StunnaKrypto
Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.
Softwing
Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
SincereFinest
disgusting, overrated, pointless
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
bkoganbing
When Halliwell Hobbes describes his and Beryl Mercer's son as a wastrel sad to say he was proved right. The son who grows up to be played by Robert Montgomery is just that. It's a term of the century before the last and more used in the United Kingdom than here. I wish it was in more usage now because it describes many that I've known.Those people also don't have the good luck to have a happy ending fall from right out of the blue as is in Lovers Courageous. We get to see a bit of Montgomery's life going from place to place and occupation to occupation never 'finding himself'. Eventually he meets and charms Madge Evans in South Africa, daughter of British admiral Frederick Kerr. They marry without his approval and live a life of not so genteel poverty.I've known a few in my life so that this kind of movie about a wastrel won't find a friendly audience with me. Nevertheless the cast does a fine job.But I doubt you'll believe the ending either.
Al Westerfield
The dichotomy in reviewer assessments of Lovers Courageous has, I fear, more to do with the reviewers' life experiences than the film. Those that waited for that special someone, knew almost immediately that he or she was the one, spent their whole life thinking of no one but that person and that total commitment was reciprocated, arguing only over "gift of the magi" details, surmounting family difficulties through togetherness and basically living a wonderful life, know this film is true and expresses itself beautifully. If this is corny, well, life can sometimes be corny if you're very, very lucky.Montgomery and Evans are perfectly matched and show true love seldom achieved in film. Young's portrayal is subtle and effective until the final resolution. For once Kerr isn't his usual bumbling good heart mumbling inanities under his breath; he's a perfect nasty. With few exceptions the rest of the cast performs well. The dialog is exceptionally crisp. I had wished that the depths of despair weren't quite so deep; it descended into unfortunate melodrama, making the end too pat. All the same, it brought back memories of finding true love. For that I'll always be thankful.
David (Handlinghandel)
It's very stagy. Clearly, it was a play. Though opened up, with flashbacks and scenes on lakes, it is like a play -- and a very stodgy one, at that. Indeed, it's like what we imagine the Robert Montgomery character's play would be, based on the few lines we hear.Montgomery is supposed to be English. His American accent is explained by his going to Canada and then South Africa -- if one views that as an explanation. Madge Evans was a charming performer but one wouldn't know that from her performance here. Beryl Mercer comes through well, as Montgomery's mother. And Roland Young, in a minor role, is good. Was he ever not good? The problem with this is that it's hard to believe the trajectory of Montgomery's life as it's portrayed. It's hard to believe he suddenly became a fine playwright. And it's quite difficult indeed to care about the romance between him and Evans. When many people think of early sound movies, they think of grandiose fluff like this. And that's a shame, since there are so many gems to be mined.
Larry41OnEbay-2
Other internet sources state this is a rare direct-to-screen original by Frederick Lonsdale, the playwright responsible for such drawing-room comedies as THE LAST OF MRS. CHEYNEY and like the two versions of that film (1929 & 1937), this one bubbles and sparkles with great lines. From Robert Montgomery's first scene, he delivers clever observations with the clipped wit of an intelligent philosopher filled with the wonder of discovering something better in life. Lots of short funny scenes as he wanders the globe drifting from job to job, gathering experiences to enrich his writing. Lovely Madge Evans (better known for DINNER AT EIGHT & David COPPERFIELD) plays the pretty and pampered daughter of a high society stalwart member, an admiral with plans for her to marry "well." Fate introduces these two idealistic lovers in a lowly tobacconist shop and their perceptive exchange quickly shoots arrows through their hearts. They are fated to love forever before the scene ends. Starting with humor, gracefully slipping into romance, spiking with the passions of obsessive love, dipping down into harsh realities only to be tried and tested
the ending comes as only a playwrights guilty pleasure could imagine.Bottom line, I loved it and fans of smart precode love stories will relish in this forgotten little gem! 8 out of 10!