Pre- Code: Cynara(1932).

Cynara (1932). Romantic/drama film. Cast: Ronald Colman, Kay Francis and Phyllis Barry and is based on the 1928 novel, An Imperfect Lover by Robert Gore-Browne.

Jim Warlock confesses to his wife Clemency, as he is packing for a trip, how he became involved in the affair that ruined their life:

It began as they were celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary. His friend John Tring, tells him that he has a boring life. After, trying to change Clemency's mind about leaving to help her younger sister Gorla, with problems at home. Jim agrees, to dine with Tring later that evening.

At the restaurant, Tring invites two girls Doris Lea and Milly Miles, to join them for dinner. Even though, Jim enjoys his evening, he throws Doris' address away after she gives it to him. A short time later, Jim has to judge a swimming contest and finds that Tring has arranged to have Doris there. She accepts the winner's trophy from Jim, then twists her ankle and he offers takes her home...

She shares with him that he is not her first lover and that she will give him up "when the time comes." Those famous last words do not hold true on their last weekend together.. Doris tells Jim, that she would rather die than live without him. Later, Jim sends her a check with a note.

When Jim arrives home, Milly is there waiting to confront him over his treatment of her friend, Doris. A policeman arrives to announce that Doris has committed suicide and that Jim's note was found in her apartment.

Will he be found responsible for Doris's death..



There are some very good performances by Colman, Francis and Barry. Very well worth seeing this pre-code romance/drama. At the end of the film, you will be thinking.. With friends like John Tring, who needs enemies..

Phyllis Barry (7 December 1908 – 1 July 1954). Barry trained as a dancer in a John Tiller troupe. She then left England to appear on the stage in Australia.

She later went to America and under the name of Phyllis du Barry toured the coast and finally appeared in Hollywood where she was given a film part.

You  may remember Barry for her role as a foreign spy who seduces Curly Howard in the Three Stooges short subject, Three Little Sew and Sews.

Other films include: The Prince and the Pauper, One Rainy Afternoon, and Laurel and Hardy's Bonnie Scotland.

Director King Vidor, selected Barry to co-star as "the other woman" in the film, Cynara(1932), with Ronald Coleman and Kay Francis.

In 1933, she starred alongside Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante in the comedy What! No Beer? for MGM.

Ronald Colman.

Ronald Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958). While still attending boarding school, he learned that he enjoyed acting. He was making plans to study engineering at Cambridge University, but his father's sudden death made it financially impossible.

During the war, he served with Claude Rains, Herbert Marshall, Cedric Hardwicke and Basil Rathbone. In the Battle of Messines, Colman was seriously wounded which left him with a limp for the rest of his life .

Ronald Colman, first performed in the England film, The Snow of the Desert. While performing on stage in New York in, La Tendress, Director Henry King saw him, and wanted him for the film, The White Sister(1923), opposite Lillian Gish. He gave wonderful performances in the silent films: The Dark Angel (1925), Stella Dallas (1926), Beau Geste (1927), and The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926). He did most of his own stunts until late in his career.

His first major talkie success was in 1930, when he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for two roles: Condemned, Bulldog Drummond, Raffles, The Masquerader, Clive of India, A Tale of Two Cities (1935), Under Two Flags, The Prisoner of Zenda and Lost Horizon ( 1937), If I Were King (1938), and The Talk of the Town (1941). He won the Best Actor Oscar in 1948 for the film, A Double Life.

Personal Quote:

"They talk of the artist finding liberation in work, it is true. One can be someone else in another, more dramatic, more beautiful world."

Video: 2nd part of a Ronald Colman tribute. Sorry, I could not find part 1.



Please click here to learn more about Ronald Colman.

Kiki (1926). Silent comedy film directed by Clarence Brown. The film is based upon a 1920 novel of the same name by Andre Picard.

Kiki, is a temperamental Parisian salesgirl, who lands a job as a chorus girl. Unfortunately, she gets into a fight with the shows "star" Paulette, who is married to director Renal. Soon after, she is fired from the show, Renal feels sorry for her and takes her out on dinner. When Paulette finds out, she takes Renal's best friend Baron Rapp, to the same restaurant and gets Kiki drunk.

Renal, feels sorry for her and takes her to his home. There, Kiki immediately settles right in to the lap of luxury. Paulette, returns home, determined to throw Kiki out. Kiki decides to confront Paulette and gets into a fight with her, where she is knocked unconscious. When a doctor says that she is in a coma, that could last two years, the baron loses his interest in her. Renal returns to Paulette, until Kiki comes to. Ronald Colman, plays the very handsome manager, in this wonderfully funny silent film.

