Love, Life & Laughter (1934) User Reviews

Working gal tells king where his duty lies

[threemendous · 6/10 · 7 October 2008]

This turned out to be pretty timely, considering Edward VIII was at the same time having to choose between love and duty. Real life isn't like the movies: Edward chose love; Charles Adolphus IX, with some heavy prodding from Nell, chooses duty. It's probably a class thing: aristocrats are heedless of duty while the working class like Fields are much more aware of their responsibilities (she twice rebukes him for 'breaking his contract') and generally plus royaliste que le roi. But the film insists (the same as Sing as We Go) that although disappointed she'll just shed a quiet tear and get on with life. She sings two sad songs, one - Out in the Cold Cold Snow - as a comic number; the other is done straight but then reprised more humorously. It's as if she has to deflect any real emotion with a wisecrack and a song. What a decent chap she is! And so the hero, still rather spoilt, is won by Norah Howard, an appealingly sweet sad sack, and Gracie gets the money to set up a home for sick girls, all with the same haircut, as a consolation prize. This isn't a great film but it was a hit; its values clearly matched those of its audience.

another attempt to glamourise gracie

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 9 May 2007]

Clearly Basil Dean was trying to change Gracies on screen persona during the later part of her Ealing career.Also by using the word "extravaganza"in the credits he clearly wants to make cinema-goers believe that much more time and money has been spent.The tunes are quite pleasant but why do they have to lumber her with John Loder,one of the most wooden actors who ever appeared.Furthermore they still wont let her get the man at the end.In this instance Loder has to marry a Princess who is even plainer than Gracie.In fact they pull that old chestnut....just take off your glasses and do your hair and we will make a princess out of a frog.Only in this instance they make a frog out of a frog.Maybe audiences of the time were conditioned to the view that Gracie couldn't get the man and had to suffer!

Joyous Gracie Fields comedy

[wilvram · 7/10 · 21 April 2020]

Gracie Fields whom had recently become one of the highest paid stars in the world is in top form throughout this fast-moving comedy with music, that from the opening frame stresses a spirit of fun and joyfulness and a background of community spirit. The star's indomitable cheerfulness together with her vocal dexterity, seen in a song such as Cherie which she commences to sing straight and then sends-up, and her superb talents as a comedienne signify her immense popularity. This film had no pretensions other than cheer people up at a time of depression, and that it surely did. Though she nearly marries a prince and briefly becomes a film star, the congenial ending with the children in the hospital emphasizes her as essentially one of the people. There are some amusing turns in support from variety stars of the day including Horace Kenney as her father and Robb Wilton in his accustomed role as a muddled magistrate.

Weak story, weak characters, just one shining star

[malcp · 6/10 · 16 October 2019]

Without Gracie, this film would have disappeared without trace and I doubt anyone would have missed it, although for a rainy Tuesday in the 1930s, it was probably good enough. There is very little to relish in this fary tale romance other than the costume design and make-up, with the roles of Prince Charles and Nellie Gwynn are both wafer-thin and unbelievable. Gracie shines through of course, and does look truely wonderful, but even she can't compensate for the comedy which is not only predictable but also seems to fall flat most of the time. One for devoted fans!