netwallah A star vehicle for Joan Crawford, who plays Margaret O'Neal, daughter of an inn-keeper, adoptive niece of Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore), hopelessly in love with Virginia Senator John Randolph (Melvyn Douglas), married first to the dashing naval lieutenant Timberlake (Robert Taylor), and then after turning down Randolph because he's intent on breaking up the Union, to steadfast John Eaton (Franchot Tone). The cast is made more lively by the presence of Beaulah Bondi as the pipe-smoking backwoods Rachel Jackson, by Sidney Toler as Daniel Webster ready to orate at the drop of a hat, by Alison Skipworth as the gossiping Mrs. Beall, and the gosh-shucks comic interludes of a very young James Stewart as Rowdy Dow. This is a sentimental melodramatic revision of history, with historical figures gravitating or (perhaps) orbiting about a beautiful, headstrong, smart young woman. But though she's smart and loyal, possessing all the same political convictions of most of the male characters, the only real scope she has is to marry, or not to marry, somebody whose politics she agrees with. And then the worst she has to endure—other than the heartbreak of not being able to marry Randolph because he's an incipient secessionist—is the petty nastiness of stuck-up Washingtonians who despise her because of her humble origins (she's "Pothouse Peg" to them) and because of what they imagine is scandalous behaviour—especially visiting Randolph's deathbed after he's assassinated by a really vile, sneaky rebel. Jackson intervenes, dismissing his entire cabinet, and Margaret sails with her husband for Spain. Somehow, I have reservations about Crawford here—and not just the part written for her. True, she is very good-looking indeed, but she doesn't seem to inhabit the part as much as she moves and holds still for the camera, and employs the appropriate facial expressions, the big sad eyes, the sparky impish look, the indignant glare, the soft yielding gaze, the angry flounce. She's overdressed (by Adrian) for the part, and so is her accent. If the dialogue didn't mention it from time to time it would be hard to remember she's not supposed to be a "lady." Her carriage reflects this problem, too, until it seems that everybody else in the cast is acting while she is delivering Joan Crawford content. And now the other problem with this movie—Andrew Jackson. Lionel Barrymore does a great job making him a crusty but kind-hearted and principled backwoods original, with his colourful curses and idioms, with his corn-whiskey voice and with his bushy white eyebrows. But this is a sentimentalized Jackson, retooled in a process of romantic primitivization: he is made up of equal parts of federalist principles, loyalty to his hayseed origins and his beloved hillbilly wife, avuncular kindness to Margaret, and huffing-and-puffing temper. He is made out to be a proto-Lincoln,determined to Save the Union. I suppose he might have been, but I am so angry with the real Jackson about manifest destiny—the banishment of Indians from the east and the Trail of Tears—that I find this soppy idolatry rather creepy.

theowinthrop If you recall Charleton Heston's first film about Andrew Jackson, THE PRESIDENT'S LADY, Jackson married Rachel Robarts (Susan Hayward) thinking she was divorced from Lewis Robarts. But the divorce was not completed. They had to remarry - unfortunately the scandal of a brief period of adulterous life together never was forgotten by Jackson's enemies. THE PRESIDENT'S LADY shows how Rachel's great love for Andrew took him to the White House in 1829, but that the scandalous political campaign against Jackson at her expense killed her. This apparently is true, and Jackson (a man who hated powerfully) never forgave his enemies for killing Rachel.THE GORGIOUS HUSSEY touches this tragedy. Beulah Bondi is Rachel, and Lionel Barrymore Andrew, and Beulah dies early in the film, just as Andrew becomes President. She has a friend here, Peggy O'Neal (Joan Crawford)who tries to confront the widowed President. She's popular, having at least four beaux: Lt. Timberlake, a naval officer (Robert Taylor - in a very brief early part); Senator John Randolph (Melvyn Douglas), a distinguished spokesman for southern states rights; John Eaton (Franchot Tone), Jackson's Secretary of War; and James Stewart. She rejects Randolph's offer of marriage (he's too old for her), and marries Taylor - but there is some question about the legality of the marriage (we see them accidentally lose the marriage certificate). Taylor dies while at sea. Tone marries Crawford, and due to her "loose" behavior it causes a massive cabinet crisis that splits the U.S. government. But Jackson stands by Peggy O'Neal Timberlake Eaton, and remakes the cabinet and his government to mirror his view of democracy.This film has a lot going for it and a lot going against it: It is a juicy, crazy scandal that makes an interesting tale - and it is true. But the script is full of errors - I will leave it to others to comment on the main one concerning one of the main characters in the film. All the performers play their parts well, from Crawford and her beaus to Bondi and Barrymore, Sidney Blackmer (as Daniel Webster) and Louis Calhern as a fictional villain. Some of the dialogue is ridiculous: the decision by Jackson to demolish Nicholas Biddle's Second Bank of the United States is consolidated to one line (but it was an issue that lasted six or seven years!). One hopes another attempt is made at telling the story of Peggy Eaton - one that is not so full of errors, and explains how petticoat politics got out of control in the early 1830s.

nickandrew Fanciful, but silly biography of Peggy Eaton (Crawford), a controversial figure during the Andrew Jackson administration in the late 1820s, and her relationships with influential men of that era. Semi-fiction story is "gorgeous" to look at thanks to elegant period settings and costumes, not so much the performances or script.

marcslope Joan isn't all that gorgeous, only a halfhearted hussy, and not much of an actress, either--at least not here. Rather, she's a nice but confused innkeeper's daughter in 1820s Washington with love and politics on the brain. Mostly she lifts her considerable eyebrows up and down, up and down, to indicate joy, worry, bafflement, empathy, ecstasy... All the while she's pursued by most of the leading men of MGM circa 1936, for reasons best known to them, since there's nothing particularly fascinating about her character. This lengthy melodrama does have first-rate production values and intermittent good acting, especially from the quieter performers, Melvyn Douglas and (most of all) Beulah Bondi, as a gentle, pipe-smoking Mrs. Andrew Jackson. But as a historical romance it's rather listless, with a rote Snidely-Whiplash villain (Louis Calhern) and much nattering about states' rights. The conflicts feel painted-on. The ending feels hurried and contrived. And Joan always seems to be looking for her key light.