In Name Only

I watched `In Name Only' the other night after about 20 odd years since the last time I watched it. I didn't realise how lovely this film actually was…..maybe age has matured me to such delights, who knows!!! Carole Lombard and Cary Grant star together and their pairing does work. Though the performance from Kay Francis was extremely convincing, she showed a cold calculated woman determined to keep Grant's character in a loveless marriage, parading a pretense to family and friends she was the hard-done-by wife.

Lombard's character Julie Eden was of course the opposite of Kay Francis's character……two different women in the extreme. Both women are vying for the same man, but with definite distinctions between them to what their reasons are..... one for love and the other for wealth and power. Amongst all this is Grant's character Alec Walker…….he knows to well of his wife's ambition, to the point of utterly loathing her (I actually think he does in the film).

The cinematography was sharp, editing and sound was to a high standard. The dialogue was clear and the plot was satisfactory……I say this because watching this film today really has no relevance to our society anymore. Couples just live with each other, there's no stigma attached or judgements made against them. The era of the film depicts a very different society code and morals.

`In Name Only' certainly has a place in my film collection. 8/10