Robert Taylor
This was the first movie I've ever seen Robert Taylor in and boy, is he adorable. I don't know what the reviewer was talking about. I loved both Robert Taylor and Norma Shearer in this film.
sharemdmzara; You really need to see more of his films because this is one of his worse efforts. In fact the entire film is a embarrassment to His co-stars Norma Shearer and George Sanders as well as Director George Cukor. See instead WATERLOO BRIDGE, QOU VADIS or THE LAST HUNT when he is on top of his game.
shareI really enjoyed this movie also, but your other recommendations are great also. Hard to miss with Robert Taylor.
The only criticism I had of this movie was how Norma Shearer finally fell for him. She didn't give any indication for the entire movie that she was the least bit interested, and then suddenly with five minutes left, she says she's in love with him??!! Usually there are signs of this happening.
mwmtampa; Felt this film was a retrogressive step for ROBERT TAYLOR and I think he knew it. Normally I like NORMA SHEARER but this is not the type of role for her. Nor screw-ball comedy for Director GEORGE CUKOR film was a big flop and SHEARER retired.
shareGotcha Xerses, and what did you think of my critique with the way she fell in love with him?
sharemwmtampa; Felt that you were on target. Felt the whole script lacked cohesion and that they just wanted to get the film over with. After this one ROBERT TAYLOR was probably glad to go into the Navy!
shareThanks, what did you think about "Personal Property", the 1937 comedy he had done with Jean Harlow?
sharemwmtampa; Never saw it, so cannot comment.
shareGotcha, be on the lookout as it occasionally appears on TCM, I'd like your viewpoint
shareI think Robert Taylor is cute and funny in it, but I will agree that it certainly is no dramatic role. I have a feeling he was supposed to be silly, but I could be wrong. :)
I have read several comments by other actors (such as Esther Williams and Stewart Granger) about how they felt sorry for Robert Taylor because he was trapped in these roles that MGM gave them. It is illustrated in this quote that Stewart Granger said (it is also on his IMDB page):
(on Robert Taylor(Granger worked with him in All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953) and The Last Hunt (1956)) He was such a nice guy, but he had even more hang-ups than I had. Bob Taylor was the easiest person to work with but he had been entirely emasculated by the MGM brass who insisted that he was only a pretty face. He was convinced he wasn't really a good actor and his calm acceptance of this stigma infuriated me.
I was glad to hear that Granger said he was nice. Its sad though that MGM convinced Taylor that all he was was a pretty face. Sort of like how they told Van Heflin that he wasn't attractive enough to have a career and he won an Oscar!
"Her Cardboard Lover" was a terrible film with embarrassing performances in my opinion. During his pretty boy period when he first joined MGM suited Robert Taylor just fine, and it gave him a chance to learn the craft of film acting. MGM not only built him up in the wonderful "Camille" with Greta Garbo, but put him in films opposite the top stars of the period, including "The Gorgeous Hussy" with Joan Crawford, "His Brother's Wife" with Barbara Stanwyck, "Three Comrades" with Margaret Sullivan, and "Magnificent Obsession" with Irene Dunne (on loan out). Robert Taylor never fought for parts while at MGM, hoping that MGM would guide him in his career successfully. While many of his roles were indeed pretty boy vehicles including "Times Square Lady", "Personal Property", and "Lucky Night", he also gave excellent leading role performances in "Waterloo Bridge", "Johnny Eager", and "Escape" (he and Norma was much better together in this than in "Her Cardboard Lover"). Robert Taylor was indeed a pretty boy, then a handsome man. he was also a limited actor who occasionally gave a good performance, and of course, he was a top movie star.
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