Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5108 in VHS
• Released on: 1998-09-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Black & White, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Customer Reviews

Meeting of the Queens of MGM
"When Ladies Meet" is a unique viewing experience on a number of different levels. The first being that it has preserved on film the passing of the MGM mantle from 1930's movie queen Joan Crawford to that of rising 1940's successor Greer Garson and secondly shows one of the few times in this period of film making where two top female stars are teamed together. The combination of Joan Crawford and Greer Garson is an arresting one and the real chemistry between them makes for great viewing in this remake of the 1933 film of the same title which starred Myrna Loy and Anne Harding.

Despite this film coming near the end of Joan Crawford's celebrated career at MGM she does very well in her performance and hold her own against the new sensation of Greer Garson with her very different acting style. Based on a play by Rachel Crothers and boasting a screenplay partly written by Anita Loos, "When Ladies Meet" is often too easily dismissed as a "woman's magazine type story' when in actual fact that is an unfair judgement for a film put together with great care and integrity. Certainly the screen play is on the wordy side but what it talks about in regard to personal pride and believing in one's own personal worth is just a valid today as it was back in 1941.

The story tells of Mary Howard (Crawford) who is a successful novelist with very advanced views (for 1941), on love, marriage and personal relationships. She has found herself in the dilemma of loving her publisher Rogers Woodruff (Herbert Marshall in another stiff performance)who of course is married already to Clare (Greer Garson) Joan herself is being pursued by Jimmy Lee (Robert Taylor in a standout comedy performance) who she puts up with because of his comic easygoing manner. Jimmy decides to throw the two women, who are unknown to each other, together in the hope that Mary will see the situation is a hopeless one with a man who will always remain married, hence the title , "When Ladies Meet". What develops when the two do meet at the home of Bridget (Spring Byington in another delightfully scatty performance) is that both like and admire the other for the qualities they possess and begine to realise that Rogers is someone who will never change.. a situation Mary in particular could never gracefully accept as Clare has over the years. Realising this Mary finally sees the real value in Jimmy and decides that that is where a future for herself does exist.

What makes "When Ladies Meet' special viewing are the standout performances by the leads. Joan Crawford, although never pleased with this film in her memoirs, I feel is believably straitforward and endearing as the sophisticated Mary. Greer Garson, playing against the more experienced Crawford brings a lovely innocently confident quality to her playing of Clare, the understanding wife who learns to not settle for second best. Crawford and Garson work really well in their scenes together and are offset beautifully by Robert Taylor in what I believe is one of his finest performances as the comic Jimmy who is prepared to do anything to win Mary's love. Taylor played many insipid roles in his early career but here he reveals a new maturity to his performing no doubt spurred on by his triumph in the classic "Waterloo Bridge" the year before. Herbert Marshall, an actor I always find uninteresting and wooden is confidently assured in his playing of Rogers, the man in the middle of these two very different women but how either could want him over the attractive JImmy is a mystery to me. Spring Byington rounds out the cast in an hilarious performance as mutual friend Bridget at who's weekend home all the action unfolds. Played by Alice Brady in the origianl 1933 film, Byington is a delight here with her foolish prattle and scatterbrain interfering. She was a most capable actress who knew her range and excelled in what she did best in film after film, moving into television in the 1950's for a whole new career of stardom.

Directed with a sure if unspectacular hand by veteran MGM man Robert Z. Leonard who guided Joan Crawford through a number of films in the 30's, the film benefits from the MGM gloss and attention to detail. Adrian's creations for both of the female leads are stunning and it was a vechicle definately well timed for both ladies, Joan Crawford on her way out of her long term contract with MGM having a last stab at a meaty part, and Greer Garson the new sensation having the opportunity to work beside a MGM legend to great effect with her greatest triumph in
"Mrs. Miniver" less than 12 months off in the future.

"When Ladies Meet' is an entertaining film to watch and if you like MGM starpower of the old school this is a film not to be missed. The sexual politics of the script may appear dated by today's standards but as a reflection of the times the story is a most enjoyable one. Crawford and Garson fans like myself wont want to miss this encounter of two of MGM's biggest female stars and the sparks will fly when these two ladies meet! Enjoy

"IT'S OLDER THAN THE HILLS, BUT I LOVE IT.....JIMMY-DIMMY! "
While "WHEN LADIES MEET" gave top biling to Joan Crawford and Robert Taylor, I was captured mostly by third-billed Greer Garson's performance. Robert Taylor gives a good, but mild comedic performance in the Melvyn Douglas mold. Joan Crawford's last great MGM role, "A Woman's Face," was made just prior to this film, and "When Ladies Meet" marked the beginning of her decline at MGM, the first of three "oh, Joan can make it work" films in which anyone could have starred. That's why Louis B. Mayer's new protege, Greer Garson, walked away with this film, which contributed to her becoming the top box-office draw of the 1940's. Greer Garson was a wonderful dramatic actress from the theatre, and after the continental works of "Goodbye Mr. Chips" and "Pride And Prejudice," this film gave audiences a good chance to see the lighter side of Garson's talents. This comedy gave balance to her list of films, and she would win the Academy award for Best Actress the next year for the WWII drama, "MRS. MINIVER," which also won for Best Picture.

The plot is a twist on the drawing-room love-triangle premise, only with 4 people instead of 3. Robert Taylor has a thing for author Joan Crawford. Crawford has a thing for publisher Herbert Marshall. Marshall has a thing for both Crawford and wife Greer Garson. When invited to Crawford's country house to work on business, Marshall is torn. Meanwhile, Garson gets tangled up platonically with suave Taylor. She agrees to help make his "girl" jealous, and she rides with him to Crawford's house. Unaware husband Marshall was around and will return, Garson is charmingly and ridiculously hilarious in full British accent, cooing, "Come on, Jimmy-dimmy," into Taylor's ear for Crawford's benefit. Garson not only resembles, but also sounds like Stefanie Powers in the TV series "Hart To Hart," cooing to Robert Wagner. Eventually Marshall returns, a storm brews, the lights go out, and, yes, you guessed it, by morning everything is resolved for all. To find out who winds up with whom, watch the video! This is what happens "WHEN LADIES MEET."

another unfair review
once again, matlin's review is being unfair to this movie, it's a very nice movie to watch, it's funny at times, it's moving and it's got Greer Garson and Joan Crawford. I've seen it, it's part of my collection because i'm an admirer of both actresses but i think everyone would enjoy this one.