The Animal Kingdom
6.6 /10 1 Votes
Music director Max Steiner Duration Language English | 6.6/10 IMDb Genre Comedy, Drama Story by Philip Barry Country United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Director Edward H. Griffith
George Cukor (uncredited)
Tommy Atkins (assistant) Release date December 28, 1932 (1932-12-28) (USA) Based on The Animal Kingdom
by Philip Barry Writer Horace Jackson (screenplay), Philip Barry (play) Directors Edward H. Griffith, George Cukor Cast Ann Harding (Daisy Sage), Leslie Howard (Tom Collier), Myrna Loy (Cecilia "Cee" Henry Collier), William Gargan (Regan, Le majordome), Neil Hamilton (Owen), Ilka Chase (Grace)Similar movies Related George Cukor movies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Successful and passionate publisher Tom Collier (Leslie Howard) marries socialite Cee Henry (Myrna Loy) despite loving his open-minded mistress, Daisy Sage (Ann Harding). As Tom becomes an established member of the upper class, his deceitful wife convinces him to publish books solely for profit and sacrifice his intellectual pursuits. When Daisy sees what Tom has become, she criticizes his transformation, forcing him to choose between staying with Cee and following his heart.
Contents
The Animal Kingdom (also known as The Woman in His House in the UK) is a 1932 American Pre-Code comedy-drama film directed by Edward H. Griffith based upon a comedy of manners of the same name by Philip Barry.
The film starred Leslie Howard, Ann Harding, Myrna Loy, William Gargan, Ilka Chase, and Neil Hamilton. Howard, Gargan, and Chase also starred in the play when it opened on Broadway on 12 January 1932.
In 1960, the film entered the public domain (in the USA) due to the claimants failure to renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.
Tom Collier has had a great relationship with Daisy, but when he decides to marry, it is not Daisy whom he asks, it is Cecelia. After the marriage, Tom is bored with the social scene and the obligations of his life. He publishes books that will sell, not books that he wants to write. Even worse, he has his old friend working as a butler and Cecelia wants him fired. When Tom tries to get back together with Daisy to renew the feelings that he once felt, Daisy turns the tables on him and leaves to protect both of them.
Plot summary
The film is based on a play, of the same name, set in 1930’s New York and Connecticut.
Tom Collier (Leslie Howard) is a book publisher who has been living in the city with his best friend and lover Daisy Sage (Ann Harding) without being married. His wealthy father, Rufus Collier (Henry Stephenson) wants him to live a respectable life. While Daisy is away for her job, Cecilia (Myrna Loy) convinces Tom to marry her. Although, their lawyer and friend Owen (Neil Hamilton) is in love with her, he doesn’t have enough financial resources to maintain her interest.
Cecilia tries to get Tom to sell out without his realizing it. She talks him into publishing bad books that will make money and get rid of his old friends, including “Red”, his prize-fighter friend and butler. She wants Tom to sell his publishing company, live in the city with his father, as a "proper gentleman", and take their place in society, which Tom has been fighting all his life.
Daisy tries to stay away; but, she and Tom’s Bohemian friends can’t believe he’s happy. She loves him deeply, and wants to have children with him but cares most about his well-being.
Tom complains that hes losing his soul and integrity. Finally, when Cecilia offers Tom champagne to toast selling his publishing company and moving in with his father, Tom realizes that Cecilias bedroom suite reminds him of a brothel he used to go, as he says, "in vino veritas".
When Red tells Tom he is going back to the city, that he can’t stomach anymore, Tom agrees, saying, he’s “going back to his wife,” Daisy.
As he leaves, he put a little something on the mantle for CeCeciliae, just as he used to, with the girls, in the bordello.
Differences from play
The text of the play, from 1932, is available from Gutenberg.
The play emphasizes the estrangement between Tom and his Father, who has never visited his sons house, before; and, that Owen, his one "respectable gentleman" friend, introduced Cecilia to Tom.
Cast (in credits order)
Reception
According to RKO records the film had a loss of $110,000 during its first year of release, in 1932-3.
References
The Animal Kingdom WikipediaThe Animal Kingdom IMDb The Animal Kingdom themoviedb.org