Madame X (1929)
1h 35m | PG-13
A young, unfaithful wife and mother is thrown out by her cold, unforgiving husband, the Attorney General of France. She is barred from ever seeing her three year old son again despite her earnest attempts to make amends. For many years the mother seeks refuge overseas and in Absinthe. In the end, her son, a young and promising lawyer unknowingly defends her in court. Ruth Chatterton gives a marvelous performance in this early talkie in her portrayal of Madame X.
Director: Lionel Barrymore
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: Drama
Video: 720p
Cast
Ruth Chatterton
as Jacqueline Floriot
Lewis Stone
as Louis Floriot
Raymond Hackett
as Raymond Floriot
Sidney Toler
as Dr. Merivel
Carroll Nye
as Darrell, a Naval Officer
Eugenie Besserer
as Rose, Floriot's Servant
Reviews
A fantastic story and excellent performance, given that this is an early (1929) talkie. Yes, the film suffers from the technical limitations of the time (audio, fixed lenses and single camera shots) as well as an acting style which is in the transition from silent to talkie, but these are fairly easy to overlook. Actually the sound is quite good. Many films suffered from clomping on every footstep, this one does not.