Prismark10
Cary Grant plays a man trapped in a loveless marriage and it is an era where the divorce laws in New York are not favourable to him. His wife Kay Francis is icily shrewd, she wants hold of Grant not because she loves him but he has money and she has cultivated a close relationship with his parents who are influential.However Grant is in a tizz when he meets winsome widow Carole Lombard and her daughter. He is charmed by her but there are no long term prospects if his wife does not give her a divorce and Francis's catty friends try to make life difficult for Lombard.This is a minor melodrama very much of its era, nothing much happens apart from Grant getting drunk and catching pneumonia. It is nice to see Francis finally exposing her true intentions not knowing Grant's parents are nearby.
vincentlynch-moonoi
I've watched this film three times in the last couple of years, and I'm coming to the conclusion that this may be the best of the Cary Grant performances of his pre-1940 period.Cary Grant turns in a strong performance as a husband in a loveless marriage (with Kay Francis) who casually bumps into a rather captivating woman (Carole Lombard). His marriage amounts to nothing -- hence "In Name Only".Kay Francis turns in one of her best performances, as well, although as a truly unlikable character who will sacrifice anything to remain married to her husband...even if it kills him (literally). The year before this film, she had been named "box office poison" after having quite a successful career in films. Carole Lombard reportedly got Francis this role, and it revived her career, albeit more in character roles.I'm not a fan of Carole Lombard, but here she is magnificent. She walks a tightrope successfully balancing being "the other woman" unintentionally breaking up a marriage and being the most sympathetic character in the film.Along the way are a number of noted character actors who also turn in strong performances (though not necessarily likable characters): Charles Coburn as Grant's father, Katherine Alexander as Lombard's sister (a man hater since her own romantic life crumbled), Jonathan Hale as a doctor and friend of the family, and others.To me, this film goes beyond the typical love theatrics of a love triangle and shows just how mean spirited divorces can get, although here Kay Francis' wife character gets a wonderful comeuppance at the end of the film! Highly recommended.
jjnxn-1
Considering the three main stars a curiously obscure drama from the legendary year of 1939. Superior soap opera contains some of the best work Cary Grant, Carole Lombard and Kay Francis ever put on film. Carole shows that she wasn't just a superb comedienne but a skilled dramatic actress. Cary is just right in blending the facile with the seriousness of the untenable situation he finds himself in. As good as both of them are, and they are great, even better is Kay Francis, a portrait in silky malevolence. This was inexplicably almost the end of her film career, she ended up in Poverty Row junk only a few years later and after watching this it's hard to understand how this didn't open up a whole new chapter for her as the wicked woman of cinema. Perhaps she was just too early for noir, she would have been perfect as a poison pit viper in many of those pictures.
dbdumonteil
"In name only" is a very well acted movie,which smartly combines melodrama and snatches of comedy.One good example is the scene in the restaurant when Lombard and Grant are talking about the menu (and he asks for a big knife) while the spouse (Kay Francis)is saying nasty things to them.The beginning of the movie is as relaxed as it can be:it is by no mean the first scene of a drama:Julie Eden (sic)is fishing in a lake where there's no fish anymore .Although living in a much more wealthier world than Julie,Alec is married to a selfish wife in love with both herself and money.Julie means not only love ,but a life devoid of conventional words or kindness,a life best depicted in the Christmas "surprise surprise" party.The movie,like many melodramas ,reaches its peak in the two extraordinary scenes in the hospital where Julie plays twice the same scene,once as if she were in a play,and the second time when she does not "play" anymore.
AD
