On Approval (1930)
Directed by Tom Walls
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Though not as well known as the 1944 remake (which was directed by its star, Clive Brook), this first adaptation of Frederick Lonsdale's stage comedy On Approval was a worthwhile production in its own right. Tom Walls (who, like Brook, also directed) stars as George, the impoverished Duke of Bristol. In hopes of maintaining his lavish lifestyle, George talks American heiress Marie Wislak (Yvonne Arnaud) into a 30-day "trial marriage." This requires both George and Marie to exchange sweethearts, an arrangement that leads to one hilarious situation after another. The fact that neither hero nor heroine are the traditional sympathetic types adds a pinch of tangy spice to the stew.
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Keywords
aristocracy, bankruptcy, finances, fortune-hunter, marriage-of-convenience