Lucky Partners(1940).

Lucky Partners(1940). Cast: Ronald Colman, Ginger Rogers, Jack Carson and Spring Byington.

Artist David Grant, wishes book store owner Jean Newton, good luck when she passes by. When, Jean is given a beautiful dress she decides that David has brought her good luck. She then asks him to buy a sweep stake ticket with her, and he agrees on the condition that if they win, she will take a trip with him, before she marries Freddie. When David promises that the trip will be kept on a strictly impersonal basis, Freddie agrees.

Their ticket is picked and with their winnings they decide to vacation in, Niagara Falls, with Freddie not far behind. Expecting to find the couple together, Freddie breaks down their door, only to find that David has checked out of the hotel and is driving back to Manhattan. While driving home David is stopped on the road and arrested for stealing Jean's car.

In court, Jean and Freddie try to explain the situation, but their story fails to convince the judge.After, David and Jean cross-examine each other, the judge fines Freddie for breaking down the door. Will Jean and David ever declare their love for each other?

It's such a fun witty movie with Ronald Colman's charm and Ginger Rogers' zaniness. Jack Carson, makes the the perfect jealous fiance and Spring Byington, is always fun to watch. So, if you love films of the 1930's and 40's you will enjoy this one too.

Ronald Colman, had first performed in films in England in 1917 and 1919 for Cecil in, The Snow of the Desert.

While performing on stage in New York in, La Tendress, Director Henry King saw him, and hired him for the film, The White Sister(1923), opposite Lillian Gish. Colman left the the stage for film.

He became a very popular silent film star in both romantic and adventure films: The Dark Angel (1925), Stella Dallas (1926), Beau Geste (1927), and The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926).

His dark hair and eyes and his athletic and riding ability led reviewers to describe him as a "Valentino type". He was often cast in similar roles.

Towards the end of the silents era, Colman was teamed with actress, Vilma Banky and the two became a popular movie team rivaling Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.

" THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH" (1926) Gary Cooper

"The Winning of Barbara Worth" (1926) is a silent western that stars Ronald Colman, Gary Cooper, and Vilma Banky. Directed by Henry King and based on the novel by Harold Bell Wright, this film is one of the great epic westerns of the silent era. The story begins with a wife burying her husband in the desert as her little girl looks on. Another wagon arrives soon after and the girl, Barbara, is saved from the terrible dust storm. However, it is too late for the mother. A man named Jefferson Worth rescues the little orphan and she becomes his adopted daughter. Fifteen years later, Barbara Worth, played by Vilma Banky, is now a young beautiful woman living with her father in the small desert town of Rubio City. Mr. Worth's dream is to bring water to the desert through irrigation. Rich land developer, James Greenfield, plans to fulfill everyone's dream by making the barren land into a paradise.

Engineer Willard Holmes, played by Ronald Colman, is hired by Greenfield to help bring water to the desert. Unfortunately, trouble lies ahead. Barbara is loved by her childhood sweetheart, Abe Lee, played by Gary Cooper. Willard falls for Barbara and a bitter rivalry develops between him and Abe. Since both men are exceedingly handsome, who will win the heart of Barbara Worth? In the meantime, Greenfield fires all the workers before the dam is properly reinforced, and in protest Worth has his men establish a new town on a mesa. However, he finds he cannot meet his payroll because of Greenfield's blockade. When the people realize they cannot be paid, they want to burn down the town. They are ready to lynch Worth and his daughter, Barbara. From that point on it is a race against time as Willard and Abe try to get the payroll to the townspeople. The climax of the film involves the breaking of the dam and the flooding of the entire area. The ending is very surprising. Although it was a landmark film in its own right, "The Winning of Barbara Worth" is best known for launching Gary Cooper's career. This film gave western stuntman and bit player Cooper his first featured role. Cooper's good looks and natural style of acting were immediately noticed by audiences and critics alike. An outstanding performance was given by Gary Cooper as well as Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky. The cinematography is breathtaking with beautiful use of light and shadow. The images of wagons and people and horses moving against a background of yellow-tinted desert looks stunning. The special effects were impressive for its time especially the flooding of the Colorado River. "The Winning of Barbara Worth" is not only a high quality production by Samuel Goldwyn, but it also blends romance and drama into an engrossing western epic.

* It is interesting to note that "The Winning of Barbara Worth" was filmed in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada.