HarlowMGM THE AGE OF INDISCRETION is a surprisingly frank post-code soap opera from 1935, given the full MGM polish despite no box-office names in the cast, being a programmer ground out to fill the desire for new pictures every week. The end results are a satisfying if not overly memorable film.Paul Lukas stars as a book publisher whose catalog of serious literature isn't paying the bills. His shallow, money-loving wife Helen Vinson is having an affair with Ralph Forbes and when Lukas gently requests she cut the spending sprees what little affection she has for him and their son David Lee Holt quickly disappears as she decides to ditch them for the wealthy lover. Trouble is after the divorce and remarriage Helen discovers Forbes is a mama's boy whose mother May Robson controls the family purse strings and isn't too fond of her new daughter-in-law. Arch-conservative Robson is appalled that Vinson has abandoned her son and pushes for her to seek custody, meanwhile Lukas tries to move on with his life and raise his son with some help from his devoted secretary Madge Evans.This movie is very well acted and has a good script although Robson's character isn't particularly credible, hard to imagine this cold, penny pinching old miser would insist on her son's social climbing wife adding her kid to the family particularly when she hasn't even met the boy (it would have been far more probable this character would have insisted her son and his wife supply her with actual blood grandchild.) When Robson and Holt finally do meet, on neighboring cabins in the mountains it's not clear if this is a coincidence or Robson snooping on Lukas. The scene where Robson walks in Lukas' cabin and is furious to find him and his secretary pillow fighting in his bedroom in their pajamas (they'd been sleeping in separate rooms, mind you) is a stunner and the following court case is quite blunt about what presumably has been going on between the couple (so much so that this film was banned in Canada because of the courtroom scenes). The resolution alas comes off little too rushed. The cast is terrific although Lukas' Viennese accent occasionally makes his lines different to understand.MGM had tried to make Madge Evans, a pleasant but unmemorable actress into a star for almost five years at this point and was soon to let her go after this film, the irony being she is better in this film than I've ever seen her before as well as at her peak in beauty. Helen Vinson is a memorably cold wife and May Robson is superb as always although her courtroom confession seems a little incredible, who wouldn't believe something scandalous for the day was going on after that scene she walked in on? Little David Holt was a quite good child actor of the time, he may be best known for his funny performance as Tom Sawyer's sissy cousin in that 1938 classic which happened to reunite him with Miss Robson yet here he's equally terrific as a more all-American boy type (though Southern accent comes through strongly on occasion making him a bit incredible as Lukas' and Vinson's son). Obscure character actress Catharine Doucet has a terrific cameo as a late-middleaged, best-selling "trash" romance novelist who has set her cap for the newly unattached Lukas. Movie buffs will want to watch for future Paramount starlet Shirley Ross in a small part as Evans' roommate and former silent star Mary McLaren playing the maid at the Robson estate.TCM seems to only show this vintage soaper once or twice a decade, likely due to it's lack of big names. While not a classic, it certainly deserves more circulation than that.

Rama Rao Helen Vinson plays as an unfaithful woman married to Robert Lenhart (Paul Lukas), the book publisher. A fight for the custody of their only son Bill Lenhart (David Holt) is the main theme of the Lenore Coffee's story scripted by Otis Garret and Leon Gordon: May Robson and Madge Evans offer splendid performances in the supporting roles. When Robert Lenhart asks his wife, Eve to be careful about spending; she refuses and walks out on him with her boyfriend Felix Shaw and later marries him. Emma Shaw (May Robson), the new mother-in-law of Eve meets her son Bill and encourages Eve to sue Robert for custody. In the meantime Robert's business gets better, and his friendship with his secretary Maxine Bennett, played Madge Evans, grows into a healthy relationship. Paul Lukas does his job wonderfully in the number one spot. His dedication to his family and his good friendship with his secretary is wonderful. She is very understanding not to hurt the father-son relationship. This is a great movie and fun to watch.

MartinHafer Robert Lenhart (Paul Lukas) is a publisher who is having hard times with his business. His 'loving wife' decides that she doesn't want to be shackled to a poor man and a child, so she leaves and marries a millionaire. Surprisingly, Lenhart's business turns around and he and the boy make a good life for themselves. However, the wife's new mother-in-law (May Robson) likes the boy and decides she MUST have the child--so the mother and step-father return and try to take custody of the boy. What happens next? See the film.This film is an unusual tear-jerker because it's an awful lot like "Kramer Versus Kramer"--but almost 50 years earlier. While the final courtroom scene is a bit contrived, it is also heartfelt and satisfying. Overall, a nice old film that I enjoyed from start to finish. Better than I expected.

jotix100 Robert Lenhart, the publisher of quality books, is facing a financial downturn in his business. No one seems to care for the material he prefers to give the public anymore. His wife Eve, who clearly doesn't love him, decides to move on when he tries to reason with her in trying to economize. Eve walks out leaving Bill, her young son, with Robert, who clearly adores the boy, for the rich Felix Shaw.Robert's business takes a great turn for the better, when Jean Oliver, a bestselling romance author decides to bring her new novel to his firm. Robert's secretary, Maxine, who secretly loves her boss, dotes on Bill, because she realizes he misses his mother. It's no wonder Robert also begins to see his assistant in a new manner.Eve, who has married into the wealthy Shaw family, couldn't care less about Bill, as long as she is having fun. Her mother in law, Emma Shaw, meets the young son, and immediately takes to him and wants Eve to sue for custody. Things are complicated as Emma goes to the cottage where Robert and Bill have spent Chrismas with Maxine. Emma takes the matter into her hands, but realizes at the end that instead of getting young Bill's affections, she is being unfair.This forgotten 1935 film, directed by Edward Ludwig, was seen on TCM recently. It's a story typical of the times. What Mr. Ludwig accomplished was to tell a richly detailed story in 80 minutes that seem even shorter as one gets involved in this movie.Part of the success must go to Paul Lukas, who plays Robert Lenhart with his usual style. His Robert shows a tremendous love for Bill, who depends on him for everything. Madge Evans is perfect as Maxine Bennett, the secretary who falls in love with her boss, but would not do anything to jeopardize the father-son relationship. May Robson makes a strident Emma Shaw, a selfish rich woman, who comes to her senses when she realizes what she is going to do. There is a delicious moment in the film when Catherine Doucet, the romance novelist, comes to visit Robert Lenhart in his office. David Holt and Helen Vinson also make valuable contributions to the picture as Bill and Eve."Age of Indiscretion" is an enjoyable movie that reflects the tastes of the times in which it was made.