This Modern Age
Encyclopedia
This Modern Age is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
feature film
directed by Nick Grinde
starring Joan Crawford
, Neil Hamilton, Pauline Frederick
and Albert Conti. The film was based upon the story Girl's Together by Mildred Cram
.
). When Valentine and Tony are involved in car wreck, they are rescued from his overturned car by football
-playing Harvardian Bob (Hamilton). Bob and Valentine fall in love, and, when he invites his parents (Hobart Bosworth
and Emma Dunn
) to meet her, everything goes wrong as they do not approve of Tony and his boisterous friends or of Diane's living arrangement with Andre . Not wanting to lose Bob, Valentine has a heart-to-heart talk with her mother and the two achieve a new closeness and understanding. Eventually, Bob and Valentine are reunited.
in the New York Times commented, "The film glides along merrily most of the time, but now and again it has its off moments...Nicholas Grinde, [the director] has done splendid work by his comedy, but his serious interludes might have been handled more effectively."
deleted scenes
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
directed by Nick Grinde
Nick Grinde
Nick Grindé was an American film director and screenwriter. He directed 57 films between 1928 and 1945....
starring Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
, Neil Hamilton, Pauline Frederick
Pauline Frederick
Pauline Frederick was a leading Broadway actress who later became known for her motion picture work.-Early years:...
and Albert Conti. The film was based upon the story Girl's Together by Mildred Cram
Mildred Cram
Mildred Cram was a popular American writer.Her short story "Stranger Things" was included in the O. Henry Award story collection for 1921. A number of her stories and novels were made into films...
.
Plot summary
Socialite Valentine Winters (Crawford) is a child of divorced parents and has not seen her sophisticate mother, Diane, (Frederick), in years. She travels to Paris for a reunion where her mother is living as the mistress of Andre de Graignon (Conti). While in Paris, Valentine meets fun-loving Tony (Monroe OwsleyMonroe Owsley
Monroe Owsley was an American actor.Born in Atlanta, Georgia to aspiring actress Gertrude Owsley, he started taking acting classes when he was a teenager and made his Broadway debut in the 1920s. His film debut occurred in 1928 with The First Kiss, following with the character of young boy Ned in...
). When Valentine and Tony are involved in car wreck, they are rescued from his overturned car by football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
-playing Harvardian Bob (Hamilton). Bob and Valentine fall in love, and, when he invites his parents (Hobart Bosworth
Hobart Bosworth
Hobart Bosworth was an American film actor, director, writer, and producer.-Early life:Born Hobart Van Zandt Bosworth, he was a direct descendant of Miles Standish and John and Priscilla Alden on his father's side and of New York's Van Zandt family, the first Dutch settlers to land in the New...
and Emma Dunn
Emma Dunn
Emma Dunn was an English-born American film actress. She appeared in 108 films between 1914 and 1948....
) to meet her, everything goes wrong as they do not approve of Tony and his boisterous friends or of Diane's living arrangement with Andre . Not wanting to lose Bob, Valentine has a heart-to-heart talk with her mother and the two achieve a new closeness and understanding. Eventually, Bob and Valentine are reunited.
Reception
Mordaunt HallMordaunt Hall
Mordaunt Hall was the first regularly assigned motion picture critic for The New York Times, from October 1924 to September 1934....
in the New York Times commented, "The film glides along merrily most of the time, but now and again it has its off moments...Nicholas Grinde, [the director] has done splendid work by his comedy, but his serious interludes might have been handled more effectively."
Cast
- Joan CrawfordJoan CrawfordJoan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
- Valentine Winters - Pauline FrederickPauline FrederickPauline Frederick was a leading Broadway actress who later became known for her motion picture work.-Early years:...
- Diane 'Di' Winters - Neil Hamilton - Robert 'Bob' Blake Jr.
- Monroe OwsleyMonroe OwsleyMonroe Owsley was an American actor.Born in Atlanta, Georgia to aspiring actress Gertrude Owsley, he started taking acting classes when he was a teenager and made his Broadway debut in the 1920s. His film debut occurred in 1928 with The First Kiss, following with the character of young boy Ned in...
- Tony Girard - Hobart BosworthHobart BosworthHobart Bosworth was an American film actor, director, writer, and producer.-Early life:Born Hobart Van Zandt Bosworth, he was a direct descendant of Miles Standish and John and Priscilla Alden on his father's side and of New York's Van Zandt family, the first Dutch settlers to land in the New...
- Robert Blake Sr. - Emma DunnEmma DunnEmma Dunn was an English-born American film actress. She appeared in 108 films between 1914 and 1948....
- Mrs. Margaret Blake - Albert Conti - Andre de Graignon
- Adrienne D'Ambricourt - Marie, the Housekeeper
- Marcelle Corday - Alyce, the Maid
deleted scenes
- Marjorie RambeauMarjorie RambeauMarjorie Rambeau was an American film and stage actress.-Early life:Rambeau was born in San Francisco, California to Marcel Rambeau and Lilian Garlinda Kindelberger. Her parents split up when she was a girl. She and her mother went to Nome, Alaska where young Marjorie dressed as a boy, sang and...
- Diane 'Di' Winters