One More River

Film in Focus

By Ed Garea

One More River (Universal, 1934) – Director: James Whale. Writers: R.C. Sherriff (s/p), John Galsworthy (novel). Stars: Diana Wynyard, Frank Lawton, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Jane Wyatt, Colin Clive, Reginald Denny, C. Aubrey Smith, Henry Stephenson, Lionel Atwill, Alan Mowbray, Kathleen Howard, Gilbert Emery, E.E. Clive, Robert Greig, J. Gunnis Davis & Snub Pollard. B&W, 88 minutes.

James Whale was Universal’s star director in the early to mid-1930s. Films such as Frankenstein, The Old Dark House, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, and Show Boat were successful with both critics and audiences. 

Aware of his aversion to doing any more horror films, the studio looked for material in other genres, as they wanted to keep their prize employee happy.

One such purchase was the last novel by Nobel laureate John Galsworthy, Over the River. The novel continued the story laid down in his famous trilogy The Forsyte Saga, which chronicled the fortunes of several generations of an upper-middle-class English family as the stability of the Victorian Era gives way to the radical changes and uncertainty of the modern era. Published posthumously, the novel became a best seller in Europe and America. Universal quickly snapped up the film rights, seeing it as a perfect project for their star director.

Whale’s first move was to bring in his close friend R. C. Sherriff to work on the adaptation. Sherriff had made his name as the author of the immensely popular World War I stage drama, Journey's End, which Whale had filmed in 1930. He also scripted Whale's The Invisible Man (1933) and contributed additional dialogue to Whale’s macabre black comedy, The Old Dark House (1932).

Sherriff and Whale began by changing the role of the book’s heroine, Dinny Charwell, to a supporting role and making her sister, Lady Clare Corven, the central figure of the film. According to The New York Times, this was done because Dinny's story was mainly interior, and thus "had no pictorial value.” On the other hand, Sheriff and Whale were attracted by “the dramatic action” in Galsworthy's account of how Clare leaves her sadistic husband, Sir Gerald, and allows herself to be pursued by new admirer Tony Croom. 

To play Clare, Universal negotiated with MGM to borrow the well-known British actress Diana Wynyard. To round out the rest of his cast, Whale relied on Hollywood's growing number of British actors. He cast one of his favorites, Colin Clive, as Sir Gerald, and signed Frank Lawton to play Tony. As Clare and Dinny's eccentric aunt, Lady Mont, Whale borrowed the distinguished stage actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell from MGM. For the divorce trial that dominates the last part of the film, Whale chose Lionel Atwill as Sir Gerald’s barrister Brough and Alan Mowbray as Clare’s barrister, Mr. Forsythe. Gilbert Emery was given the minor but essential role of the judge. C. Aubrey Smith, Henry Stephenson, Reginald Denny, and E. E. Clive filled out the other small, but important, supporting roles. The only American given an important part was New Jersey-born Jane Wyatt, making her film debut and acquitting herself well with a believable English accent, coached by Whale, who worked as a dialogue director during his early days in Hollywood. 

Before beginning production, Whale, not leaving anything to chance, went on holiday in England. Not only was the trip for some badly needed rest and relaxation, but it was also to immerse himself once again in his native country. Again, according to The New York Times, “Because of the star-director-writer combination, it will draw the ‘carriage trade’ in this country, but Universal says that the real profit will come from England.” Therefore authenticity was crucial to the success of the film, and Whale delivered it magnificently.

To all outward appearances, Clare (Wynyard) and Sir Gerald Corven (Clive) are a happily married upper class British couple. But privately, Sir Gerald is a sadist, physically and emotionally abusive to his wife. One day she decides enough is enough and books passage on a ship where she meets James "Tony" Bernard Croom (Lawton), a kind and handsome young man who is smitten by her. Clare is met at the dock by her sister, Dinny (Wyatt), and during the train ride to the family home in Oxfordshire, Clare confides to Dinny that Sir Gerald had brutalized her with his riding crop. Dinny tells she must get free, but Clare does not want the public attention a divorce would cause.

