The Divorce of Lady X (1938)

Divorce of Lady X is a screwball comedy that captures the basic screwball formula but fails to be actually funny.Olivier plays the staid guy while Oberon plays the wacky dame who disrupts his life. This leads to mistaken identities and general chaos.It's a formula that worked great in Bringing Up Baby, but fails here. There are a number of reasons. The direction is static, often revealing its origins as a stage play. Olivier is stiff, and Oberon tries to hard in what was to become known many years later as the manic pixie role.While many screwball comedies take their time getting their stars from hate to love, Lady X jumps the gun. This is particularly problematic because Oberon's character is genuinely awful, manipulative and self centered, and she never achieves the charming playfulness necessary to make that seem cute. Meanwhile, Olivier is a bitter misogynist. And yes, terrible people can fall in love, but it's still not convincing here.The mistaken identity part is a good idea but is completely unpersuasive, requiring Olivier to be dumb as a box and Oberon to reach an almost sociopathic level of scheming.Screwball comedies rely on charm and chemistry, as in Bringing Up Baby or It Happened One Night. Here the leads have iffy chemistry (they did better later on with Wuthering Heights) and not a whole lot of charm (at least by American standards; perhaps charm just isn't a British thing?).Yes, it's got big stars, but it's an old creaky movie that simply isn't all that good.

It's a mass state of confusion for barrister Laurence Olivier when he is manipulated to share his hotel suite with the stranded Merle Oberon whom he later believes to be the wife in question when he takes on the divorce case by Ralph Richardson. Oberon, actually single and the only heir to her grandfather's estate, knows the truth but having fallen in love with him, keeps it secret while the real wife (Binnie Barnes) continues her own charade. It's a sex comedy without sex, and very funny and romantic.A year before their classic pairing as Heathcliff and Cathy in "Wuthering Heighrs", Olivier and Oberon play totally different emotions, giving a British taste of screwball comedy. They share complete chemistry as they romp around innocently in pajamas, moving bedroom furniture yo his living room. Gorgeous in Technicolor, this takes two people known more for drama and gives them something fun to play with. The innuendo is there, but it remains classy the entire time.

A year before they made the memorable "Wuthering Heights," Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier starred together in this comedy revolving around appropriate behavior, correspondents and carrying out a falsehood to its utmost degree.Did you notice that as the film went on, Oberon looked a lot older than the dashing Laurence, the attorney in the film who worked on divorce cases?The first scene is a lengthy one and to be perfectly honest, I could not wait for it to end. Due to a terrible foggy night in London, patrons at a ball are unable to secure lodging at a hotel and Oberon pushes her way into sharing Olivier's room. He is a bit stuffy and she is overly forward as we see the trials and tribulations of sharing a room only for one evening.When someone else who did the same thing is sued for divorce, Olivier thinks that the wife is Oberon and the rest of the film is devoted to his dilemma. As it becomes more apparent regarding what is going on, everyone laughs and Olivier is humiliated when the truth finally comes out.This is really an inane farce, over-stated, but the question of womanhood is well touched by Olivier at film's end.

English Shakesperean actor (Sir) Laurence Olivier wasn't very fond of making films, however, his silver screen performances were so impeccable and professional, you can swear he was born to do it.THE DIVORCE OF LADY X is a delightful light comedy, elegantly conducted, though notably dated.Due to a heavy fog, some people who are taking part in a Ball at a hotel are prevented from travelling and advised to spend the night there.Logan, an irritable, handsome lawyer refuses to share his room with a couple of women, but is persuaded to let Leslie (played by beautiful Merle Oberon), a perky, charming lady, sleep at his room, after she daringly imposes herself on him.Their first acquaintance is a bit turbulent, but they soon hit it off, although he thinks she is married, which results in a couple of embarrassing, deliciously funny situations. Watch out for Ralph Richardson playing a small role.Olivier and Oberon had an incredible chemistry on screen.WUTHERING HEIGHTS is another marvellous film they did together.If old-fashioned romantic comedies catch your fancy, don't miss this wonderful film.My rating: 10 out of 10