Our Betters

Our Betters
Our Betters
	Original poster
Directed by	George Cukor
Screenplay by	Jane Murfin; Harry Wagstaff Gribble
Based on	Our Betters; 1917 play; by Somerset Maugham
Produced by	David O. Selznick
Starring	Constance Bennett; Anita Louise; Gilbert Roland
Cinematography	Charles Rosher
Edited by	Jack Kitchin
Music by	Bernhard Kaun; Roy Webb
Production; company	RKO Radio Pictures
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release date	February 23, 1933;
Running time	83 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Our Betters is a 1933 American pre-Code satirical comedy film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett, Anita Louise and Gilbert Roland. The screenplay by Jane Murfin and Harry Wagstaff Gribble is based on the 1917 play of the same title by Somerset Maugham. Tommy Atkins worked as assistant director, while the sets were designed by the art director Van Nest Polglase.

Plot

Just after her wedding, American hardware heiress Pearl Saunders overhears her husband, Lord George Grayston, telling his mistress that he only married her for her money. Disillusioned, she grows hard and cynical.

Five years later, she has made herself a force among the British upper class with her parties. Among her friends are divorced Duchess Minnie, gossip-loving Thornton Clay, philanthropic Princess Flora, and Arthur Fenwick, her wealthy and adoring lover. Arthur discreetly provides her with a much-needed regular allowance, as her now absent husband has squandered most of her fortune.

Pearl introduces her younger sister Bessie to English aristocracy and especially to eligible young bachelor Lord Harry Bleane. The glamour of high society seduces Bessie. When her former fiancé, Fleming Harvey, comes to see her, it becomes clear to him that she no longer loves him. Harry proposes to Bessie; she accepts, though she tells him only that she likes him very much.

Pearl's social circle spends a weekend at the Grayston country estate. There, Minnie's gigolo, Pepi D'Costa, privately woos Pearl. Eventually, she has a rendezvous with him in the detached teahouse. However, this is detected by Minnie. She maliciously sends an unsuspecting Bessie to fetch her purse, whereupon Bessie sees too much. Her suspicions confirmed, Minnie denounces Pearl before the others. Arthur is furious and disheartened. Pearl's feelings are not hurt; she is more concerned about it becoming known.

Pearl delays Minnie's departure for London and, through her wiles, manages to make up with both Minnie and Arthur. Minnie even forgives Pepi, finally agreeing to marry him. She then persuades Minnie to stay another night and learn the latest tango steps from effete dance instructor Ernest. When Bessie expresses her disgust with her sister's behavior, however, Pearl is truly hurt. She has second thoughts and persuades Harry to break the engagement. Bessie asks a delighted Fleming to take her away.

Cast

Constance Bennett as Pearl, Lady Grayston
Anita Louise as Bessie Saunders
Gilbert Roland as Pepi D'Costa
Violet Kemble-Cooper as Duchess Minnie
Charles Starrett as Fleming Harvey
Grant Mitchell as Thornton Clay
Phoebe Foster as the Princess
Minor Watson as Arthur Fenwick
Hugh Sinclair as Lord Harry Bleane
Alan Mowbray as Lord George Grayston
Tyrell Davis as Ernest
Finis Barton as Diana, George's Mistress
May Beatty as Duchess of Hightower

Production

Producer David O. Selznick enlisted Elsa Maxwell, a gossip columnist whose reputation as a hostess of successful society parties was widely known, to serve as a consultant for the film's general tone and its costumes, which were designed by Hattie Carnegie.^[1]

The film premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.^[2]

Critical reception

Mordaunt Hall, film critic for The New York Times in 1933, called the film "a highly praiseworthy pictorial interpretation of the stage work" and added the following about Cukor's direction and Rosher's cinematography:

It is an intelligently worked out film, thanks to the director, George Cukor, and while it does not bother much about cinematic art, the scenes are always beautifully photographed and nicely staged. It has heaps of amusement and some hearty laughter, and Mr. Maugham's fine hand still is apparent notwithstanding certain tactful studio changes."^[2]

References

^ Fristoe, Roger (July 29, 2005). "Our Betters: Articles". Turner Classic Movies.
^ ^a ^b Hall, Mordaunt (24 February 1933). "Movie Review - Constance Bennett, Violet Kemble-Cooper and Grant Mitchell in a Film of a Somerset Maugham Play. - NYTimes.com". The New York Times.

External links

Our Betters at IMDb
Our Betters at the TCM Movie Database
Our Betters at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

[1] Fristoe, Roger (July 29, 2005). "Our Betters: Articles". Turner Classic Movies.

[NYTimes-2] Hall, Mordaunt (24 February 1933). "Movie Review - Constance Bennett, Violet Kemble-Cooper and Grant Mitchell in a Film of a Somerset Maugham Play. - NYTimes.com". The New York Times.

[1]

[2]

v t e Jane Murfin
Plays and screenplays	Smilin' Through (1919) Way Back Home (1931) What Price Hollywood? (1932) Our Betters (1933) The Little Minister (1934) Spitfire (1934) Roberta (1935) Alice Adams (1935) The Women (1939) Pride and Prejudice (1940) Dragon Seed (1944)
Family & Relationships	Laurence Trimble Donald Crisp

v t e Works by W. Somerset Maugham
Novels	Liza of Lambeth (1897) Mrs Craddock (1902) The Magician (1908) Of Human Bondage (1915) The Moon and Sixpence (1919) The Painted Veil (1925) Cakes and Ale (1930) The Narrow Corner (1932) Theatre (1937) Christmas Holiday (1939) Up at the Villa (1941) The Razor's Edge (1944) Then and Now (1946) Catalina (1948)
Short story collections	The Trembling of a Leaf (1921) The Casuarina Tree (1926) Ashenden (1928) Ah King (1933) The Mixture as Before (1940) Creatures of Circumstance (1947)
Short stories	"Rain" "The Vessel of Wrath" "The Lotus Eater" "The Unconquered"
Plays	Loaves and Fishes (1902) Lady Frederick (1907) Smith (1909) Penelope (1909) The Land of Promise (1913) Our Betters (1917) Caesar's Wife (1919) The Circle (1921) The Constant Wife (1926) The Letter (1927) The Sacred Flame (1928) The Bread-Winner (1930) For Services Rendered (1932) Sheppey (1933)
Non-fiction	On a Chinese Screen (1922) The Summing Up (1938) Ten Novels and Their Authors (1954)
Adaptations	The Explorer (1915) The Land of Promise (1917) Smith (1917) The Divorcée (1919) Jack Straw (1920) East of Suez (1925) The Circle (1925) The Canadian (1926) The Magician (1926) Sadie Thompson (1928) The Letter (1929) Charming Sinners (1929) Strictly Unconventional (1930) Rain (1932) The Narrow Corner (1933) Our Betters (1933) Of Human Bondage (1934) The Painted Veil (1934) The Right to Live (1935) Secret Agent (1936) The Tenth Man (1936) Isle of Fury (1936) Another Dawn (1937) The Vessel of Wrath (1938) The Letter (1940) Too Many Husbands (1940) The Moon and Sixpence (1942) Christmas Holiday (1944) The Hour Before the Dawn (1944) Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (1946) The Razor's Edge (1946) Of Human Bondage (1946) The Unfaithful (1947) Quartet (1948) Trio (1950) Encore (1951) Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) The Beachcomber (1954) The Seventh Sin (1957) Adorable Julia (1962) Of Human Bondage (1964) The Razor's Edge (1984) Up at the Villa (2000) Being Julia (2004) The Painted Veil (2006)
Related	Somerset Maugham Award