In 1935, it was considered quite daring for a leading studio like Paramount to take a chance on "Private Worlds". Because depression weary audiences were more into the screwball delights of "My Man Godfrey" and "Twentieth Century", soap operas or gangster movies, Phyllis Bottome's novel about mental institutions was considered a challenge to producer Walter Wanger. Story and cast were top drawer - Claudette Colbert was Queen of the Lot and she had decided to play Dr. Jane Everett, a workaholic psychiatrist after showing the public she was a charming comedienne in "The Gilded Lily". As the star, Paramount wisely surrounded her with up and coming Charles Boyer, pretty ingenue Joan Bennett, popular Joel McCrea and all round "bad girl" Helen Vinson.
Dr. Jane Everett (Claudette Colbert) and Dr. Alex McGregor (Joel McCrea) are trying their best to bring hope, happiness and understanding into the lives of the mental patients of Brentwood Hospital. Alex is looking forward to a promotion to the role of Superintendent but in a surprise twist, a French doctor, Charles Manet (Charles Boyer) is promoted instead. Manet brings with him some old fashioned ideas about women doctors and the "new fangled" way Brentwood is being run. He has an instant ally in Matron (Esther Dale) whose favourite treatment - solitary confinement - has been frowned upon up to this time.
Everyone has their own "private world". Jane is a workaholic who cannot get over the death of a young man she was once in love with. Charles has bought his sister with him. Claire (Helen Vinson) is an acquitted murderess, who may have been guilty and has a destructive streak which is now destroying Alex's marriage. Alex's wife Sally (Joan Bennett) is beautiful but highly strung and seems to have been living in the hospital grounds a bit too long. She reaches out to Carrie Flint ("I'm Carrie Flint - I've come to tea") a disturbed young girl who Sally seems to identify with and feels she can reach out to. The movie comes to a climax when Sally suffers a complete breakdown and is rushed to the hospital - Alex doesn't realise, as he is out with Claire. Of course Charles then realises he has found his soul mate in Jane - he just has to convince her!!
Everyone in the cast is superlative - Claudette Colbert was nominated for an Academy Award but, unfortunately, lost to Bette Davis for her "flashier" part in "Dangerous". This movie was a turning point for Joan Bennett and proved to people that she was a good actress and not just a pretty face. Jean Rouverol was unforgettable as Carrie Flint - she had a pretty exciting life herself. She and her husband were blacklisted in the 1950s and went to live in Mexico. Her last film appearance was in a 2009 short about Alzheimer's Disease. Her mother, Aurania Rouverol created the Andy Hardy series.
Some of "Private Worlds" impressive touches by under-rated director Gregory La Cava - tilted camera angles to create mental disturbance, seems clichéd today but they weren't in 1935. Even though it was supposedly groundbreaking in it's approach, it was 13 years before a major studio would take another chance on tackling the world of mental illness - 20th Century Fox's "The Snake Pit".
Highly, Highly Recommended.
Dr. Jane Everett (Claudette Colbert) and Dr. Alex McGregor (Joel McCrea) are trying their best to bring hope, happiness and understanding into the lives of the mental patients of Brentwood Hospital. Alex is looking forward to a promotion to the role of Superintendent but in a surprise twist, a French doctor, Charles Manet (Charles Boyer) is promoted instead. Manet brings with him some old fashioned ideas about women doctors and the "new fangled" way Brentwood is being run. He has an instant ally in Matron (Esther Dale) whose favourite treatment - solitary confinement - has been frowned upon up to this time.
Everyone has their own "private world". Jane is a workaholic who cannot get over the death of a young man she was once in love with. Charles has bought his sister with him. Claire (Helen Vinson) is an acquitted murderess, who may have been guilty and has a destructive streak which is now destroying Alex's marriage. Alex's wife Sally (Joan Bennett) is beautiful but highly strung and seems to have been living in the hospital grounds a bit too long. She reaches out to Carrie Flint ("I'm Carrie Flint - I've come to tea") a disturbed young girl who Sally seems to identify with and feels she can reach out to. The movie comes to a climax when Sally suffers a complete breakdown and is rushed to the hospital - Alex doesn't realise, as he is out with Claire. Of course Charles then realises he has found his soul mate in Jane - he just has to convince her!!
Everyone in the cast is superlative - Claudette Colbert was nominated for an Academy Award but, unfortunately, lost to Bette Davis for her "flashier" part in "Dangerous". This movie was a turning point for Joan Bennett and proved to people that she was a good actress and not just a pretty face. Jean Rouverol was unforgettable as Carrie Flint - she had a pretty exciting life herself. She and her husband were blacklisted in the 1950s and went to live in Mexico. Her last film appearance was in a 2009 short about Alzheimer's Disease. Her mother, Aurania Rouverol created the Andy Hardy series.
Some of "Private Worlds" impressive touches by under-rated director Gregory La Cava - tilted camera angles to create mental disturbance, seems clichéd today but they weren't in 1935. Even though it was supposedly groundbreaking in it's approach, it was 13 years before a major studio would take another chance on tackling the world of mental illness - 20th Century Fox's "The Snake Pit".
Highly, Highly Recommended.