Madame X (1929)

Nominated for 2 Academy Awards:

Best Directing

Lionel Barrymore

Best Actress

Ruth Chatterton

It won 0 Oscars out of a total of 2 nominations in 1928-29.


Madame X is Jacqueline Floriot, a woman who spends her life running away from her past as an adulterous outcast, until she finally commits a heinous murder in order to silence a man who intends to reveal her sins.  An inexperienced, young lawyer is appointed as her public defender and it becomes his mission to garner sympathy for this woman as he is simultaneously unaware of the mysterious connection that the two of them share.

It is based on the play by Alexandre Bisson.

Although this is a sound film, there is no music during the opening credits or end titles.  This is because, at the time, studios were still expecting individual theaters to provide their own musicians to perform during these portions of the movie.


Editorial:

Backtracking.  This hard-to-find film has now been reviewed after being put on hold.

It is absolutely tragic that this movie is horrifically boring for more than two-thirds its length, because the final half-hour is actually deeply engaging.  Putting aside a longer-than-needed setup, once the murder occurs, the story and performances pick up significantly.

Ruth Chatterton's courtroom scene is a fantastic showcase for her talent, and the underlying message of attempting to understand those who commit villainous acts is a noble endeavor.  Unfortunately, it takes so painfully long to get there.

Score  |  04/10  |  This motion picture is worth trying.