User Reviews

That's what we're supposed to think about happy-go-lucky socialite Ina Claire, always giddy on champagne cocktails and a pal to everyone, especially the men who just think of her as "one of the guys". When her best pal, Robert Ames, discovers that his fiancee, Myrna Loy, has gone out and become engaged to someone else, she decides that, after losing the man thar she loved (Robert Williams), she would be happiest with her male buddy as her husband, so they marry.

Just in time for their one month anniversary, Claire and Ames deal with the returns of Williams and Loy, going out for a sophisticated night of partying, each jealous of the other's ex's, and far too prideful to admit their hurt. From there, the script turns from sophisticated comedy into bitter melodrama, and never once does it contain much consistency or reality.

A rather silly foursome, with the idle rich acting like a bunch of characters that Noel Coward sketched out and never fully developed. Claire, the official lead, is way too perky and positive in nature, sweet when she wants to scratch Loy's eyes out. In other words, a complete phony. Hedda Hopper has one of her society matron walk on roles, a Greek chorus of wit and observation, and the voice of reason as Claire's sister.

Louise Closser Hale as their mother, estranged from their gather (Walter Walker, who shows up out of the blue), is a lifeless speck of a character whom everyone seems to silently dread arriving, a "Debbie Downer" before that term was invented. Too much phony wit, and never fully opened up from its stage origins, amusing as you watch it, but in retrospect, rather forced and increasingly shallow.

Ina Claire performing as Jerry in Avery Hopwood's "The Gold Digger" (1919) could lay claim to being the first gold digger of stage fame - a part she perfected in the uproarious pre-coder, "The Greeks Had a Word for Them" (1932). She received high praise for every role she tackled, which makes it quite sad that her film output, especially those early talkies where she could have sparkled, was so sparse. "Rebound" found her playing opposite Robert Ames, an actor with whom she was quite involved (they were to be married) but sadly this proved to be his last movie. All the Claire sparkling wit and scintillation was here as she played Sarah, a bright and snappy modern woman who marries Bill who is on the "rebound" and ends up a bit sadder and wiser!!

Bought this on a whim and so glad I did, I almost forgot the plot as I lost myself in the sparling repartee between Claire, Robert Ames and Robert Williams. They sounded as though they were having just as much fun as the audience. It may have been just wonderful to get a screenplay from Donald Ogden Stewart that gave them roles they each could really work with. Bill (Ames) marries Sarah on the rebound when flirtatious Evie (Myrna Loy) marries Patterson (Hale Hamilton), her latest fling but on their honeymoon they meet up with Patterson and Evie who is already bored and looking for a new thrill!! Claire is just magnificent, you can't take your eyes from her - yes, Myrna Loy is suitably slinky as Evie but it is Claire's vivacity that makes Loy take a back seat!!

I hoped and prayed that in this movie Robert Ames would be more of a hero (like his performance in "Holiday") but no, Evie had only to beckon for Bill to become like a giggling schoolgirl. Waiting in the wings was the ultra sophisticated Johnny (played magnificently by Robert Williams) who really loves Sarah but hides it under a dilettante persona - however she just thinks of him as a chum!! There are emotive scenes toward the end. Sarah, an intelligent, high spirited girl finds that love has changed her (something she vowed to her father it would not do) - she becomes clingy and even begs Bill to accept her love. Realising that she has lost her true self, it paves the way for a blistering showdown - where all players are gathered but Claire is hypnotic.

Sadly both Robert Williams and Robert Ames didn't live to see 1932. Williams who had originated the role of Johnny Coles on Broadway (his greatest success was in "Abie's Irish Rose") died of peritonitis. Ames who had starred on Broadway, vaudeville and the movies died of the D.Ts.