The Gorgeous Hussy (1936)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Ainsworth Morgan (screenplay) and
Stephen Morehouse Avery (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

28 August 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

President Andrew Jackson's friendship with an innkeeper's daughter spells trouble for them both. |

Plot Keywords:

Innkeeper | Andrew Jackson | Murder | Dancing | Washington D.C.

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Peggy Eaton
Robert Taylor	...	'Bow' Timberlake
Lionel Barrymore	...	Andrew Jackson
Franchot Tone	...	John Eaton
Melvyn Douglas	...	John Randolph
James Stewart	...	'Rowdy' Dow
Alison Skipworth	...	Mrs. Beall
Beulah Bondi	...	Rachel Jackson
Louis Calhern	...	Sunderland
Melville Cooper	...	Cuthbert
Sidney Toler	...	Daniel Webster
Gene Lockhart	...	Major William O'Neal
Clara Blandick	...	Louisa Abbott
Frank Conroy	...	John C. Calhoun
Nydia Westman	...	Maybelle

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #2439)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Many people who are in studio records/casting call lists as cast members did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names): Louise Beavers (Aunt Sukey), Bert Roach (Major Domo), Oscar Apfel (Tompkins), Richard Powell (Doorman), Syd Saylor and Hooper Atchley (Agitators), Morgan Wallace (Slave Buyer), William Stack (W.R. Earle), Ward Bond (Officer) and Samuel S. Hinds (Commander). A modern source also lists Harry Holman (Auctioneer) and Harry Strang (Navigator) as cast members, but they were not seen either.

Movie Connections:

Featured in James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987) (TV)

Soundtrack:

America, My Country Tis of Thee

Boring period drama

Joan Crawford is neither gorgeous nor a hussy in this boring political drama set in the 1830s. Her performance, albeit it the best, seems a little suppressed and gets tiresome as the political innuendos drag on. From the very beginning, Margaret, the poor daughter of a Washington inn keeper, is after the matured John Randolph declaring her love to him only a few minutes into the movie. He rejects her and she ends up marrying a different man. Shortly thereafter, she is widowed and tossed back and forth to various men who have feelings for her. However, though she is scorned by society's upper-crust and ridiculed for her free thinking attitude, president Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore) still supports and befriends her. Yeah and his whole presence in this movie is bewildering. Watch out for outdated and just embarrassing lines like: "You should have been born a man." and "She's bin brow beatin' me all over the state of Tennessee!". I also disliked the way they treated the African-American servant in this movie. I know it's supposed to be the 1830s but I still hated it.

Followed along as best as I could, yet so many other pointless things were thrown in that I just became irritated. I don't know if they were aiming to make Joan's character look like a strong woman appearing to be weak or if she was supposed to look like a weak woman forced to be strong! James Stewart is also in this movie, but briefly. For the most part, The Gorgeous Hussy doesn't live up to its exciting name. Instead I recommend "The Bride Wore Red" which is a lot more entertaining (by a slim margin) but at least somewhat more intriguing.