Four college friends want to make it big in New York City. Catherine “Fiery” Furness (Janet Gaynor) is determined to be a writer. Chris Thring (Charles Farrell) plans on a law career. Mack McGowan (James Dunn) sees himself as a radio singer. And Madge Roundtree (Ginger Rogers) has visions of Broadway stardom. While they are the best of friends, there are complications: Fiery loves Chris, Chris loves Madge, Madge loves Mack, and Mack loves Fiery. Who will have a Change of Heart (1934)? It's always enjoyable to see an actor at the start of his or her career. Here we have Ginger Rogers in a film released only five months before she appeared as Fred Astaire's partner in Flying Down to Rio (if you recall, the duo were second bananas in that film). We also have a glimpse of Shirley Temple, in the dialog-free role of a little girl on an airplane - released just before Ms. Temple became America's darling in Little Miss Marker. The titular stars of the film are Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, who were appearing in their last of twelve films together (Ms. Gaynor was the first actress to win an Oscar. It was awarded for two films in 1927 - Sunrise: The Story of Two Humans and Seventh Heaven, the latter with Mr. Farrell). (AFI catalog) Ms. Gaynor is an always engaging actress, and she gives her character's nickname multiple meanings. Katherine says that she is called Fiery because of her red hair, but Gaynor makes a character who is strong and determined. She takes the hand that is dealt her with little complaint, and makes it work.
Though Ms. Gaynor, who had successfully made the transition from silent to sound films, had a career boost when she garnered raves in A Star is Born (1937), she decided to retire in 1938. She married costumer Adrian in 1939, and they had a child the following year. They remained together until his death in 1959. She returned to films briefly (Bernadine in 1957), as well as doing some television work beginning in 1953. But, by and large she painted, and traveled - often with her friend Mary Martin and Martin's husband. In 1982, a car accident killed one person (Mary Martin's manager Ben Washer) and injured Ms. Martin, Ms. Gaynor's second husband Paul Gregory, and Ms. Gaynor herself. Though Ms. Gaynor lived for another two years, she never fully recuperated from her injuries and died at the age of 77. James Dunn is quite good in the role of Mack. He plays him as a
self-assured young man, who is very much the leader of his friends. Mack is the ringleader - he
is the one who urges them all to journey with them to New York City. One
particularly fun scene involves him trying to con a mother and daughter
to adopt an infant. He's quite engaging.
We also very
much enjoyed Beryl Mercer (Harriet Hawkins). Ms. Mercer made a career
playing motherly types, and she does not disappoint here. She is sweet
and sympathetic, and her affection for Fiery makes the audience warm to
her instantly. That she seems to know (and care) that the young Mrs. Mockby (Drue
Leyton) needs to adopt the baby Harriet has in her care also makes her
appealing. We trust her unerring judgement in what is best for her babies, and for the parents who adopt them because of Ms. Mercer's sincerity.
We were NOT familiar with Ms. Leyton (she only made 10 films, one of
which was uncredited, and two Broadway plays), but her life story is far
more interesting than her career. In 1938, she retired and moved to
Paris to marry Jacques Terrane (also known as Jacques Tartière, a French
actor). She began working on Voice of America,
making herself quite unpopular with the Nazi's. With the outbreak of
the war in France, her husband joined the resistance, and was shot while working with the Free French in
Syria. With the Nazi entrance into Paris, Ms. Leyton was arrested, but managed to
escape. She joined the French resistance, and used her house in Barbizon
to smuggle (in total) 42 downed Allied airmen out of France. She wrote a
book about her experiences - The House Near Paris. She died in 1997 at the age of 93.
Which brings us to Ginger Rogers. We know from the beginning that Madge is not the good girl - she's blowing bubble gum at her college graduation (instead of looking beatific like Fiery). Even with that image, Ms. Rogers presents Madge as problematic. She is ambitious, and willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants, but it's still hard to truly dislike her. You just want to give her a shake. As a result, by film's end, you are satisfied with the way it all resolves. The scenes of early New York City are always appealing to this group of natives. Change of Heart was surely filmed in Hollywood, but there is enough stock footage of NYC, circa 1934, to give us pleasure. While this is not a great film, it is enjoyable, primarily because of the two lead actresses. We'll leave you with this scene with Ginger, Janet, and the guys. You can also see Shirley Temple at the 1:08 mark (Don't blink. You'll miss her!)
The poster that we have attached to the posting is misleading, as is much about this movie. First of all, Now and Forever is
not REALLY a Shirley Temple movie. Miss Temple gets third billing
behind her co-stars, Gary Cooper and Carole Lombard, and doesn't appear
in the movie until about 15 minutes into the action. And while she
sings one little song (to entertain her little friends at a party),
there is no dancing to speak of. This movie is really about Gary Cooper,
who plays Jerry Day, a ne'er-do-well who supports his fancy lifestyle
by running small-time cons. Carole Lombard is his wife, Toni, who has
willingly taken the ride with Jerry, but is beginning to find it
wearing. When she discovers that Jerry has a small daughter, Penelope,
and that he is willing to "sell" her to support their lifestyle, she is
horrified. One look at little Penny, though, and Jerry is smitten. He
takes his daughter back from his in-laws, heads to Paris to reunite with
Toni, and begins to attempt an honest life. But temptation comes in the
form of Felix Evans (Sir Guy Standing), a jewel thief who wants Jerry
to work for him.
We said before that much about the movie was
misleading. As it opens, we get happy, bouncy music, some of it from
other Shirley Temple movies. Would an audience, already familiar with
Temple's films from earlier that same year Stand up and Cheer and Baby, Take a Bow
be stunned by this very serious movie, which is really about Jerry, NOT
Penny. Would they expect our little heroine to dance (not just tap her
feet)? Would they expect to get a few songs? As we mentioned, they
don't get that at all, for Penny is merely the catalyst to complicate
Jerry's life and force him to re-evaluate his choices.
Lombard,
too, has a minor part to Cooper. Her one lovely scene is when she is
alone in Paris, trying to decide on her life with Jerry. The emotions
that play across her face tell you everything in just a few moments, and
point out her power as a dramatic actress. We have some interplay
between her and Temple, as they struggle to become mother and daughter,
but otherwise, Carole is just there to look attractive. Here's a scene with the three of them; if you can take your eyes off little Shirley, you are a stronger person than we are:
The ending
says it all. It is, again, about Jerry - he will have to pay for what
he has done (after all, this is code movie). Little Penny will be happy
(he has made sure she will be cared for); even Toni (it seems) will have
a place in life. But Jerry, who just cannot find a way to be honest,
must make recompense for what he has done.
One more Carole Lombard movie to go. See you next week.
