Craig's Wife (1936)

By CinemaSerf

This isn't one of Rosalind Russell's better outings, but she still dominates the proceedings as the over-bearing and rather shallow "Harriet". She has come from an ordinary background and married the doting "Walter" (John Boles) so she can have the perfect, sterile, home. Next door, "Mrs. Frazier" (Billie Burke) nurtures her roses and it's a after a visit from her to "Aunt Ellen" (Alma Kruger) that this outwardly idyllic scenario starts to show some cracks. It becomes clear to us, indeed to all but poor old "Walter", that she is not exactly highly thought of and after a contretemps with his aunt who decides to leave - and take their housekeeper (Jane Darwell) with her, she finds it increasingly difficult to retain the obsessive degree of control over her husband she requires. Meantime, his poker partner - the rather dipso "Fergus" (Thomas Mitchell) is on a bit of a downward spiral, and when he is found killed - alongside his cheating wife "Adelaide" (Kathleen Burke) a few phone calls start to involve the police and bring the domestic issues faced by "Walter" to his attention and ultimately, to an head that "Harriet" can do little to manipulate. Though amiable enough, Boles isn't really a very versatile or impressive actor and he doesn't really have enough here to match Russell's efficient portrayal of a woman who knows exactly what she wants - and how to go about getting it. I found the direction just a little to episodic - like a stage play changing scenes rather abruptly from time- to-time, but the domino-falling conclusion is fitting, if a little rushed, and though I doubt very much you'll recall the story for long, it's easy to see why Russell was the star she was.