The Divorce of Lady X

The Divorce of Lady X
Film poster
Directed by	Tim Whelan
Written by	Gilbert Wakefield (play) Lajos Bíró (adaptation) Ian Dalrymple (scenario)
Produced by	Alexander Korda
Starring	Laurence Olivier Merle Oberon Binnie Barnes Ralph Richardson
Cinematography	Harry Stradling
Edited by	L.J.W. Stokvis
Music by	Miklós Rózsa Lionel Salter
Production company	London Films
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	15 January 1938 (1938-01-15)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$500,000 or £99,000

The Divorce of Lady X is a 1938 British colour romantic comedy film made by London Films; it stars Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson and Binnie Barnes. It was directed by Tim Whelan and produced by Alexander Korda from a screenplay by Ian Dalrymple and Arthur Wimperis, adapted by Lajos Bíró from the play Counsel's Opinion by Gilbert Wakefield. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa and Lionel Salter and the cinematography by Harry Stradling.

The film was made in early three-strip Technicolor and is a remake of the 1933 film Counsel's Opinion, also from London Films and in which Binnie Barnes appeared in the role played by Merle Oberon.

Plot

Leslie Steele (Merle Oberon), a guest at a costume party, is forced to stay overnight in a hotel because of thick London fog. As no rooms are available, Steele talks her way into sharing a suite with Everard Logan (Laurence Olivier), a handsome though somewhat stiff lawyer. They spend the night together, quite chastely, but Logan becomes convinced that Leslie must be married. His conviction is confirmed when an old school friend, Lord Mere (Ralph Richardson), arrives and asks Logan to represent him in a divorce case against his wife, Lady Claire (Binnie Barnes), who had also spent the night in the hotel after the party.

As Leslie had discreetly declined to give her full name, despite having decided to win and marry him, Logan mistakenly believes that she is Lady Claire, making him the mystery co-respondent in his client's divorce. Leslie encourages the mistaken identity- which also charges her with the three previous divorces of Lady Claire- as a confused and love-struck Logan pursues her against his better judgement, and at risk- he believes- of his career. Eventually Lord and Lady Mere, now reconciled, are drawn into the confusion, much to their own amusement. Logan is furious and humiliated when Leslie and Lord and Lady Mere finally reveal the deception to him, and shutters his practice in order to travel abroad. A penitent Leslie pursues him aboard a ship to France, and wins him back as he battles seasickness.

Cast

• Merle Oberon as Leslie Steele
• Laurence Olivier as Everard Logan
• Binnie Barnes as Lady Claire Mere
• Ralph Richardson as Lord Mere
• Morton Selten as Lord Steele
• Victor Rietti as Hotel Manager
• J.H. Roberts as Slade
• Gertrude Musgrove as Saunders, the Maid
• Gus McNaughton as Room Service Waiter
• H.B. Hallam as Jefferies, the Butler
• Eileen Peel as Mrs. Johnson
• Lewis Gilbert as Tom

Critical reception

Variety wrote, "Alexander Korda’s Technicolored comedy is rich, smart entertainment," and also applauded the acting: "Oberon impresses. Olivier does his role pretty well, retarded somewhat by an annoying bit of pouting business. Two key performances which sparkle are those of Ralph Richarson and Morton Selten." whereas more recently, Leonard Maltin called the film a "Cute but extremely dated screwball comedy,"; and the Radio Times found the whole thing "quite amusing...in a daft and inconsequential way."

External links

• The Divorce of Lady X at IMDb
• The Divorce of Lady X at AllMovie
• The Divorce of Lady X at the TCM Movie Database