The Wiser Sex
Encyclopedia
The Wiser Sex is a 1932 crime drama film made by Paramount Pictures
, directed by Berthold Viertel
and Victor Viertel, and starring Claudette Colbert
, Melvyn Douglas
, Lilyan Tashman
, William Boyd
and Ross Alexander
.
The working title of the film was The Weaker Sex. Clyde Fitch's
play was first filmed by Famous Players' in 1916 as The Woman in the Case, directed by Hugh Ford
and starring Pauline Frederick
. Famous Players-Lasky's 1922 production, The Law and the Woman, directed by Penrhyn Stanlaws and starring Betty Compson
, was also based on Fitch's play.
) has racketeer Benny Morgan arrested, mobster Harry Evans (Boyd
) gives orders to his chauffeur (Dumbrille
) to kill David, but the chauffeur fails. The next day, David's fiancée, Margaret Hughes (Colbert
), leaves on a cruise with Jimmy O'Neill (Alexander
), her friendly suitor, warning David she won't marry a man for whom work is more important than she. David cannot give Margaret a proper bon voyage because he is trying to save his naïve young cousin, Phil Long (Tone
), from the clutches of gold-digging moll Claire Foster (Tashman
), with whom David used to be involved. When David warns Phil that Claire belongs to Evans, Phil takes David's revolver with him to Claire's hotel to confront her. Evans enters in his housecoat and Phil shoots him in the arm. They struggle and Phil is killed. When David arrives, Claire, on Evans' orders, says Phil killed himself, then calls the police and frames David as the killer. In court, David's defense is greatly weakened by Claire's acting ability, and she successfully seduces the all-male jury. Margaret returns for the trial and remarks that a jury of the "wiser sex" would see right through Claire's histrionics. In order to gather evidence, Margaret goes undercover as blonde gold digger Ruby Kennedy and takes a room adjacent to Claire's. Through diamonds and liquor, Margaret befriends Claire and wheedles her into revealing more about the case. Jimmy and Margaret throw a party for Claire and Evans, and Evans makes several passes at Margaret. During the party, Evans' cook, Fritz (Fischer
), who helped him with his wound the morning of the murder, accidentally bumps Evans' arm and Evans scolds him for calling attention to it. The next day, Fritz is found dead, and Margaret now knows the missing bullet from David's gun is lodged in Evans. Margaret then meets Evans for a rendezvous, while Jimmy tells Claire he has lost her to Evans. As Evans' chauffeur identifies Margaret, Claire enters in a jealous rage and reveals Evans as Phil's murderer. Due to the sleuthing abilities of the "wiser sex," David is released and marries Margaret.
-Publix New York Studios (Astoria, Long Island
).
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, directed by Berthold Viertel
Berthold Viertel
Berthold Viertel , born in Vienna, Austria was a screen writer and film director.-Arrival in America:He was married to screenplay writer and actress Salka Viertel from 30 April 1918 to 20 December 1947. The pair came to Los Angeles in 1928 planning to stay for just three years...
and Victor Viertel, and starring Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert was a French-born American-based actress of stage and film.Born in Paris, France and raised in New York City, Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the 1920s, progressing to film with the advent of talking pictures...
, Melvyn Douglas
Melvyn Douglas
Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
, Lilyan Tashman
Lilyan Tashman
Lilyan Tashman was a Brooklyn-born Jewish American vaudeville, Broadway, and film actress. Tashman was best known for her supporting roles as tongue-in-cheek villainesses and the bitchy 'other woman'...
, William Boyd
William Boyd (actor)
William Lawrence Boyd was an American film actor best known for portraying Hopalong Cassidy.-Biography:...
and Ross Alexander
Ross Alexander
Ross Alexander was an American stage and film actor.- Early life :Born Alexander Ross Smith in Brooklyn, New York, Alexander began his acting career in Broadway productions during the 1920s. By 1926 he was regarded as a promising leading man, with good looks and an easy and charming style and...
.
The working title of the film was The Weaker Sex. Clyde Fitch's
Clyde Fitch
Clyde Fitch was an American dramatist.-Biography:Born William Clyde Fitch at Elmira, New York, he wrote over 60 plays, 36 of them original, which varied from social comedies and farces to melodrama and historical dramas.As the only child to live to adulthood, his father, Captain William G...
play was first filmed by Famous Players' in 1916 as The Woman in the Case, directed by Hugh Ford
Hugh Ford
Hugh Ford was an American film director and screenwriter. He directed 31 films between 1913 and 1921. He also wrote for 19 films between 1913 and 1920.He was born in Washington, D.C..-Selected filmography:...
and starring Pauline Frederick
Pauline Frederick
Pauline Frederick was a leading Broadway actress who later became known for her motion picture work.-Early years:...
. Famous Players-Lasky's 1922 production, The Law and the Woman, directed by Penrhyn Stanlaws and starring Betty Compson
Betty Compson
Betty Compson was an American actress. Born Eleanor Luicime Compson in Beaver, Utah, she had an extensive film career. Her father died when she was young, and she was forced to drop out of school and earn a living for herself and her mother...
, was also based on Fitch's play.
Plot
After prosecutor David Rolfe (DouglasMelvyn Douglas
Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
) has racketeer Benny Morgan arrested, mobster Harry Evans (Boyd
William Boyd (actor)
William Lawrence Boyd was an American film actor best known for portraying Hopalong Cassidy.-Biography:...
) gives orders to his chauffeur (Dumbrille
Douglass Dumbrille
Douglass Dumbrille was a Canadian actor and one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.-Life and career:...
) to kill David, but the chauffeur fails. The next day, David's fiancée, Margaret Hughes (Colbert
Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert was a French-born American-based actress of stage and film.Born in Paris, France and raised in New York City, Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the 1920s, progressing to film with the advent of talking pictures...
), leaves on a cruise with Jimmy O'Neill (Alexander
Ross Alexander
Ross Alexander was an American stage and film actor.- Early life :Born Alexander Ross Smith in Brooklyn, New York, Alexander began his acting career in Broadway productions during the 1920s. By 1926 he was regarded as a promising leading man, with good looks and an easy and charming style and...
), her friendly suitor, warning David she won't marry a man for whom work is more important than she. David cannot give Margaret a proper bon voyage because he is trying to save his naïve young cousin, Phil Long (Tone
Franchot Tone
Franchot Tone was an American stage, film, and television actor, star of Mutiny on the Bounty and many other films through the 1960s...
), from the clutches of gold-digging moll Claire Foster (Tashman
Lilyan Tashman
Lilyan Tashman was a Brooklyn-born Jewish American vaudeville, Broadway, and film actress. Tashman was best known for her supporting roles as tongue-in-cheek villainesses and the bitchy 'other woman'...
), with whom David used to be involved. When David warns Phil that Claire belongs to Evans, Phil takes David's revolver with him to Claire's hotel to confront her. Evans enters in his housecoat and Phil shoots him in the arm. They struggle and Phil is killed. When David arrives, Claire, on Evans' orders, says Phil killed himself, then calls the police and frames David as the killer. In court, David's defense is greatly weakened by Claire's acting ability, and she successfully seduces the all-male jury. Margaret returns for the trial and remarks that a jury of the "wiser sex" would see right through Claire's histrionics. In order to gather evidence, Margaret goes undercover as blonde gold digger Ruby Kennedy and takes a room adjacent to Claire's. Through diamonds and liquor, Margaret befriends Claire and wheedles her into revealing more about the case. Jimmy and Margaret throw a party for Claire and Evans, and Evans makes several passes at Margaret. During the party, Evans' cook, Fritz (Fischer
Robert Fischer
Robert Fischer may refer to:*Robert Fischer *Bobby Fischer, chess grandmaster*Robert Fischer, character in InceptionSee also*Robert Fisher *Bob Fisher...
), who helped him with his wound the morning of the murder, accidentally bumps Evans' arm and Evans scolds him for calling attention to it. The next day, Fritz is found dead, and Margaret now knows the missing bullet from David's gun is lodged in Evans. Margaret then meets Evans for a rendezvous, while Jimmy tells Claire he has lost her to Evans. As Evans' chauffeur identifies Margaret, Claire enters in a jealous rage and reveals Evans as Phil's murderer. Due to the sleuthing abilities of the "wiser sex," David is released and marries Margaret.
Cast
- Claudette ColbertClaudette ColbertClaudette Colbert was a French-born American-based actress of stage and film.Born in Paris, France and raised in New York City, Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the 1920s, progressing to film with the advent of talking pictures...
as Margaret Hughes, a.k.a. Ruby Kennedy - Melvyn DouglasMelvyn DouglasMelvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
as Disrtict Attorney David Rolfe - Lilyan TashmanLilyan TashmanLilyan Tashman was a Brooklyn-born Jewish American vaudeville, Broadway, and film actress. Tashman was best known for her supporting roles as tongue-in-cheek villainesses and the bitchy 'other woman'...
as Claire Foster - William 'Stage' BoydWilliam Boyd (actor)William Lawrence Boyd was an American film actor best known for portraying Hopalong Cassidy.-Biography:...
as Harry Evans - Ross AlexanderRoss AlexanderRoss Alexander was an American stage and film actor.- Early life :Born Alexander Ross Smith in Brooklyn, New York, Alexander began his acting career in Broadway productions during the 1920s. By 1926 he was regarded as a promising leading man, with good looks and an easy and charming style and...
as Jimmy O'Neill - Franchot ToneFranchot ToneFranchot Tone was an American stage, film, and television actor, star of Mutiny on the Bounty and many other films through the 1960s...
as Phil Long - Effie ShannonEffie ShannonEffie Shannon was a stage and silent screen actress. She had a 60 year career as starring performer and later character actress. Her partner or husband was Herbert Kelcey who died in 1917...
as Mrs. Hughes - Paul HarveyPaul Harvey (actor)Paul Harvey was an American actor who appeared in at least 177 films.-Selected filmography:*They Shall Have Music *Behind the News *Moonlight Masquerade *Spellbound...
as Blaney - Victor KilianVictor KilianVictor Arthur Kilian was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses in the 1950s....
as Ed - Robert FischerRobert FischerRobert Fischer may refer to:*Robert Fischer *Bobby Fischer, chess grandmaster*Robert Fischer, character in InceptionSee also*Robert Fisher *Bob Fisher...
as Fritz - Douglass DumbrilleDouglass DumbrilleDouglass Dumbrille was a Canadian actor and one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.-Life and career:...
as the Chauffeur - Granville Bates as City editor
- Henry Davenport as Thompson, defense attorney
Production
Ended mid-Feb 1932 at ParamountParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
-Publix New York Studios (Astoria, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
).