''Should Ladies Behave'' is a 1933 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was an era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry that occurred between the widespread adoption of sound in film in the late 1920s and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship gui ...

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Harry Beaumont Harry Beaumont (10 February 1888 – 22 December 1966) was an American film director, actor, and screenwriter. He worked for a variety of production companies including 20th Century Fox, Fox, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation, Goldwyn, Metro Pictur ...

and written by

Bella Spewack Bella (25 March 1899 – 27 April 1990) and Samuel Spewack (16 September 1899 – 14 October 1971) were a writing team. Samuel, who also directed many of their plays, was born in Bachmut, Ukraine. He attended Stuyvesant High School in New York ...

and Sam Spewack, adapted from the play "The Vinegar Tree" by

Paul Osborn Paul Osborn (September 4, 1901 – May 12, 1988) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Osborn's original plays are '' The Vinegar Tree'', ''Oliver Oliver'', and '' Morning's at Seven'' and among his several successful adaptations, '' On Bo ...

. The film stars

Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blyth; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in '' A Free Soul'' (1931) ...

Alice Brady Alice Brady (born Mary Rose Brady; November 2, 1892 – October 28, 1939) was an American actress of stage and film. She began her career in the theatre in 1911, and her first important success came on Broadway in 1912 when she created the rol ...

Conway Tearle Conway Tearle (born Frederick Conway Levy, May 17, 1878 – October 1, 1938) was an American stage actor who went on to perform in silent film, silent and early sound films. Early life Tearle was born on May 17, 1878, in New York City, the ...

Katharine Alexander Katharine Alexander (sometimes Katherine; September 22, 1897 – January 10, 1981) was an American actress on stage and screen. She appeared in 44 films between 1930 and 1951. Biography Alexander was born on September 22, 1897, in Fort Smith, ...

and

Mary Carlisle Mary Carlisle (born Gwendolyn Witter; February 3, 1914 – August 1, 2018) was an American actress, singer, and dancer, best known for her roles as a wholesome ingénue in numerous 1930s musical-comedy films. She starred in more than 60 Holly ...

. The film was released on December 1, 1933, by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. The film is a wacky and enjoyable farce with a light-hearted take on being young and growing older while trying to make it all work out. A grouchy and anti-social mature man (Lionel Barrymore) and his younger and more carefree but miserable wife (Alice Brady) welcome her old friend for a reunion of types. Along for the ride is the naive but blossoming daughter who is anxious for love and worldliness. Her mother's snarky sister is there as well, along with her own expectations. Comedic and heartfelt moments arise as the stories unveil.

Cast

as Augustus Merrick *

as Laura Merrick *

as Max Lawrence *

as Mrs. Winifred Lamont *

as Leone Merrick *

William Janney William Janney (born Russell Dixon Janney, February 15, 1908 – December 22, 1992) was an American actor who appeared in 39 films between 1929 and 1937. He was the son of author and theatrical producer Russell Janney,(28 December 1940)William ...

as Geoffrey Cole *

Halliwell Hobbes Herbert Halliwell Hobbes (16 November 187720 February 1962) was an English actor. Early years Hobbes's schooling came at Trinity College in Stratford-upon-Avon. Career Hobbes's stage debut was as a member of Frank Benson's company, in th ...

as Louis

References

External links

* * * 1933 films American comedy films 1933 comedy films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films directed by Harry Beaumont American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films Films scored by William Axt {{1930s-comedy-film-stub