A 1936 screwball comedy about censorship and public image vs. reality of authors. Despite being a comedy, it really does focus quite a bit on writing and authorship.
Irene Dunne plays Theodora Lynn, the maiden niece of the town matriarchs who teaches Sunday school and helps them to keep scandalous material out of the hands of the innocent. The prime example of the protest is a bestselling, yet salacious novel being serialized in the Lynnfield newspaper. All the gossipy, biddy stereotypes come together in declaration against author Caroline Adams! Of course, what they don’t know is that Theodora IS Caroline Adams, a secret only her publisher knows.
When her identity is accidentally revealed to her cover artist, Michael Grant (Melvyn Douglas) while on a trip to New York City, he dares her to let her hair down and have some fun. Michael is in complete disbelief that such a shy, high-buttoned woman as Theodora could write about the world they way she does. Most people never seem to realize that authors are usually introverted and get their “experiences” vicariously through a mix of research and imagination. After seeing her get drunk and they almost make-up, Theodora sobers up quickly and runs back home to Lynnfield. Michael shows up a few days later, threatening to expose her to all of the town if she doesn’t let him stick around and teach her how to be herself despite what the people around her will say.
Naturally, they fall in love, as it is a comedy from the 1930s, and Theodora feels confident to stand up to her aunts. However, complications occurs when it turns out that Michael secretly lives in his own cage controlled by his politically minded, overbearing father. Complications that mean Michael would either have to stand up to his father the same way he encouraged Theodora or the pair have to wait another two years before their relationship can progress.
This is where the idea of public image comes back into the plot. Theodora is determined to force Michael to confront his father just as he did to her by being as obnoxious as possible. She buys a ridiculous new wardrobe (so. many. feathers.), starts dressing her mutt in giant bows to take him on fashionable walks, and moves herself into Michael’s apartment which forces him out. But most importantly, she reveals herself to be Caroline Adams and laps up all of the media attention in hopes that Michael will step up to prevent a scandal. On the one hand, these scenes are funny because she acts the way a character in her books would act and meet all expectations of a shocked yet very engaged fan base. On the other hand, she semi-tortures her publisher who stood by her secret for so long and causes misunderstandings that really aren’t kind so some of the side characters of the movie. There is also the issue of taking censorship to a personal level, where the people of town switch from banning Theodora’s books to wanting to ban Theodora (also hypocrisy, but I don’t want to spoil that joke in the film).
This was a movie I enjoyed watching in my tween and teen years because it included so many great "rom-com” tropes and phrases like “brazen hussy”. I’m sorry, modern language, but we need to bring that phrase back. It’s far too fabulous to keep in the past. However, this is also a nice story about balance. Balance between morals and reality. Balance when it comes to public life versus private life. And even balance when we love someone and need to learn to accept them for who they are (in this case I’m talking about Theodora’s aunts who had to face ridicule, yet still worried about and stood by her). Still, this was a story primarily about fame and how it can be used. Despite her losing her secret and then over-using her new image, Theodora finds a way to balance the scandal and the care of others by helping her friends towards the end of the story. And having a good laugh about it at the same time.
Deciding to use a pen name is a very personal decision for a writer. Unless you’re Lemony Snicket who will not be appearing at his own book signing because he was eaten by wild animals*. Luckily, Daniel Handler will sign your books instead.
*not sure about this joke. Look it up. It’s great.
