MRS. PARKINGTON (MGM, 1944) Warner Archive

In the annals of great ‘screen teams’, the inspired coupling of Irish charmer, Greer Garson and American star, Walter Pigeon remains legendary. The movies Garson and Pigeon made together at MGM are exercises in a quiet sort of rectitude – a patient kind of love, teeming in finer – though never stuffy - self-restraint, self-sacrifice and poignant reflections made usually in hindsight, and decidedly once the idealized blossom of romance – celebrated elsewhere in the Hollywood milieu – have weathered the great gales of life. Part of the allure of Garson and Pigeon is firmly anchored in their ability to convey 'life after marriage' as anything but a bowl of cherries, and yet, still find the tender-hearted resolve for a life wrought through thick and thin and, in the final analysis, emerging more ripened with the vigor set aside, in favor of humanity and compassion. As a rule, Hollywood usually never got this right – somehow, what came after the steeple bells had chimed, appearing dull and passe, unless, of course, there was a mystery to be solved, or some such other life-altering nonsense to be faced besides.  Yet, on screen, Garson and Pigeon represented marriage as triumphant - though never as perfect as promised; realistic, even as a celebration between two all-too-human spirits joined for better or worse in the struggles that do make a life together more subtly profound and meaningful - even refreshing, especially for Hollywood. Indeed, many outside of the film-making community believed Garson and Pigeon were actually married in life, while others who knew better, clung to the hope that perhaps, someday, they might forsake their respective spouses and, of course, settle into the reel/real fairy tale made so concrete to the rest of us by their professional investiture in this make-believe.

Of their seven screen outings in which they appeared as a couple, Tay Garnett's Mrs. Parkington (1944), willed into opulence, and, at the zenith of their popularity, remains a memorable masterpiece, lavishly appointed with MGM's usual attention to ultra-glamour. Based on Louis Bromfield's celebrated novel, the screenplay from Robert Thoeren and Polly James tells of the story of Mrs. Susie 'Sparrow' Parkington (Garson) largely in flashback, several years after the death of her beloved husband, Maj. Augustus 'Gus' Parkington (Pigeon). It seems the Parkington family of the immediate present are in a very bad way - socially speaking. Susie's granddaughter, Jane (Frances Rafferty) is engaged to Ned Talbot (Tom Drake), a promising, though stubbornly headstrong accountant, once in her father, Amory's (Edward Arnold) employ. However, Ned has resigned after learning government agents are investigating Amory for fraud. After Suzie confronts Ned and Amory with the truth, Amory attempts suicide, much to the nonchalant chagrin of his own cool and calculating wife, Helen (Helen Freeman) - who is far more interested in keeping up appearances than the welfare of her husband. Amory's son, Jack (Dan Duryea) is a heartless sponge who openly disassociates himself from his father as the whole mess unravels.

As for the rest of the family, Mrs. Parkington's daughter, Alice (Gladys Cooper) is a sullen dowager, while her daughter, Madeleine (Lee Patrick) is on her third marriage - this time to a rather likable Texan, Al Swann (Rod Cameron) - a man who just happens to be from Mrs. Parkington's home town of Leaping Rock. Al's association with Mrs. Parkington's past sets up the first of many flashbacks. We see Suzie as a young maid scrubbing floors inside Graham's Hotel, a residence run by her mother (Mary Servoss) for silver miners toiling under unsafe conditions for Augustus Parkington. After paying an impromptu visit to the mine, Augustus openly flirts with Suzie. She accepts his advances to a point, but bars her emotions without the genuine prospect of marriage. A cave-in at the mine claims Mrs. Graham's life and Augustus - feeling personally responsible - marries Suzie to spare her from a life of servitude. By all accounts, their marriage is a happy one. Suzie is befriended by Baroness Aspasia Conti (Agnes Moorehead), Gus' former mistress, but now a loyal and mutual friend. On their third wedding anniversary, Gus presents Suzie with a lavish mansion. However, polite New York society does not take kindly to Gus's ostentatious manner. After virtually all of his invited guests refuse to attend a party given in Suzie's honor, Gus vows to destroy each and every one by dismantling their fortunes.

