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No Man of Her Own (1932 film)
Encyclopedia
No Man of Her Own is a 1932 light comedy film starring Clark Gable
and Carole Lombard
as a married couple in their only film together, several years before their own legendary marriage in real life. The movie was directed by Wesley Ruggles, and originated as an adaptation of No Bed of Her Own, a 1932 novel by Val Lewton
, but ended up based more on a story by Benjamin Glazer
and Edmund Goulding
, although it retained the title it got from Lewton's novel. It is not related to the 1950 film of the same name
.
) is in trouble with the law and decides to lie low in a small town. There he meets librarian Connie Randall (Carole Lombard
) and attempts to seduce her. They flip a coin to decide whether or not to get married. The coin forces them to get married and Connie soon falls in love with Babe. Babe, meanwhile, continues his conning while telling Connie that he is working on Wall Street. Connie does not suspect anything until she finds Babe's marked cards in his desk. She shuffles the cards and when Babe plays a game of poker, he loses. Babe wants nothing more to do with Connie and leaves for Rio de Janeiro
to win big money at cards. But, realizing that he loves Connie, he gives himself in to the police to serve his jail sentence. When Babe returns to a pregnant Connie, he does not suspect that she knows of his deception, but she does not say a word about it and in true Hollywood fashion, we are left to assume that the couple lives happily ever after.
is ultimately responsible for this film being made, as she encouraged MGM to make a trade of Gable for Bing Crosby
, who was the only person she wanted for her next project, which became Going Hollywood
(1933). Multi-millionaire William Randolph Hearst
, Davies' love interest and her partner in a production company, convinced MGM's Louis B. Mayer
to make the deal, so Gable was sent to Paramount to work on a project of his choice until Crosby was finished with his picture with Davies. Gable looked over the available properties, and the only one that interested him was the script for No Man of Her Own, which had originally been slated for George Raft
.
The original treatment of Val Lewton
's novel 1932 novel No Bed of Her Own, which was the early working title for the film as well, was written by Austin Parker, who also wrote the first screenplay. Because of concerns expressed by the censors at the Hays Office, Paramount purchased in August 1932 another story, "Here Is My Heart" (not the same as the 1934 Bing Crosby film, also released by Paramount), to use to soften the piece. The film was originally to have been directed by James Flood.
Miriam Hopkins
was originally offered the lead, but balked at the idea of Gable receiving top billing, and demanded another project. Lombard, who was a rising star on the Paramount lot, but still relegated to roles in which she was second-billed to her male counterparts, was chosen to replace Hopkins.
During filming, Gable and Lombard were entirely indifferent to one another, with Lombard in a foul mood due to her recent unpleasant loan-out to United Artists
. She spoke of that experience with her usual colorful vocabulary, which Gable was not certain he approved of. No romantic relationship between the stars came about during the making of this picture, with Lombard still married to actor William Powell
and still very much in love. While Gable was still married to socialite Rhea Langham, he could not say that he was in love, but he was certainly not interested in Lombard. He was not so distant from Lombard, however, that he did not give her a nickname, calling her "Ma", as his character did in the film. Lombard retaliated by calling him "Pa."
On the last day of filming, Gable presented Lombard with a pair of ballerina slippers with a card attached that said, "To a true primadonna." Lombard got him back when she presented him with a large ham with his picture on it. Gable kissed her goodbye and they did not stay in touch, as Gable found Lombard to be bawdier than he was willing to handle, and Lombard found Gable to be overly conceited. It was not until four years later that their romance began to take off. Gable and Lombard never appeared together in another film, primarily because they became major stars at different studios, which didn't like to lend them out.
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
and Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
as a married couple in their only film together, several years before their own legendary marriage in real life. The movie was directed by Wesley Ruggles, and originated as an adaptation of No Bed of Her Own, a 1932 novel by Val Lewton
Val Lewton
Val Lewton was an American film producer and screenwriter, best known for a string of low-budget horror films he produced for RKO Pictures in the 1940s.-Early life:...
, but ended up based more on a story by Benjamin Glazer
Benjamin Glazer
Benjamin Glazer was a screenwriter, producer, foley artist, and director of American films from the 1920s through the 1950s. He made the first translation of Ferenc Molnár's play Liliom into English in 1921...
and Edmund Goulding
Edmund Goulding
Edmund Goulding was a British film writer and director. As an actor early in his career he was one of the 'Ghosts' in the 1922 British made Paramount silent Three Live Ghosts alongside Norman Kerry and Cyril Chadwick. Also in the early 20s he wrote several screenplays for star Mae Murray and...
, although it retained the title it got from Lewton's novel. It is not related to the 1950 film of the same name
No Man of Her Own
No Man of Her Own is a 1950 drama starring Barbara Stanwyck.It was the second she made with director Mitchell Leisen. It was based on a Cornell Woolrich novel, I Married a Dead Man. Woolrich is credited as William Irish in the film's opening credits.The film was later remade in 1996 as Mrs....
.
