bkoganbing Friends and Lovers was Sir Laurence Olivier's fourth film and first for an American studio in this case RKO. His first wife Jill Esmond was better known and RKO brought her over from the UK for a couple of films and Larry went along for the ride.He was also appearing on Broadway in Private Lives so his film work in general was an afterthought. Friends and Lovers was something that better been left undone though.I mean it is terrible, everyone in this drama is overacting completely especially the stage trained Olivier. Olivier was dismissive of all his film work before Wuthering Heights and he was hard on himself in something like Fire Over England. But here he was justified.The plot has Lili Damita apparently making a living at seducing men of property and then having husband Erich Von Stroheim show up and demand financial remuneration for his cuckolded pride. It's an upper crust English version of what we in the USA call the old badger game. Her latest victim is Captain Adolphe Menjou set to leave for the Indian frontier the next day.When Menjou arrives he finds out that an old army pal Laurence Olivier is to join him at the post. When Olivier arrives Menjou discovers he also was a victim and the friendship goes on the rocks. Friends and Lovers goes downhill from there. I suppose its Hollywood's idea about the British upper crust. The whole thing is rather silly from my point of view.I'm sure Erich Von Stroheim thought so too. He's guilty of the most overacting in the film. I think Von Stroheim thought he was taking advantage of the deficiencies of the script. Still the whole thing is pretty silly.Hugh Herbert is here also. Oddly enough with a fake Scot's burr, he's at the most restrained I've ever seen him as Menjou's orderly. A little 'woo woo' might enlivened the film a bit.Friends and Lovers is a curiosity for fans of the late Lord Olivier, anyone else be warned.

bullybyte This is the sort of film that got RKO Radio studios into financial trouble. It has a great cast: Damita, von Stroheim, Menjou, Olivier. The plot is predictable, and the story threadbare. I doubt if there were many more people in the 1930s who were turned on by this kind of melodrama as there are now.A porcelain collector uses his younger wife to ensnare rich army officers, so that he can blackmail them. Two officers, serving in the British army in India, find out that they are both in love with this same woman. That is the plot in a nutshell. The saving feature of this film it to witness some pretty good acting performances. Apart from Hugh Herbert, whose Scottish accent slips like a postman in the snow and sounds about as authentic as the MacFarterchops tartan, the rest of the cast turn in some pretty good performances. Von Stroheim's performance is weird; but then again he is playing a weirdo. Menjou turns in a competent performance - as he always does. Olivier is subtle: you have to watch him carefully to fully appreciate what he does. The same can be said for Damita. Yes, it's great to have a sophisticated leading lady who doesn't mind getting her kit off; but watch her performance next to Olivier in the dining table scene. Further down the cast, the pair who play the general and his sister turn in good performances, too.The performances of the cast rescue this film, which is of its time. It is watchable.

Ben Parker Cardboard sets on the back of the studio lot, a shocking opening scene between Menjou and Damita, terrible dialogue, poor structure, a plot i didn't care to follow and a cliche concept (love triangle). Menjou (from Paths of Glory) is fairly dreary, his camp cliche conversations with Olivier seemed to stretch the movie out interminably, quite a feat for a movie barely an hour long, and the woman is beautiful, but not really an actress. In truth, there is only one element which rescues this movie (and even then only the scenes this particular gentleman is in), and that is, or he is, Erich von Stroheim.Nobody made being evil look as much fun as Stroheim. Von plays the scheming evil husband of Damita who blackmails her lover, Menjou, to do what i can't remember (even though i just watched it - which perhaps says something about the significance of the plot). Von gives this material the seriousness it deserves (not much), which ironically results in his saving the picture. He plays the husband as a broad comedy character, replete with evil laughter. I noticed him almost choking on some of the dialogue its so ridiculous, but there was also some really great fun dialogue in his scenes, which i can't really remember either, except this:Menjou: Blackmail! Stroheim: Blackmail is such an... ugly word...Stroheim (explaining why he's just read a love letter addressed to his wife from another man): I am a romantic. I enjoy reading other people's letters, doesn't everybody?After the first scene when Menjou and Damita are alone together you've totally written the whole movie off as being able to be taken seriously - but when Von Stroheim appears as the malicious husband, which he plays with flair and humour, all of a sudden you feel this wonderfully trashy facade of a film is actually quite fun. And it is - mainly only Von's scenes and those that comedian Hugh Herbert, playing Menjou's servant, are in.Little-known actress Lili Damita plays the woman every man in this picture is fighting over - and for once, i can understand all the fuss! She's absolutely radiant, really sexy. One of the most beautiful people i've ever seen. She has a racy shower scene where the side of her breast can be seen (i'm not kidding) and a scene where she's getting dressed. These are the luxuries afforded by a pre-code film (1930-1934 i think).The down side to movies from this period is the cardboard-sets, talk-instead-of-cinema nature of them. Aside from the wonderful films of Lubitsch and anything Carole Lombard is in (and Riefenstahl's The Blue Light, perhaps), films from this period are quite poor. They've thrown away everything that was good about silent pictures, and haven't yet learned how to incorporate dialogue well, so what we have are filmed and edited stage plays.Watch out for Lawrence Olivier at 24, in his third ever film, who's so slender, high-voiced and camp he's almost feline. This is not a significant film for anyone involved - the only reason it is notable is probably Olivier (if he's your cup of tea), being one of his first movies and probably his first major role.

8katana8 This is a wonderful pre-code pot-boiler with sterling performances from it's lead players, plenty of action and the man "You Love to Hate" Eric von Stroheim, at his most repellent best.Look out for the outstanding shower scene for Lilly Damita, and listen to the sonorous magic of Laurence Olivier's voice, both reason enough to watch this little-known piece.At 64 minutes, the most fun you can have in an hour of black and white.