Film Summary DCCCVIII (Sin Takes a Holiday)

 


A young secretary (played by Constance Bennett) finds herself in a strange predicament. 

Her wealthy boss (A divorce attorney of all things. Who's played by Kenneth MacKenna) wishes to marry her to avoid marrying another woman who's been seeking him for some time. 
He fears losing his Bachelour freedom and possibly a large amount of his own Finance. 
Knowing just how well some women can acquire wealth when they divorce there husband's. 
Or at least this might be the view of the man in question. 

Whatever the reason; he wishes to maintain his independence. So he strikes up a contract with he's secretary. Where in the two of them will be married for a year in name only. 
They needn't see each other; they needn't even live with each other. 
In fact he makes arrangements for is now wife Sylvia to go off to Paris to enjoy the luxuries of the Parisian countryside and markets. 

However there's a problem. 
Sylvia has real emotions for Gaylord and is not only distraught by the idea of a fake marriage but offended. 
Every feeling she had for him vanishes when she discovers he wants to use her as nothing more than a tool. 

Still with some persuasion from her roommates she takes up the deal. Thinking of no better way out of the situation and deciding to take some of the luxuries with the benefit. 
But all is still not well and she feels distant and depressed while on a cruise liner to the old world. 

That is until a gentleman by the name of Reggie (played by Basil Rathbone) strikes up a conversation with her having recognized her from a previous meeting at Mr.Stanton's law office. 

For Reggie it's nothing more than a simple fling with a pretty girl while he's on holiday in his Parisian manner. 
But things began to change as the two become closer throughout the months. 
At no point do the two ever become intimate but they are enjoying each other's company and Riggie finds himself falling for the girl despite all he's previous engagements with ''bachelourhood''.
It's also implied that everyone else believe the two of them to be having an affair as their picture ended up in a popular magazine of the two standing together at a motor show. 
It's kind of funny in a way as this is a typical love triangle movie that could be peppered with spite and jealousy and a lot of aggressive conversation. But is utterly deprived of it except only for the last 10 minutes. 
Everyone is just going with the motions and trying to make their situation work.

At one point things become so serious that Riggie proposes to ''Miss'' Sylvia. 
And wouldn't you know it; Sylvia is intrigued. 
Unlike Stanton she's actually developed romantic chemistry with this man and now she wants to get a divorce from her fake husband to end up in a relationship with her now ''real'' boyfriend. But is stuck with the dilemma of a year-long contract and a man who is desperately trying to keep himself independent of another woman who he just can't seem to tell to bugger off.

It's at this point at about 3/4 of the movie that everything becomes a little hazy and Confused. Reggie and Sylvia return to New York City to have a conversation with Stanton and end up keeping the fake relationship going because he needs to desperately keep this other woman out of his life. 
But now the two men are becoming jealous of each other because they both ''seemingly'' have romantic interests for Sylvia. Despite Stanton not really being interested in her from the beginning. 
And the film ends with Sylvia and Stanton actually connecting with one another and Reggie going back off to France. Seemingly to find another girl. 

I'd say it seems a bit confused with who in the love triangle is supposed to end up with. But the chemistry wasn't really all that strong between any of them*. 
Nor was there antagonistic standoff with one another. 
And the weird part is that it kind of works out. 

It's a fun romantic comedy that's really sad in the beginning and it flows really well. 
With acting just slightly over-the-top; given the Upper Crust flamboyant attitude of the people represented. 
You find yourself going along with emotions like everyone else. 
It's honestly not a half bad movie. 
But could have used an extra 20 minutes just to flesh out some story beats. Or to at least give a bit more closer to the ending. 
Everything felt so rust in the last 10 minutes. 
Reggie doesn't even say a proper goodbye to Sylvia. He just leaves and that's that.

*I say there isn't any chemistry though the actors are certainly give it a good performance. Guess really what I mean is, there wasn't enough time to develop their chemistry properly.
There's so much more they could have done here. And yet I'm not sure if they should have. Maybe it's best that this film will use as short and simple as it is. Letter romantic comedy just be that a romance with comedy. Although that said the first 20 minutes still feels unbearably sad as Sylvia just feels out of place and alone.

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