Stephanie (September 2005)

Rating: of 5

Our Modern Maidens, Joan's last silent film, isn't exactly a sequel to the previous year's smash hit Our Dancing Daughters despite its parallel title, but it does continue the adventures of the young, fast, rich set, anchored here by Joan's "Billie," another modern wild-but-decent daughter. Like OurDD, OurMM features wild parties, drinking, and dancing by jazz-baby Joan, as well as some snappily risque (for the time) dialogue along the lines of "There's something in my pocket...Dig for it" (um, that's an engagement ring that Billie comes up with) and "Lunch is poured!"

This movie, like OurDD, opens fast---in the first 30 minutes or so, the youthful Moderns flirt, neck, race cars, and party hard and lavishly. Anita Page---the wicked Ann from OurDD---is also on hand here as Billie's good-girl friend "Kentucky," who admires Billie but is also in love with Billie's fiance Gil. Gil is played by Joan's real-life fiance Doug Fairbanks, Jr., in their only film together. Fairbanks, whom I've never seen act before, is dazzlingly good-looking, charismatic, and witty here: The highlight of his performance, and one of the highlights of the film, comes at the party in the opening scenes, when he entertains the crowd with a series of clever impressions of famous leading men: a grimacing John Barrymore, a manically intense shoulder-rolling John Gilbert, and, most fun of all, a version of his own swashbuckling dad Doug Fairbanks as Robin Hood.

After the jazz-hot first half-hour, the film settles into its plot: Billie and Gil are secretly engaged, but Billie still dallies with the more mature and important diplomat, well-played with restrained intensity by Rod LaRocque. Gil is jealous and himself dallies with the innocent Kentucky, who's completely in love with him. Who will end up with whom?!

But the lightweight plot's not really the point here. The whole purpose of OurMM is to again showcase (and cash in on) the spunky, stylish, and thoroughly modern Joan as a Party Girl with a Heart of Gold. She doesn't disappoint. Whether jauntily cutting loose on a drum-kit or dancing with bare midriff or nonchalantly shooting craps and drinking on a train before noon, Joan is indeed "all that." And a real actress, to boot. The early fun stuff is specifically for her teenaged and collegiate fans of the time, but also check out her later scene with LaRocque when he's semi-manhandling her and she's genuinely scared but not about to show it, as well as her post-wedding scene when she must, without her new groom, run the gantlet of a gossipy crowd. In each case, her character's "game face" is securely on, but we viewers also get to see the struggle behind it. Despite just a bit of eye-popping and lip-biting (early-Joan mannerisms that turn up throughout the '30s and occasionally in her later films), her character's inner battles with serious outward situations are done naturally and interestingly---a preview of and prelude to her more dramatic roles upcoming in the next few years of her career.

James (March 2005)

Rating: of 5

I confess: I’ve fallen madly and hopelessly in love with this movie! As a long-term Joan Crawford fan, an art deco aficionado, and someone who’s been crazy about the “Roaring ‘20s” since childhood, this film hit all the right notes and had me grinning from beginning to end. This is the most charming and delightful movie I’ve seen in a long time, and I truly can’t praise it enough.

In Our Modern Maidens, Joan plays an aptly named character named “Billie," and the film parallels reality to some extent by showcasing the young Joan Crawford/Billie Cassin the way she was during the 1920s: happy, carefree, and dancing up a storm. It’s a rare treat to see Joan like this, and she gives an expressive, vivacious, and absolutely adorable performance as a strong willed young flapper not unlike herself. I really enjoyed seeing her this way, and it was fun to spot what would later become “Crawfordisms” long before her screen persona was fully developed. The jaunty, "tip of the hat" wave she gives (and later used to great effect as Sadie Thompson in Rain) is just one example of this. She’s confident and cheeky in this movie, and it’s a riot watching her bang away on a drumset, and then perform a sexy dance number in a revealing bra and skirt outfit with her navel on full display {which was pretty hot stuff in 1929).

Playing opposite Joan are Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., as Gil, Anita Page as Kentucky, Josephine Dunn as Ginger, and matinee idol Rod La Rocque (love that name!) as Glenn, all of whom deliver strong performances. Anita Page is a little “hammy," but she’s extremely cute strumming her ukulele and mouthing “boop-boop-bee-doop” while she plays. Josephine Dunn portrays jaded and bitchy quite well, and she garners some genuine belly laughs as a result. Rod La Rocque plays it straight for the most part, and he’s appropriately dashing and debonair as he woos Joan. During a seduction scene, he grabs her hair and pulls her head back for an aggressive, passionate kiss which still manages to steam up the screen almost eighty years later.

Doug Jr. is surprisingly funny in his role. He demonstrates his talents as an impersonator in one scene, brazenly imitating his father as Robin Hood by leaping on top of a piano (I’ll bet he heard about that later at Pickfair!). It’s fascinating to watch Joan and her soon-to-be first husband acting together. In one scene, Doug Jr. tells Joan: “There’s something in my pocket...reach in and dig for it," and Joan’s cheeky expression as she reaches in is priceless (double entendre all the way!). Their love for each other is clearly evident in this film, and they make a very attractive couple, epitomizing the "flaming youth" of their generation.

Adrian’s costumes are sexy and glamorous, and if you look very carefully it’s possible to detect tiny, almost imperceptible shoulder pads in Joan’s wedding dress (the seeds had been planted!). The authentic art deco sets are beyond description and absolutely stunning. The wedding scene in particular is straight out of a Tamara De Lempicka painting, right down to Joan carrying a bouquet of white calla lilies as she marches down the aisle. Even the wedding cake is shaped like a towering art deco skyscraper, and the entire sequence is a love letter to the style and design of the era.

Our Modern Maidens is a rare gem and a really fun movie. In my opinion, Jack Conway (who directed some of Gloria Swanson's best silents) skillfully and deftly created a jazz age masterpiece. The mis-matched lovers plot is simple and effective, the cast is charming, the sets and costumes are pure eye candy, and the film moves at a fast-paced clip, never lagging once. I absolutely loved this movie...what a treat!

Memorable Lines

“Leave it to me! I’ll get you to Paris if I have to start another war!”  Billie to Gil.

“All together, children...what are our thoughts on leaving school?”  Billie to girls.

“Men! Men! Men! Men!! MEN!!” The girls' response.

“Lunch is poured!”  Waiter on private railway car.

“She must have been in the Northwest Mounted...she always gets her man!”  Ginger.

“What do you think of a groomless honeymoon? Modern, isn’t it? I’m just starting the fashion.”  Billie.

“Do tell us...is this a modern moral...or just another immoral modern?”  Ginger to Billie.

“Do you think you’d know the difference, darling?”  Billie to Ginger.