Clare's mother and father (Howard and Smith) receive her warmly, and with Dinny’s assistance, she works as a secretary for David Dornford (Denny), who has just won a seat in Parliament. She also has her own place, a small apartment above above an antique store. Clare continues to see Tony, but continues to keep the relationship strictly platonic, to Tony’s disappointment. He continues to profess his love, but she makes it clear that she does not love him, adding that she is a respectable married woman.

To her consternation Clare learns that Gerald has come to England. While visiting her barrister uncle, Lawrence Mont (Stephenson), she is told that Gerald is there. Lawrence asks her if she is “in.” Clare replies that she does not want to see him, but Gerald joins her in the library. She asks what he wants. His reply is that he wants her. He tries to kiss her, but she pulls away and tells him to either leave her alone or leave the house. Gerald replies that some women like rough handling, a clear signal to Clare that despite his earlier promises to change he will remain as he is, though he tells her to come back on her terms. He also notes that he saw Tony leaving as he arrived. He reiterates to Clare that because he is in government service he cannot let her divorce him. She says she has a job, but as if to make his point clear, he says that he won’t let another man have her, adding that he won’t return to Ceylon without her and also letting her know that he is staying nearby. He grabs her and begins to kiss her until she manages to free herself. Coldly, he says “au revoir” and leaves.

Clare asks Lawrence about divorce, and he reads the law to her. Thinking of the family honor, she does not want to hurt Gerald’s career, and Lawrence offers to arrange a divorce by meeting with Gerald.

When Dinny goes to see Clare at her apartment she finds Tony busy painting the ceiling. After he washes up and leaves. Clare tells Dinny she is concerned about Gerald’s visit. Dinny asks about Tony, and Clare says she likes to see him. Clare admits Tony is in love with her, but she has no intentions of returning his feelings. Dinny then tells her that Gerald is waiting outside. Clare, visibly concerned at how he’s managed to find out where she lives, asks Dinny to get rid of him.

Outside Dinny tells Gerald that Clare will not see him and offers him a ride in her car. He tells Dinny he hopes that Clare will come back to him, saying marriage is only mutual interest and desire, not love. After arriving at his destination he shakes hands with her as he gets out of the car.

Later, Gerald calls on Claire, and she lets him in. During the course of their conversation Gerald tells Clare that he wants her back, but she absolutely refuses any sort of reconciliation. Gerald, sensitive about his social and professional standing in the community, will only agree if he is allowed to divorce her. When Lady Mont later tells Dinny that she rang up Claire but got no answer, Dinny decides to go to Claire’s rooms and check to see if she’s all right. 

Dinny knocks, but there’s no answer. Looking up, she sees the room is dark and she goes to the hotel where Gerald is staying, but the clerk says he is out. Returning to the Mont house she relates her suspicions.

Dinny visits Clare the next day and finds her sister quite subdued. Clare tells Dinny she was a fool to have let Gerald in, and from the tone of the conversation it’s clear that Gerald raped her.

Clare’s father meets with Gerald and Clare, telling her a divorce is not possible. Still, she refuses to go back to him. Gerald says he will make other arrangements and leaves. She then tells her father about Gerald forcing his way in to her room.

Clare gives Lady Mont the news that Gerald has gone back home and reiterates that she will never go back to him. Tony phones to inform her that he has secured a job and is coming to London for the weekend. They arrange to meet for dinner.

Gerald may be gone, but he has hired Cheyne (Clive), a detective, to keep tabs on Clare. One night when the lights fail in the car, Clare and Tony park in the woods and innocently spend the night in the vehicle, where they are seen by Cheyne’s associate, George (Pollard). Gerald will later use this circumstantial evidence to sue Clare and co-respondent Tony for divorce and damages. 

At the court trial, the archaic system of divorce proceedings is evident, and Tony and Clare are found guilty of adultery based on the evidence. In spite of the outcome of the trial, Clare feels freed by divorce and feeling that she is indebted to Tony, invites him to dinner, during the course of which she offers herself to him. Tony, offended, leaves. He returns the next morning, however, and after Clare professes her true love for him, they proceed uninhibited with their romance.

Afterwords

Leave it to the genius of Whale and Sherriff to take the story of a minor character in a Galsworthy novel and elevate it to an indictment of England’s archaic divorce laws. 

Written and filmed early in 1934, before there was a historical examination of the era, it comes across more as a mirror of the times, when the Victorian Era was remembered in England with fondness. What makes the film valuable is its spot-on accuracy and detail concerning the milieu and the times, especially as divorce was considered scandalous among the upper classes.  

Besides Whale’s superb direction, the film is notable for its intelligent script and the quality of its cast. It’s difficult to think of any other director with the chops and taste to combine the competing plot strands into not only a coherent whole, but a whole that is superior to its parts. Though someone such as Cukor, Powell, Asquith or Lubitsch might pull it off, the fact remains that it’s Whale who makes all the difference.

There can be no greater testimony to the screenwriting abilities of R.C. Sherriff than One More River. In focusing his attention on the Corven subplot in Galsworthy’s novel, Sheriff is able to fashion a story exploring English divorce law and the difficulty a woman has in becoming free of an abusive husband. Though the film is filled with witty remarks and lines, Sherriff does not allow them to overshadow the characters speaking them. Each scene, each line, builds upon its predecessor. The film begins rather slowly as the characters are sort of finding their feet, as it were, but it continually build momentum, with each scene paving the way for the next scene, and by the time we reach the climax in the courtroom scene we are totally immersed in the battle between Clare and Sir Gerald.

No amount of brilliant direction and writing can compensate for a listless cast. Lacking recognized stars, Whale was very careful in his casting choices, and that care shows throughout the film. The sleek British beauty Diana Wynyard brings Clare to life. She begins the film looking somewhat plain, but by the end she is simply radiant. Her scenes with Lawton (a bit ungainly if one remembers that she played his mother in 1933’s Cavalcade) and Clive resonate, and her relationship with newcomer Wyatt, who plays her sister Dinny, is totally believable. Her presence is such that we feel compelled to watch her, whether we want to or not. There is a scene where she is in her father’s library, looking quite alluring and totally aware of it. Suddenly she realizes Sir Gerald is in the house and her demeanor changes from self-assuredness to almost child-like, retreating and cowering behind a chair as the butler (Grieg) announces Sir Gerald. However, by the time of the courtroom scene, Clare’s has changed back into her confident demeanor. Standing in the witness box, resplendent in fur with her hat cocked over one eye, she stands up not only to the judge, but also to her own lawyer, Mr. Forsythe (Mowbray).

But it’s her give and take with Sir Gerald’s lawyer, Mr. Brough (Atwill), that provides the highlight of the courtroom scene. Atwill is totally within his element here, preening like a peacock, clearly relishing the moment as he delivers each line with a crisp between-the-lines sexuality and raising sexual innuendo to an art form.

Wynyard also had the reputation of being quite feisty in her interpretation of a role, And on the set she and Whale clashed often. There was one instance where Wynyard adamantly announced she was dong a scene without a bra. Whale was just as adamant that she was. The ensuing battle caused Whale to end production for the day. The next day Wynyard played her scenes wearing a bra.

Every drama needs a good villain, and Clive sparkles in the role. His entrance in the Charwell home, sporting a tuxedo and caterpillar mustache, is handled by Whale with a series of three closeups, each more intense than its predecessor. Interestingly, he had used the same technique with Karloff’s Monster in Frankenstein and Claude Rains’ mad scientist Jack Griffin in The Invisible Man, for Sir Gerald is no less a monster, proving it shortly after his entry by grabbing Clare, bending her back, and attempting to kiss her. Clive’s Sir Gerald is a perfect example of the mindless brute disguised in the veneer of civilization, moving silently, incognito among his victims. 

Frank Lawton as Tony does well enough in a supporting role, but is totally overshadowed in his scenes wth Wynyard. Jane Wyatt, making her film debut as Claire’s sister Dinny, on the other hand, holds her own with Wynyard and projects a strong character. Mrs. Patrick Campbell, cast in the comic relief role as the eccentric Lady Mont, acquits herself well, loaded as she is with memorable lines. C. Aubrey Smith, Henry Stephenson, Reginald Denny and Kathleen Howard give the sort of solid performances we have come to expect from them, while E.E. Clive and Snub Pollard form a lively comic duo as a private investigator and his dimwitted accomplice.

Triumph of the Will: Breen vs. Whale

The real villain of the film is not Sir Gerald, but Joseph Breen, assistant to Production Code founder and head, Will B. Hays. The censorship battle over this movie is of great importance to film history, for it was among the first tests of the newly enforced Production Code attempting to exert its power over a studio. The material for this section comes from Chapter 5 of Gregory William Mank’s superb tome, The Very Witching Time of Night: Dark Alleys of Classic Horror Cinema, a book that should be on every film fan’s reference shelf.

For Breen, the focus of the movie was sexual perversion. After Universal’s assistant general manager Harry Zehner sent a copy of the script to Breen for approval, he received a scolding letter containing the following paragraph:

Under Particular Applications of the Code, Section 2, Subdivision 4, it is stated, “Sex perversion or any inference to it is forbidden.

We can see no objection to your developing the character of Corven as a brutal man who has beaten wife and thus compelled her to leave him, but we cannot allow any suggestion, directly or indirectly, referring to sadism.

Breen also includes a long list of dialogue that he says will “have to be carefully rewritten” to remove “suggestion of this perversion.” As if that wasn’t enough, Breen objected to Clare being shown in the bathroom in her undergarments; the inference that Corven raped Clare in her apartment; the courtroom climax with its references to adultery; Tony uttering “My God,” while Corven’s lawyer, Brough (Atwill), uses the words “lovers” and “hell,” as well as the words “marvelous opportunity” in regard to Tony and Clare spending the night in Tony’s car. When Corven takes the stand to testify that he and Clare have resumed sexual relations. For Breen, that was out. Even the judge’s response – “You mean that the marital relationship between you was re-established?” – was to be omitted. 

Finally, Breen calls attention to the final scene (in which Clare, now a free woman, offers herself to Tony), stating that great care in dialogue and action will have to be maintained to prevent the scene from becoming “a highly censorable one, subject to severe mutilation.”

The script was revised and sent to Breen, who reluctantly gave it the green light on May 8, 1934. On May 10, according to Mank, Zehner wrote to Breen, advising him that Whale has been instructed that, whenever a questionable scene arises, he is to shoot protection shots to be inserted in the finished film. However, Whale had no intention of abiding by Breen’s suggestions. His intension was to shoot the film in his own inimitable style, Breen be damned.

When Breen received the rough cut in July 1934 and screens it, he went ballistic, for although Whale eliminated some of the movie’s more egregious dialogue, the vast majority of Breen’s suggestions were simply ignored. Breen’s response was to demand over 30 cuts to the film. If not, the movie will not receive the Certificate of Approval and Universal will have thrown over $300,000 down the drain. Retakes were ordered, adding an additional $20,000 to the budget and resulting in a final negative cost of $366,842.24. On July 28, Breen finally approves the film. Variety notes the approval on its page 1 headline: “One More River is Breenexed.”

On August 9 the film opens in Hollywood and New York to critical praise, but just when Universal thought the coast was clear, Breen wrote to Carl Laemmle, Jr, that the Legion of Decency has condemned the film as unsuitable for the Catholic patronage. This is disastrous for the studio, as the film has no major star attraction to overcome such a development. As the film is distributed worldwide it became subject to cuts from local censor boards.

Despite the contretemps, One More River comes off as a prime example of James Whale at the height of his powers. It is a superbly realized, splendidly acted and beautifully photographed film with lots of brilliant atmosphere. However, aside from all that, how does the film come across to audiences today? According to Mank, the film “inevitably strikes many viewers as almost outrageously quaint. Some scenes play almost like a Carol Burnett skit mocking British propriety, so much so that one wonders if Whale slyly intended the satire.” Even so, the film is a must, not only for Galsworthy and Whale fans, but for all those who naturally wonder how a film such as Edgar G. Ulmer’s The Black Cat, released on May 7, 1934, can get away with Karloff being skinned alive, along with other scenes of torture, while James Whale is being driven to the limit for daring to speak of sex in One More River.