User Reviews

One of my favorite films, this one has an outstanding cast led by Lili Damita and O.P. Heggie. Although Lili is mainly remembered today (if she is remembered at all) as the spouse of Errol Flynn (1935-1942) – she was also married to director Mike Curtiz for a year or so (1925-1926) – she was not only a very beautiful lady but a fine actress, as this film amply demonstrates. Normally any player would meet their match with the charismatic O.P. Heggie, but Lili is the dominant figure here and it is only in the last scenes that Heggie finally gets his chance to seize the reins. The rest of the players – with the exception, of course, of Halliwell Hobbes who makes the most of his brief appearances as the butler – put up a bit of a struggle but Lester Vail as the surly son is easily outclassed, as is Miriam Seegar, Anita Louise and even Blanche Friderici. Nevertheless, all contribute magnificently to the film which moves at such a rapid pace under the inspired direction of Victor Schertzinger and is so attractively photographed (J. Roy Hunt) and set (Max Rée – who also designed the moodily lavish costumes) that it is impossible to take our eyes off the screen for even a few seconds. Based on a seemingly unproduced stage play (well, it was not presented on Broadway, that's for sure!) by Irving Kaye Davis. Available on an excellent Alpha DVD.

The Lili Damita of the silents was vivacious, lively and high spirited but once sound came along no studio seemed to know what to do with her and she quickly found her niche being cast in French versions of popular movies, a way for studios to capture the European market in those early sound days.

There was even a French version of "The Woman Between" but unfortunately Lili wasn't in it - it was someone called Jeanne Helbling. Don't really agree with the other reviewer about this being a top film, I haven't seen Lili Damita in many movies but there was no hint of a sparkling personality here. Even though a smart businesswoman, her Julie seemed to be down and defeated before the movie starts. She has just returned from a cruise and has been swept off her feet by Paul (Lester Vail, who made even fewer films than his look alike Paul Page) in a ship board romance. She returns to hostile opposition from Doris (Miriam Seegar) her stepdaughter, and eagerness from John, her much older husband (O. P. Heggie doesn't cut a particularly dashing figure and looks like he would be just as happy with a cardigan and slippers)!!! She just wants a whispered "I love you" but John can't believe his luck at capturing such a young bride and leaves Julie feeling unsatisfied with her lot.

The whole family is keenly awaiting the return of long lost son Victor who had gone off in a huff after learning his father was to marry a younger woman. Doris has already lined up ethereally pretty but vacuous Helen (Anita Louise) as her future sister-in -law. But Victor turns out to be Paul - and the romance continues hot and heavy until even daffy Helen realises she is not in the picture!!

All through the film Julie has a wet blanket personality - even the song she is given "Close to Me"(written by the film's director Victor Scheztinger, who also wrote popular songs) sounds like a dirge - which makes the ending so strange!! It seems just a little "I love you" plus her own little villa on the Riviera will solve everything and obliterate Paul from her memory - or will it??

Anita Louise was so "other worldly" beautiful and she seemed to grow up so fast. In "Millie" she played Helen Twelvetree's innocent daughter, next movie she played empty headed socialite eager to wed in "The Woman Between".