''But the Flesh Is Weak'' is a 1932 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by Jack Conway and written by

Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...

based on his 1928 play '' The Truth Game''. The film stars Robert Montgomery,

Nora Gregor Nora Gregor (3 February 1901 – 20 January 1949) was an Austrian stage and film actress. Biography She was born Eleonora Hermina Gregor in Görz, a town which then belonged to Austria-Hungary, but is now part of Italy, to Austrian-Jewish paren ...

Heather Thatcher Heather Thatcher (3 September 1896 – 15 January 1987) was an English actress in theatre and films. Dancer By 1922, Thatcher was a dancer. She was especially noted for her interpretation of an Egyptian harem dance. Her exotic clothes were desi ...

, Edward Everett Horton,

C. Aubrey Smith Sir Charles Aubrey Smith (21 July 1863 – 20 December 1948) was an English Test cricketer who became a stage and film actor, acquiring a niche as the officer-and-gentleman type, as in the first sound version of ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937) ...

and

Nils Asther Nils Anton Alfhild Asther (17 January 1897 – 19 October 1981)Swedi ...

. The film was released on April 9, 1932, by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

. ''But the Flesh Is Weak'' was remade in 1941 as ''Free and Easy''.

Plot

Max Clement and his father Florian, short of money, take advantage of wealthy British women by romancing them. Max's problem is that he is far more attracted to more attractive women, ones without the means to support him. While seeing a pleasant but plain Lady Joan Culver socially, Max is introduced to Austrian widow Rosine Brown, quickly falling in love with her. Max is persistent in his romantic advances, but Rosine reveals that she is penniless and, much like Max, counting on a richer but less exciting man, Sir George Kelvin, to marry and take care of her. Florian's gambling losses in the casino leave him heavily in debt. The only way Max knows how to aid his father is by marrying Lady Joan, who can afford to solve his financial difficulties. Max's guilty conscience and true love lead him back to Rosine, and the sudden engagement of Florian to a wealthy woman helps bring everyone together.

Cast

* Robert Montgomery as Max Clement *

as Mrs. Rosine Brown *

as Lady Joan Culver * Edward Everett Horton as Sir George Kelvin *

as Florian Clement *

Nils Asther Nils Anton Alfhild Asther (17 January 1897 – 19 October 1981)Swedi ...

as Prince Paul *

Frederick Kerr Frederick Kerr (born Frederick Grinham Keen, 11 October 1858 – 3 May 1933) was an English actor who appeared on stage in both London and New York and in British and American films; he also worked as a major theatrical manager in London. Early ...

as Duke of Hampshire * Eva Moore as Lady Florence Ridgway * Forrester Harvey as Gooch *

Desmond Roberts Desmond Roberts (5 February 1894 – 11 January 1968) was a British stage and film actorLeibfried & Lane p. 105. who also played first-class cricket, 1913–1936, for Surrey. He was born in Hampstead, and died in Eastbourne. Partial filmograph ...

as Findley

References

External links

* 1932 films 1930s English-language films American comedy films 1932 comedy films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films directed by Jack Conway American black-and-white films Films set in England Films set in London American films based on plays 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub