What makes Libeled Lady remarkable and unique is the multiple and diverse sources of humour it successfully uses. The plot employs the concept of a fake marriage to satirise the institution at the heart of the action. The Libeled Lady is available to rent, buy or stream.
Screwball comedies are known for their fast-paced dialogue and farcical ‘battle of the sexes’ conflict. However, Jack Conway’s Libeled Lady (1936) is one of the rare examples of a screwball comedy that prioritises plot over witty one-liners. Screwball comedy reflects the period of its birth more than many other subgenres, as it combines elements of romantic comedy with the satirical humour born from the Great Depression. Its peculiar name comes from a baseball term that describes a fast, unpredictable pitch that confuses the batter, with the word ‘screwball’ becoming widely used following the release of My Man Godfrey (1936).
During the Depression and after, demand for new comedy found even greater impetus as the Hays Code came into force. Many comedies would subtly incorporate sexual tension and risky humour to transcend the code’s restrictions, with some notable classics including It Happened One Night (1934), My Man Godfrey (1936), Bringing Up Baby (1938), His Girl Friday (1940), The Philadelphia Story (1940) and The Lady Eve (1941).
However, Libeled Lady rarely finds mention alongside these classics, despite its brilliant ensemble cast, twisted script and witty dialogue. The film opens with newspaper editor Warren Haggerty’s (Spencer Tracy) rag being sued by wealthy heiress Connie Allenbury (Myrna Loy) for $5 million. The reason for this legal action is the publication of a story that claims Connie is responsible for breaking up a loving marriage through her seduction. However, when the paper is unable to pay, Haggerty comes up with an idea: why not frame Connie and place her into the same situation the newspaper initially reported? To achieve this, he hires Bill Chandler (William Powell), a notorious ladies’ man and a former reporter.
Like any famous screwball comedy plot, Libeled Lady centres around the main characters’ work and private lives, even if they initially seem unrelated. The subplot involves Warren’s plan to marry his long-time fiancée, Gladys (Jean Harlow), despite having put the wedding off several times due to his busy work life. However, as Warren considers his plans, he quickly realises that Bill will need a wife for this to work. Therefore, he comes up with the ‘perfect’ idea to have Gladys and Bill married in name only.
At this point, it is interesting to look back at the production (Hays) code and the values it represented, one being the sanctity of marriage. Conway’s movie doesn’t even try to hide its glee at circumnavigating the code; for example, Gladys receives a phone call from Warren stating she will be married today. Gladys then excitedly tells her maid about it, with the maid quickly replying, “What, again?”. Following this, when Gladys and Bill’s arranged union occurs, neither is excited by the other’s company; in fact, the most passionate embrace and kiss come from Warren when he congratulates Gladys, with Bill stating, “he is an old friend of the family….A very old friend.”
The comedy at the heart of Conway’s film only grows more situational as Connie falls for Bill, and he tries to juggle a growing love for Connie with his false marriage to Gladys, a woman Connie knows nothing about. The resulting love triangle becomes more complicated as Bill seeks his reward for a job well done. Of course, Bill’s secret would suddenly be revealed if we were to follow the standard romantic comedy path – with the resulting fallout leading him to lose Connie’s trust. Instead, the script subverts expectations, with Connie and Bill coming clean about their deceit, leading to an absurd comedy of errors where all our characters face each other. Conversations reveal that Gladys and Bill’s marriage was never legally recognised. At the same time, the women support each other while the men engage in fake fistfights.
What makes Libeled Lady remarkable and unique is the multiple and diverse sources of humour it successfully uses. The plot employs the concept of a fake marriage to satirise the institution at the heart of the action. Each scene is full of excellent dialogue and timing, from Bill, the outdoorsman, almost drowning in knee-high water to the use of ‘Mickey Mousing’ as each character moves in time with the musical score. The result is a screwball comedy of the highest order, reflecting Hollywood’s railing against a code that limited audience experience.
Director: Jack Conway
Cast: Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy
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