years later, the truth is revealed, but it's too late to be of use to anyone. That Bennett succeeds in making these incredible happenings credible is impressive.
And Bennett is graceful and alluring on the dance floor. A wonderful scene shows the pleasure seeking merry widow in her Adrian gown dancing the tango in a nightclub on the Riviera. She does appear to be enjoying herself and her partner. But we know better. Under that gay exterior there beats the broken heart of a noble woman. Or something like that.
Variety's reviewer wrote, "It's a very good acting job by Constance Bennett and if the story hadn't been such a patch-quilt it might have been one of her memorable performances." I agree. The story is to blame. BTW, the secret Iris guarded is somewhat mysterious. Being referred to as Boy's "purity" has misled today's viewers, but the audience of 1934, especially the males, would have known that Boy had a disease, at that time incurable and considered so shameful that it was spoken of only in confidence with one's doctor. MGM's genius producer, Irving Thalberg, as well as the Production Code were responsible for this hash.
In the early scenes Iris is a young woman in love, bubbling with happiness, for she's about to marry her true love, played by Herbert Marshall. But Marshall is miscast. He's too old to play Napier, Iris childhood playmate, who allows his father to make major life decisions for him. Iris and Napier don't marry. Years later, Iris marries 'Boy', a man with a secret, which she discovers on her wedding day. Boy's response to her discovery is incredible. Iris then makes her own incredible decision that results in the ruination of those she loves as well as herself. Iris tells a lie. This saves Boy's reputation while destroying her own. More years later, the truth is revealed, but it's too late to be of use to anyone. That Bennett succeeds in making these incredible happenings credible is impressive.
And Bennett is graceful and alluring on the dance floor. A wonderful scene shows the pleasure seeking merry widow in her Adrian gown dancing the tango in a nightclub on the Riviera. She does appear to be enjoying herself and her partner. But we know better. Under that gay exterior there beats the broken heart of a noble woman. Or something like that.
Variety's reviewer wrote, "It's a very good acting job by Constance Bennett and if the story hadn't been such a patch-quilt it might have been one of her memorable performances." I agree. The story is to blame. BTW, the secret Iris guarded is somewhat mysterious. Being referred to as Boy's "purity" has misled today's viewers, but the audience of 1934, especially the males, would have known that Boy had a disease, at that time incurable and considered so shameful that it was spoken of only in confidence with one's doctor. MGM's genius producer, Irving Thalberg, as well as the Production Code were responsible for this hash.
helpful•70
- hotangen
- Jan 30, 2015
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Iris March
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 17 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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