Learning of this plot only after one of the men Gus has ruined has committed suicide, Suzie informs Gus she is ashamed to be his wife and departs for their country retreat. Gus, however, is not about to let Suzie go. He wins back her affections and the two resume their life together. Tragedy strikes with the death of their son and Suzie descends into a dark depression, leaving Gus to venture to England and take up with Lady Nora Ebbsworth (Tala Birell). Aspasia convinces Suzie to rejoin the human race and they make journey to England to surprise Gus. Arriving at a stately country house while he, Lady Nora and a veritable entourage of fair-weather friends are on a fox hunt, Suzie inadvertently befriends Edward, Prince of Wales (Cecil Kellaway) before she realizes to whom she is speaking. The Prince, however, is enchanted by her vivaciousness and cantor. Learning of her husband's romance with Lady Nora, Suzie attempts to reclaim what is rightfully hers. After a tug of wills between Lady Nora and Suzie plays itself out during a game of billiards, Edward intercedes on Suzie's behalf, issuing a command Lady Nora attend his mother, Queen Victoria as her newest lady in waiting - thereby exiling her to a life at court and away from Gus. Later that evening, Aspasia confides in Suzie she has bought a home in her native France. She will not be returning to America. In the meantime, Gus professes his undying love for Suzie and she, realizing Gus' heart at least has remained true in his affections, takes him back. From here, our story reverts back to the present. Having failed to convince the family their inheritance might save Amory from going to prison, Mrs. Parkington informs everyone she has instead decided to give away her wealth to the people Amory has swindled, thereby restoring the Parkington name but leaving the family penniless as a direct result. The story ends with the bewildered Parkington clan looking on in disbelief as Suzie informs her ever-devoted maid, Mattie Tournsen (Selena Royale) they will be moving back to Leaping Rock after the sale of the family’s estate.

Mrs. Parkington represents Hollywood film-making on a grand and opulent scale. Utilizing portions of sets, props and costumes from Marie Antoinette (1938) and other MGM period films, Mrs. Parkington manages to capture that resplendent turn-of-the-century atmosphere of elegance and refinement since lost to audiences for all time. Although the flashback device is overused here, it does not impact the story-telling negatively in general, and, under Tay Garnett's swift direction, the narrative moves effortlessly from one vignette onto the next. Greer Garson was justly Oscar-nominated for her performance, convincingly to age from a young lass in her early twenties to a stately dowager of seventy-some years. Agnes Moorehead also earned a nomination as Best Supporting Actress. As for Pigeon - be plays the dutiful husband much more selectively and with greater subtlety here. His Augustus is far more than a rich, philandering rake. Once again, the on-screen chemistry between Pigeon and Garson shines through the sweet milky treacle of romance. Mrs. Parkington may not be as regularly revived as some of Garson and Pigeon’s other movies, but it remains yet another declaration of how good these two warhorse thespians were together. They certainly don’t make ‘em like this anymore.  More’s the pity in their absence.

Mrs. Parkington arrives on DVD via the Warner Archive (WAC). While WAC’s DVD releases of vintage catalog have been uneven at best, Mrs. Parkington’s elements are in exceptionally fine shape, owing to at least some digital restoration work done along the way. The gray scale is beautifully rendered with strong tonality. Contrast levels are bang on and fine detail is evident throughout. Age-related artifacts have been reduced to a bare minimum. There are several brief instances where edge enhancement and shimmering of fine details are apparent, but nothing to distract from one's overall enjoyment of this movie. The audio is, of course, 1.0 Dolby Digital mono, and adequately represented here with minimal hiss and pop. The only extra is a theatrical trailer. Highly recommended!

FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)

4

VIDEO/AUDIO

3.5

EXTRAS

1