Plot
Gambler Babe Steward (Clark GableClark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
) is in trouble with the law and decides to lie low in a small town. There he meets librarian Connie Randall (Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
) and attempts to seduce her. They flip a coin to decide whether or not to get married. The coin forces them to get married and Connie soon falls in love with Babe. Babe, meanwhile, continues his conning while telling Connie that he is working on Wall Street. Connie does not suspect anything until she finds Babe's marked cards in his desk. She shuffles the cards and when Babe plays a game of poker, he loses. Babe wants nothing more to do with Connie and leaves for Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
to win big money at cards. But, realizing that he loves Connie, he gives himself in to the police to serve his jail sentence. When Babe returns to a pregnant Connie, he does not suspect that she knows of his deception, but she does not say a word about it and in true Hollywood fashion, we are left to assume that the couple lives happily ever after.
Cast (in credits order)
- Clark GableClark GableWilliam Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
as Jerry 'Babe' Stewart - Carole LombardCarole LombardCarole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
as Connie Randall - Dorothy MackaillDorothy MackaillDorothy Mackaill was an English-born American actress, most notably of the silent film era and into the early 1930s.-Early life:...
as Kay Everly - Grant MitchellGrant Mitchell (actor)Grant Mitchell was an American stage actor on Broadway and character actor in many Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s...
as Charlie Vane - George BarbierGeorge BarbierGeorge Barbier was one of the great French illustrators of the early 20th century. Born in Nantes, France on October 10, 1882, Barbier was 29 years old when he mounted his first exhibition in 1911 and was subsequently swept to the forefront of his profession with commissions to design theatre and...
as Mr Randall - Elizabeth PattersonElizabeth PattersonElizabeth Patterson is the name of:* Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte , sister-in-law of Emperor Napoleon I of France* Liz J. Patterson , U.S...
as Mrs Randall - J. Farrell MacDonaldJ. Farrell MacDonaldJoseph Farrell MacDonald was an American character actor and director. He played supporting roles and occasional leads. MacDonald, who was sometimes billed as "John Farrell Macdonald", "J.F...
as 'Dickie' Collins - Tommy Conlon as Willie Randall
- Walter Walker as Mr Morton
- Paul Ellis as Vargas
- Lillian Harmer as Mattie - The Librarian
- Charley Grapewin as George - The Clerk
Production
Marion DaviesMarion Davies
Marion Davies was an American film actress. Davies is best remembered for her relationship with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, as her high-profile social life often obscured her professional career....
is ultimately responsible for this film being made, as she encouraged MGM to make a trade of Gable for Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, who was the only person she wanted for her next project, which became Going Hollywood
Going Hollywood
Going Hollywood is an American black-and-white musical film directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Marion Davies and Bing Crosby, written by Donald Ogden Stewart, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film tells the story of Sylvia , a French teacher at an all-girl school, who wants to find love...
(1933). Multi-millionaire William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst was an American business magnate and leading newspaper publisher. Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887, after taking control of The San Francisco Examiner from his father...
, Davies' love interest and her partner in a production company, convinced MGM's Louis B. Mayer
Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer born Lazar Meir was an American film producer. He is generally cited as the creator of the "star system" within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in its golden years. Known always as Louis B...
to make the deal, so Gable was sent to Paramount to work on a project of his choice until Crosby was finished with his picture with Davies. Gable looked over the available properties, and the only one that interested him was the script for No Man of Her Own, which had originally been slated for George Raft
George Raft
George Raft was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s...
.
The original treatment of Val Lewton
Val Lewton
Val Lewton was an American film producer and screenwriter, best known for a string of low-budget horror films he produced for RKO Pictures in the 1940s.-Early life:...
's novel 1932 novel No Bed of Her Own, which was the early working title for the film as well, was written by Austin Parker, who also wrote the first screenplay. Because of concerns expressed by the censors at the Hays Office, Paramount purchased in August 1932 another story, "Here Is My Heart" (not the same as the 1934 Bing Crosby film, also released by Paramount), to use to soften the piece. The film was originally to have been directed by James Flood.
Miriam Hopkins
Miriam Hopkins
Ellen Miriam Hopkins was an American actress known for her versatility in a wide variety of roles.Hopkins was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Bainbridge, a town in the state's southwest near the Alabama border...
was originally offered the lead, but balked at the idea of Gable receiving top billing, and demanded another project. Lombard, who was a rising star on the Paramount lot, but still relegated to roles in which she was second-billed to her male counterparts, was chosen to replace Hopkins.
During filming, Gable and Lombard were entirely indifferent to one another, with Lombard in a foul mood due to her recent unpleasant loan-out to United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
. She spoke of that experience with her usual colorful vocabulary, which Gable was not certain he approved of. No romantic relationship between the stars came about during the making of this picture, with Lombard still married to actor William Powell
William Powell
William Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
and still very much in love. While Gable was still married to socialite Rhea Langham, he could not say that he was in love, but he was certainly not interested in Lombard. He was not so distant from Lombard, however, that he did not give her a nickname, calling her "Ma", as his character did in the film. Lombard retaliated by calling him "Pa."
On the last day of filming, Gable presented Lombard with a pair of ballerina slippers with a card attached that said, "To a true primadonna." Lombard got him back when she presented him with a large ham with his picture on it. Gable kissed her goodbye and they did not stay in touch, as Gable found Lombard to be bawdier than he was willing to handle, and Lombard found Gable to be overly conceited. It was not until four years later that their romance began to take off. Gable and Lombard never appeared together in another film, primarily because they became major stars at different studios, which didn't like to lend them out.