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Riptide [VHS]

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"Rip Tide", is not a film which is well known nowadays and like much of Norma Shearer's film work has been either forgotten or relegated to the late show. Despite getting a so so nod of approval from the critics at the time it was a very successful "comeback' vechicle for Norma after two years away from the screen caring for her ailing husband the MGM boy genius Irving Thalberg who was recovering from his first heart attack. Indeed if any film apart from the classic "Marie Antoniette", and "The Women" really showcases what the Shearer chic and sophistication were all about in the glamourous 1930's the glossy "Rip Tide" was it.

"Rip Tide" relates the story of life in high society for Park Avenue socialite Mary who finds herself at the pinnacle of social status by a chance meeting with an English Lord. On a whim after accidently meeting Lord Phillip Rexford (played in usual dull style by perrenial leading man Herbert Marshall) at a bizzare insect themed party Mary marries him and settles into a comfortable, socially prominent and quite stifling existence only to find herself torn between her martial obligations as Lady of the manor and the more exciting embraces of playboy and former flame Tommie Trent (played in carefree style by Robert Montgomery). What results is scandal, double standards, deception and martial compromise before the necessary sensible resolution which finds Mary realise that home and hearth are a far better and more sensible solution than the unsure existence as the partner of a renowned party boy.

Out of such vintage soap opera has been fashioned a really superb marital drama about an era and style of life long gone. "Rip Tide", was Irving Thalberg's first big venture as an independant producer in the MGM family and he did not disappoint with a lavish vechicle in every department for his wife's official MGM comeback. Everything that the audience has come to expect of a first class MGM star vechicle of the 1930's is present here. The film boasts a wonderful supporting cast headed (Mrs.) Patrick Campbell in the role of Aunt Hetty, Mary's unofficial counsellor in all things marital. A very rare excursion into film for Campbell it is unique in capturing her superb acting talents on screen. "Rip Tide" literally glows with technical talent as well. Adrian created what were probably some of the most famous contemporary costumes here and his outfits for Norma Shearer really defined totally her glamour image as the fashion queen of MGM. The stylish Cedric Gibbons interiors for both the New York settings and those in Monte Carlo are also a sight to behold. The performances in "Rip Tide",despite its soap opera origins are also exceptional. Norma Shearer has often been the target for criticism for her acting but in truth she was never better than here in her role as Lady Mary Rexford the flighty, fun loving wife of a much different man from a totally different strata of society . She is both fun to watch and beautiful to look at and still manages to portray the stylish lady-like character which became her trade mark. Robert Montgomery in his last of a number of successful teamings with Norma registers well as the carefree and irresponsible playboy in a role similiar to that he had done in countless other MGM productions. Herbert Marshall while a dull character in the story, also gives a great performance as the husband coming from a different world to his young wife and who has great diffuclty in adapting himself to the one he truly loves.

While "Rip Tide" could be regarded as the typical MGM production it has alot more to offer than that. For those that love to see the great stars perform in roles tailored especially to their studio created personas this film is unsurpassed. Not a great deal of Norma Shearer's work is available for viewing in this day and here you have the opportunity to see her at her peak both in beauty and box office standing. Definately one for the white tie and tails, champagne set "Rip Tide" is the ideal way to lose yourself for a couple of hours in the lives of the rich and beautiful where real life worries have no place. Enjoy Norma Shearer's glamourous presence in MGM's classic "Rip Tide".

I had been trying to find "Riptide" for my video collection for some time. I really have to thank Amazon.com for providing me the opportunity to buy this out-of-print gem (and their great customer service department). Norma Shearer was a great actress on her own (despite the fact that she was wife of MGM's head of production, Irving Thalberg, a.k.a. Louis B. Mayer's "wonder boy"). In "Riptide," Shearer plays Mary, a free spirit Park Avenue socialite who, through her overly-developed sense of responsibility to an old flame, becomes inadvertantly embroiled in a tabloid-type scandal. While her proper English husband (Herbert Marshall) must travel to the U.S.A. on a working "no-wives-allowed" junket, Mary travels the Meditteranean with friends and is persuaded to help sober up her old flame (Robert Montgomery). Through the classic comedy-of-errors formula, he winds up drunkenly falling off her balcony into the hotel cafe below. The architypal drawing-room love triangle plot ensues. Especially funny are the opening scene, when the main characters are preparing to go to a costume party dressed as giant insects, and the scene where Mary and her "Aunt Hattie" get totally roaring "tipsy" in the study. Break out the champagne and orchids, this one's a keeper!

In this glossy MGM picture, "First Lady of the Screen", Norma Shearer, plays Mary, a reformed ex-liberated girl who marries into British Aristocracy, through the person of stuffy Lord Rexford, properly impersonated by reliable Herbert Marshall, who excelled in these type of roles, of dignified, formal and very moral husbands: I can remember "Blonde Venus" and "Angel", both opposite Marlene Dietrich, and "The Little Foxes" and "The Letter", both with Bette Davis, though one must never forget he once played brilliantly, a debonair crook and man of the world, in Lubitsch's masterpiece "Trouble in Paradise" (1932).

