The Single Standard
Encyclopedia
The Single Standard is a 1929 romantic drama film directed by John S. Robertson
and starring Greta Garbo
, Nils Asther
, and Johnny Mack Brown
.
This was Greta Garbo's fifteenth film and her second collaboration with fellow Swedish actor Nils Asther, after Wild Orchids.
Her longtime admirer Tommy Hewlett (Johnny Mack Brown) wants to marry her, but Arden finds fulfillment in a chance encounter with Packy Cannon (Nils Asther), a wealthy ex-prizefighter
turned painter. He had planned to cruise the South Seas on his yacht alone, but she impulsively goes with him. After months of idyllic bliss however, he turns around and takes her home, explaining that he needs his full attention for his painting.
Though Tommy knows of Arden's love for Packy, he begs her to marry him anyway. She agrees. Several years go by, and they have a much-beloved son.
However, Packy returns and admits to Arden that he could not stop thinking about her. She is swept away and agrees to sail away with him. Tommy confronts his rival with a gun; he orders Packy to pretend to reject Arden, promising to arrange a hunting "accident" for himself, so that Arden can be with Packy without a scandal that would hurt his son. Meanwhile, Arden comes to realize that their child means more to her than anyone else. She tells Packy she cannot go with him. Tommy, unaware of this latest development, arranges his shooting accident, but Arden figures it out in time.
John S. Robertson
John Stuart Robertson was a Canadian born actor and later film director perhaps best known for his 1920 screen adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, starring John Barrymore. He broke into filmmaking in 1915 with Vitagraph, then with Famous Players-Lasky, making 57 features in his career...
and starring Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, Nils Asther
Nils Asther
Nils Anton Alfhild Asther was a Danish-born Swedish actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid 1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo"...
, and Johnny Mack Brown
Johnny Mack Brown
Johnny Mack Brown was an All-American college football player and film actor originally billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career.-Early life:...
.
This was Greta Garbo's fifteenth film and her second collaboration with fellow Swedish actor Nils Asther, after Wild Orchids.
Plot
Arden Stuart (Greta Garbo) believes that a single standard of conduct should apply to both sexes. She strives for a combination of freedom, equality, and honesty in love. Her first attempt is with chauffeur Anthony Kendall, who is secretly a disillusioned "ace aviator" and son of a lord. However their romance ends in disaster; he commits suicide when he is fired because of it.Her longtime admirer Tommy Hewlett (Johnny Mack Brown) wants to marry her, but Arden finds fulfillment in a chance encounter with Packy Cannon (Nils Asther), a wealthy ex-prizefighter
Prizefighter
A prizefighter is a boxer.Prizefighter may also refer to:*Don King Presents: Prizefighter, a video game by 2k Sports released in 2008*Prize Fighter, a video game by Digital Pictures released in 1994 for the Sega CD...
turned painter. He had planned to cruise the South Seas on his yacht alone, but she impulsively goes with him. After months of idyllic bliss however, he turns around and takes her home, explaining that he needs his full attention for his painting.
Though Tommy knows of Arden's love for Packy, he begs her to marry him anyway. She agrees. Several years go by, and they have a much-beloved son.
However, Packy returns and admits to Arden that he could not stop thinking about her. She is swept away and agrees to sail away with him. Tommy confronts his rival with a gun; he orders Packy to pretend to reject Arden, promising to arrange a hunting "accident" for himself, so that Arden can be with Packy without a scandal that would hurt his son. Meanwhile, Arden comes to realize that their child means more to her than anyone else. She tells Packy she cannot go with him. Tommy, unaware of this latest development, arranges his shooting accident, but Arden figures it out in time.
Cast
- Greta GarboGreta GarboGreta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
- Arden Stuart Hewlett - Nils AstherNils AstherNils Anton Alfhild Asther was a Danish-born Swedish actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid 1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo"...
- Packy Cannon - Johnny Mack BrownJohnny Mack BrownJohnny Mack Brown was an All-American college football player and film actor originally billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career.-Early life:...
- Tommy Hewlett (as John Mack Brown) - Dorothy SebastianDorothy SebastianDorothy Sebastian was an American film and stage actress.-Early life and career:Sebastian was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. In her youth she hoped to be a dancer and later a film actress. Her family frowned on both ambitions, however, so she fled to New York at the age of 15...
- Mercedes Stuart - Lane ChandlerLane ChandlerLane Chandler was an American actor specializing in Westerns.-Early life:He was born as Robert Chandler Oakes on a ranch near Culbertson, Montana, the son of a horse rancher. At an early age, the family relocated to Helena, Montana, where he graduated from high school...
- Ding Stuart - Mahlon HamiltonMahlon HamiltonMahlon Preston Hamilton Jr. was an American stage and screen actor. He was the son of a bartender born in Baltimore, Maryland the eldest of three daughters and a son raised by his parents...
- Mr. John Glendenning - Kathlyn WilliamsKathlyn WilliamsKathlyn Williams was an American actress, known for her blonde beauty and daring antics, who performed on stage as well as in early silent film.-Early life and career:...
- Mrs. Glendenning - Zeffie TilburyZeffie TilburyZeffie Agnes Lydia Tilbury was an English actress-Career:Born in Paddington, Middlesex, England Tilbury was known first on the London stage and later for playing wise or evil older characters in films, such as the distinguished lady gambler at dinner with Garbo in The Single Standard, as Grandma...
- Mrs. Handley - Wally AlbrightWally AlbrightWally Albright was an American former child actor.-Career:Albright was born Walton Algernon Albright, Jr. in Burbank, California. He appeared in a number of films during his career, and is notable for appearing in six Our Gang short subjects throughout the early 1930s...
- Arden's young son (uncredited)
Production
Production took place in April and May of 1929, in Hollywood, California (USA). Production stills photographs were made by James Manatt and production portraits were taken by Ruth Harriet Louise on May 1929.Critical reception
Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
"Beautifully photographed in the MGM manner by Oliver Marsh, The Single Standard is a prime example of how to tell an essentially "talkie" story within the confines of the silent film."
Box office
The film garnered receipts of $1,048,000 ($659,000 in the US and $389,000 abroad), vs. a budget of $336,000. It was one of the top grossing films of the year.Home media
The film was released on VHS home video in the 1980s with its original Movietone soundtrack and effects and appears on television with the Movietone. In 2009 The Single Standard was issued on DVD release for the first time.External links
- http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/44876/The-Single-Standard/overviewThe Single Standard review at The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
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