... which was the first novel of John Galsworthy'sThe Forsyte Saga. Essentially a Victorian England-set soap opera, it features a big cast of stars headed by Greer Garson as the title character who enters into a loveless marriage with Soames Forsyte (Errol Flynn), a stuffy, cold member of a stuffy, cold artistocratic family. Walter Pidgeon co-stars as a black sheep of the family, with Janet Leigh as his daughter and Robert Young as a Bohemian architect with whom Leigh falls in love. Complications occur, however, when Young and Garson fall in love with one other.
With its rich Technicolor and lavish set design, That Forsyte Woman is one of those productions in which every penny shows on the screen. Unfortunately, as directed by Compton Bennett, lavish as this film is, it is also equally lifeless. You may watch the film for its cast of stars but it may also be a bit of a struggle to make it to the end.
In his autobiography, however, Errol Flynn called this one of the favorite films of his career, and I can understand why. In playing an unloved man who has difficulty expressing emotion it gave him a rare opportunity to break away from the swashbuckling stereotype at his home studio Warner Brothers and do a character role. Flynn tries hard and his casting against type can be seen as the most interesting thing about this plush production. Unfortunately, possibly due to little directorial assistance, the actor comes across as a little too stiff and reserved much of the time. You can understand why the actor in Flynn appreciated the opportunity but there's something about seeing a charming man playing an not so charming character that can be a little tiresome after a while.
Greer Garson would later write that this film has been a fun one to make and it had been enjoyable for her to work with Flynn. The actress added, however, that she wished the film had been as much fun for the audience to view as it had been for the cast to make.
With its rich Technicolor and lavish set design, That Forsyte Woman is one of those productions in which every penny shows on the screen. Unfortunately, as directed by Compton Bennett, lavish as this film is, it is also equally lifeless. You may watch the film for its cast of stars but it may also be a bit of a struggle to make it to the end.
In his autobiography, however, Errol Flynn called this one of the favorite films of his career, and I can understand why. In playing an unloved man who has difficulty expressing emotion it gave him a rare opportunity to break away from the swashbuckling stereotype at his home studio Warner Brothers and do a character role. Flynn tries hard and his casting against type can be seen as the most interesting thing about this plush production. Unfortunately, possibly due to little directorial assistance, the actor comes across as a little too stiff and reserved much of the time. You can understand why the actor in Flynn appreciated the opportunity but there's something about seeing a charming man playing an not so charming character that can be a little tiresome after a while.
Greer Garson would later write that this film has been a fun one to make and it had been enjoyable for her to work with Flynn. The actress added, however, that she wished the film had been as much fun for the audience to view as it had been for the cast to make.