The film is entertaining indeed, has a fine pace, although at the same time is somewhat episodic, showcasing Norma Shearer at the epitome of her movie stardom, in her last screen appearance with frequent co-star Robert Montgomery, who's very good as the extremely bon-vivant playboy Tommie Trent. Wonderful support by Mrs. Patrick Campbell as Lady Riversleigh, Marshall's naughty and mischievous aunt and by Lilyan Tashman as Shearer's sister, who, sadly, appears too little on the screen.

The movie's plot certainly wouldn't have passed the censorship some moths later, when the Production Code was fully enforced, because Shearer would have necessarily been punished for all the playing around with playboy Montgomery, while husband Marshall is away on a business travel, so it's pretty adult stuff by later Hollywood standards of the 1940s and 1950s.

You'll be surprised by the opening sequence, which shows Shearer and Marshall dressed in very exotic and sophisticated giant insects costumes, for a lavish party.

Norma Shearer is a carefree American who's married to stuffy English Lord Marshall; when Marshall goes to America on business, old flame Robert Montgomery follows Shearer home and there are scandalous consequences.....The highlight of this rather elusive (not easily found) film is the opening sequence which has the the stars dressed as insects at a posh costume party! One of the very few films in which the legendary (and notoriously difficult) Mrs. Patrick Campbell appeared, this is a bizarrely entertaining, quality production with an inspired cast.

After filming 1932's STRANGE INTERLUDE with Clark Gable, Shearer would take an almost two year break from making movies. She would return to play one more pre-code enforced "modern woman" role in the the classic movie...

RIPTIDE (1934)

Here is yet another film of Shearers that is full of great sexy, "pre-code enforced" fun in the same vein as other great Shearer roles such as STRANGERS MAY KISS(1931), THEIR OWN DESIRE (1929) and THE DIVORCE (1930).

In RIPTIDE, Shearer is a notorious New York party girl who meets a stuffy but romantic British Lord played by Herbert Marshall while on their way to a costume party. They fall for each other immediately and have a whirlwind romance. When it comes time for Marshall to leave for England, he decides that he can't leave Shearer and proposes.

He takes her to England with him and they marry. Several years go by, they have a child and Marshall grows more distant. A bored Shearer takes up a friends offer to go to a party in Cannes. There she runs into old playboy friend Montgomery. After years of being cooped up with Marshall, Shearer lets loose with Montgomery and pushes the line of "platonic" but stays faithful to Marshall.

When a scandal sheet photographer takes a picture of Shearer and Montgomery, Shearers husband is outraged. Considering her past, he refuses to believe her innocence. They break up and Marshall is intent on divorce. Realizing this...Shearer really does cross the line with Montgomery, rather blatantly so. Marshall meanwhile has changed his mind and tells Shearer that he wants her back. Shearer begs Montgomery not to tell her husband about their affair, but news gets out and this time Marshall really does divorce Shearer.

However... this is far from the end for Shearer and Marshall and the movie doesn't end as you might expect. This one is directed by Edmund Goulding who directed a couple other famous soap opera classics, DARK VICTORY and GRAND HOTEL.

Shearer wears some wonderfully revealing outfits. She has without a doubt some of the greatest "bare shoulders" that these aged eyes have ever seen. Again...Shearer is able to pull off the unconventional, scandalous, sexy vixen while still being the fun, cute, witty girl next door. The cinematography is lovely and the interior set design is also well done.

It was a shame that this would be the last of the sexy, indapendent party girl roles that Shearer would play. It would have been interesting to see her take the "independent, fun loving woman" role to another, more mature level. However, this would be the last role of that kind. After RIPTIDE, Shearer would be relegated to roles as put upon housewives and period pieces. Roles in which she was likable, but just didn't seem very at home in.

I just watched this last night,so maybe I need to rewatch,but the package called this a comedy?I found it a romantic drama.But as always ,I love Norma Shearer.
I don't understand why she has been forgotten by the public at large?
She is one of my favorites of the 30's.I like her better than MGM's other female leads of the era,Joan Crawford,and Garbo!

The plot of this movie is fairly simple. An american party animal(Norma Shearer) meets an english lord(Frederick Marshall) on the way to a party dressed in some pretty far out insect costumes. They never get to the party and in the process of getting to know one another they fall in love. Of course they are "gloriously in love" as it usually is referred to in all of the Shearer movies of that era. Our american girl Mary is transformed by love, marriage, and motherhood from devil-may-care party gal to the picture of societal respectability. All is well until she goes out for an evening with a former beau (Robert Montgomery) and gets drunk. Mary manages to keep it from going too far, but when her returning husband hears about her near indiscretion all hell breaks loose and the hubby assumes the worse. The rest of the story focuses on the resolution of their marital problems with complications from the ex-beau.
As I always state, most of the prints that comprise the Warner Archives releases are not remastered and are usually meant for true movie buffs who probably don't care if the image isn't all that crisp. That said, this movie is a lot of fun and put in perspective re: the era it was made it had good production standards, cool costuming, a decent script, a very good cast (including Mrs. Patrick Campbell in the minor part of Aunt Hetty and the three aforementioned actors who were big box office draws in 1934), and the very popular Edmund Goulding directing. While I cannot definitively say this movie was pre-code, it may have been since it touched on some sexually sensitive material but managed to not get too frisky.
This is definitely a Shearer showcase and is must see stuff if you are a fan of hers.