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This Modern Age

1931, Movie, NR, 76 mins

This Modern Age: Review

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Aimed directly at the heartstrings of its intended female audience, this features Crawford as an American socialite who has grown up in her father's home after her parents' divorce years before. Now the young woman is off to Paris, where she is to see her mother (Frederick) after their long separation. What Crawford does not know is that her high-living mother is the mistress of Conti, a rich Frenchman who is passed off to the girl as a mere friend of the family. While in Paris Crawford decides to sample the risque life for herself. She takes up with Owsley, a young drunkard for whom fast cars and rumpled tuxedos are simple daily pleasures. While the two are out driving, Owsley accidentally causes their automobile to flip over. This is witnessed by Hamilton, a handsome Harvard football star, who rescues the hapless pair. As Crawford and Hamilton become better acquainted, their friendship blossoms into love. Hamilton, eager to marry Crawford, brings his conservative, wealthy parents--Bosworth and Dunn--to meet the mother of his intended. The meeting proves to be a trying one, for Owsley--accompanied by some fellow inebriates--bursts into the room. To compound this social faux pas, Conti arrives, and his relationship with Frederick is made all too clear. Bosworth and Dunn, steaming with indignation, demand that Hamilton break off his romance with Crawford. The pair then storm out. This leads to a tear-inducing heart-to-heart talk between Crawford and Frederick that ties a stronger bond between child and parent. Hamilton, bound by love, ignores his parents' wishes and returns once more to the side of his true love. The reunited pair run off together as Frederick reassesses her life. She comes to realize that her affair with Conti is doing her no good and brings the relationship to a conclusion. THIS MODERN AGE is a story that pours on the melodramatics. Almost every emotional turn is a major revelation or a crisis for the principals involved. Crawford, her hair dyed blonde for the part, gives her role all the high-handed emotions that she was famous for throughout her career. Though Frederick's talents are clearly above the part, she too does some histrionic acting that brings added life to the tawdry story. Grinde emphasizes this in his direction, bubbling all the elements of soap opera together in a decidedly non-subtle manner. The comedy sequences involving Owsley have a better flair, coming off with a more natural feeling than the serious moments. All in all it's entertaining enough, occasionally crossing the border into good campy fun. leave a comment
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