The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

1937 "The new star-spangled M-G-M sensation!"
6.4| 1h38m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 19 February 1937 Released
Producted By: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Info

A chic jewel thief in England falls in love with one of her marks.

Genre

Drama, Comedy

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Director

Richard Boleslawski, Dorothy Arzner, George Fitzmaurice

Production Companies

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

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The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Audience Reviews

Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.
Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
mikhail080 Well, there is often something in many MGM productions of the mid to late 1930's that really leave me cold. If I expand on that metaphor, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney has me shivering in a deep freeze. Filmed only eight years earlier as a Norma Shearer vehicle, this attempt to resurrect a modestly successful 1920's drama falls flat in a big way.The Last of Mrs. Cheyney plays like a strictly by-the-numbers film, obviously prepackaged and green lighted by complacent MGM executives who seemingly felt that they could combine some of their most likable and charming stars in a glossy remake like this, and the money would come pouring in from devoted fans. Um, wrong.Saddled with an awkward title, unfocused, preposterous, and exceedingly dull, the film wastes the considerable talents of all involved. Arguably a drawing-room comedy, the film has no "intentional" laughs, implausible character motivations, and a romantic triangle that leaves viewers nodding off into their popcorn. Unfortunately for him, director Richard Boleslawski dropped dead sometime during the filming, and the project was finished by two other uncredited directors. I suspect that his futile attempt to make this turkey fly may have contributed to his demise.The plot introduces us to a gang of con artists led by Powell and Crawford, who oh-so-easily infiltrate the highest rungs of wealthy and titled British society. They are intent on stealing the strand of pearls belonging to aristocratic dowager Jessie Ralph during the course of a weekend party at her country estate. Complications arise when love-struck Robert Montgomery's fixation on Joan leads him to ask too many questions.All the players involved try their best to enliven the proceedings with their own particular brand of appeal, and they are certainly photogenic. But their efforts are wasted on a talky and lackluster script that stretches credibility and makes little sense. The endless exchanges of dialog fail to deliver any punch or sparkle, although veteran character actors Jesse Ralph, Frank Morgan, Nigel Bruce and Sara Haden come off better than the leading players.The bottom line may be that this is another one only for "completists" of the stars, and all others shouldn't even take their first look at The Last of Mrs. Cheyney.** out of *****
wes-connors On a fast boat to England, Joan Crawford (as Fay Cheyney) finds herself in wealthy Frank Morgan (as Lord Kelton)'s stateroom bed. Turns out, Ms. Crawford is part of a gang of jewel thieves. She is in the process of endearing herself to wealthy British socialites. In London, she and "butler" William Powell (as Charles) plot to steal Jessie Ralph (as the Duchess)'s pearls. Of course, things get complicated when Crawford is increasingly attracted to dashing Robert Montgomery (as Lord Dilling), who thinks he knows Mr. Powell from somewhere... Neither the first nor the last of Mrs. Cheyney, as MGM previously plotted to amuse audiences with Norma Shearer (1929)'s turn; subsequently, this story was retooled for Greer Garson (1951). This version might have had the best chance for success, but it falls flat. Directionless, despite having three directors, the three leading stars often seem to be doing the "read through" of a listless script. The film's supporting cast, led by Ms. Ralph's "Duchess" is fairly reliable, and consistent, however. Crawford, Montgomery, and Powell really smoke! smoke! smoke! up the screen, when they light up three cigarettes. ***** The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (2/19/37) Richard Boleslawski ~ Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery, William Powell, Jessie Ralph
nycritic Joan Crawford, desperate to get out of her shop girl roles, tries to re-do this Norma Shearer vehicle with somewhat staid results. Not for lack of trying -- when she really applied herself and if the part was written and directed well, she shone as clearly seen in GRAND HOTEL or THE WOMEN. The problem lies that the story, that of a jewel thief passing as high society with her partner-in-tow William Powell (who was used to farce and works well here), would have seemed better if Myrna Loy, who had better chemistry with Powell, had taken this part. Somehow something fails here. The comedy is really not all that there, and while Dorothy Arzner was ultimately credited as the director of this film, there were two others, and that makes for some eventual problems which will mar a film.
woid Stagy, tedious, wooden, boring, endless. And yet... Here's a cast of wonderful MGM actors in their prime. Joan Crawford is not that far removed from the musicals of her youth. Her beauty hasn't hardened into the horrible Kabuki mask of later years. She's one of the worst things about this movie. She's utterly unfunny and totally charmless. She sinks every scene to the bottom of the sea, and thence downward to the center of the earth. Still, it's always interesting to watch her, to notice the lighting and other tricks that give her the star treatment in every shot. The male leads are the incomparable William Powell (one year after "My Man Godfrey"), and Robert Montgomery (one year before "Night Must Fall"). The rest of the cast is filled out with wonderful character actors including Frank Morgan, Nigel Bruce, and Melville Cooper. Not to mention Jessie Ralph, a cinema immortal for her role as Mrs. Hermosillo Brunch in "The Bank Dick."In 1937 American actors were severely afflicted with the phony English accent syndrome ("cahnt" for "can't"). Here, the cast is supposed to be mostly English, with only Crawford and Powell as visiting Americans. But Crawford and Powell both speak in that mid-Atlantic half- English accent. Meanwhile, half the "English" characters are played by Americans who barely attempt to sound English (Robert Montgomery, Frank Morgan, Jessie Ralph). In these bewildering accents, much dialog is babbled, little of it worth hearing. But under the wreckage you can discern the movie somebody was hoping to make: something like the infinitely better "Trouble In Paradise," Ernst Lubitsch's masterpiece about two jewel thieves, their victim, and the resulting love triangle. Samson Raphaelson, the brilliant writer of "Trouble In Paradise," is one of the many listed writers on this movie. There are a few flashes of brilliant dialog here that sound like him. Meanwhile, Frank Morgan (later the Wizard of Oz) plays a character that's a prototype for Mr. Matuschek in the wonderful Lubitsch/Raphaelson "Shop Around The Corner." But in this movie, 90% of the dialog is heavy as lead. There are many frenzied comings and goings, none of them funny. In no way is this movie a comedy -- if by comedy we mean what makes you laugh. Number of (intentional) laughs detected in this film: 0. Unintentional laughs: few. This isn't even one of those so bad it's good movies. It's just a stinker.And yet... all those actors near the tops of their careers... a first-class MGM production from the golden age... and Mrs. Hermosillo Brunch! My advice: Tivo it and watch it at triple speed if you like, but do take a gander.