Indiscreet (1931)
A New York dress designer falls for a writer despite hiding a past affair, then finds herself scheming to break up her sister's romance with that same former lover before the truth can surface.
Produced by Gloria Swanson’s own company for United Artists, Indiscreet was one of several vehicles built to prove the silent-era star could hold her own in sound comedy, arriving as Swanson’s long run at the top of Hollywood’s box office was nearing its end.
Background
Indiscreet was produced by Gloria Swanson’s own company for United Artists and directed by Leo McCarey. It was one of several sound-era vehicles intended to show that the silent star could carry a comedy in talking pictures. Swanson’s long run at the top of Hollywood’s box office was nearing its end when the film was made, and it arrived as the industry reorganized around sound. Ben Lyon, Barbara Kent and Arthur Lake support her in a story about a New York dress designer whose past affair threatens her new romance.
What to watch for
The comedy’s engine is Swanson’s designer, who falls for a writer while hiding an earlier affair and then schemes to break up her sister’s romance with that same man. Watch for the sharp dialogue scenes, where her efforts to control the situation keep producing the opposite result. The film is also of interest as a record of Swanson’s adjustment to talking pictures, with her timing and expressive style tested in a new medium. The sharp comic dialogue is what keeps the romantic tangle moving.
