A Notorious Affair
| A Notorious Affair | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Lloyd Bacon |
| Produced by | Robert North |
| Written by |
Contributing writers: Forrest Halsey Lillian Hayward Earle Roebuck |
| Screenplay by | J. Grubb Alexander |
| Based on |
Fame (1929 play) by Audrey and Waverly Carter |
| Starring | Billie Dove |
| Music by | Cecil Copping |
| Cinematography | Ernest Haller |
| Edited by | Frank Ware |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | First National Pictures |
Release dates |
April 25, 1930 (NYC) May 4, 1930 (US)[1] |
Running time | 70 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
A Notorious Affair is a 1930 American Pre-Code drama film, produced and released by First National Pictures. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon, starred Billie Dove, and featured Basil Rathbone and Kay Francis.[2][1] The film was adapted from the play Fame, which was written by Audrey and Waverly Carter.
Plot
Billie Dove plays Lady Patricia, a socialite who, despite being engaged to an aristocrat, shocks her friends and social class by marrying a poor Italian violinist Paul Gherardi (Rathbone). Through her wealth and influence, Patricia makes Paul famous and wealthy. In spite of this, Paul falls for the charms of a vamp, Countess Olga Balakireff (Francis) who likes to fool around with rich men. Eventually Paul has a nervous breakdown due to overwork and collapses.
Dr. Pomeroy (Kenneth Thompson) is sent for; he happens to be one of Patricia's former lovers. Balakireff, annoyed at Paul's increasingly irritable behavior, decides she has had her fun and leaves him. Paul then suffers a paralytic attack. Patricia and Dr. Pomeroy take Paul to a surgeon for an operation. After his operation, Patricia stays at her husband's side to nurse him back to health. After a month, Paul still seems not to have made any progress and accuses Patricia of wanting to leave him for Thompson. The moment after Thompson and Patricia have said goodbye forever because she she won't leave a paralyzed husband, Paul reveals to his wife that he has, in fact, fully recovered, and the two are reconciled.
Cast
- Billie Dove as Lady Patricia Hanley Gherardi
- Basil Rathbone as Paul Gherardi
- Kay Francis as Countess Olga Balakireff
- Kenneth Thomson as Dr. Alan Pomeroy
- Montagu Love as Sir Thomas Hanley
- Malcolm Waite as Higgins, Countess Balakireff's butler
Preservation
The film survives intact and has been broadcast on television and cable. A print is held by the Library of Congress and it is also in the Turner Library.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 A Notorious Affair at the American Film Institute Catalog
- ↑ American Film Institute (1997) The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921–30 p. 555. ISBN 978-0-520-20969-5.
- ↑ American Film Institute (1978) Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress
External links
- A Notorious Affair at the American Film Institute Catalog
- A Notorious Affair at the Internet Movie Database
- A Notorious Affair at the TCM Movie Database
- A Notorious Affair at AllMovie