Smart Woman
Theatrical poster for the film
Directed by	Gregory La Cava[1]
Written by	Salisbury Field (adaptation and dialogue)
Based on	Nancy's Private Affair 1930 play by Myron Coureval Fagan
Produced by	William LeBaron
Starring	Mary Astor Robert Ames John Halliday
Cinematography	Nick Musuraca
Edited by	Ann McKnight
Production company	RKO Radio Pictures
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release date	September 12, 1931 (1931-09-12)
Running time	68 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Smart Woman is a 1931 pre-Code comedy-romance and drama film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Mary Astor, Robert Ames, and John Halliday.^[2]

Plot

Mrs. Nancy Gibson (Mary Astor) sets out to regain the affections of her cheating husband Donald Gibson (Robert Ames), after she returns from a trip to Paris, where she had to look after her sick mother. To welcome her in her beautiful house are her servants and husband and wife Billy (Edward Everett Horton) and Sally Ross (Ruth Weston) — Don's business partner and Don's sister. Nancy learns that Don is with his mistress, Peggy Preston (Noel Francis), who very often is accompanied by her mother Mrs. Preston (Gladys Gale). Nancy has the affection of the Rosses and her servants, but she is at first very shocked. Then she decides to play the modern wife and invites Peggy Preston and her mother for the weekend in her house as her guests. Pretending she herself has fallen for Sir Guy Harrington (John Halliday), a man she met in Europe (in fact she met him on the ship on the way home), she invites him too, hoping his flirtation will help her to gain back her husband, whom she still loves.

Cast

• Mary Astor as Mrs. Nancy Gibson
• Robert Ames as Donald Gibson (final film role)
• John Halliday as Sir Guy Harrington
• Edward Everett Horton as Billy Ross
• Ruth Weston as Mrs. Sally Gibson Ross
• Noel Francis as Peggy Preston
• Gladys Gale as Mrs. Preston
• Alfred Cross as Brooks the Butler
• Lillian Harmer as Mrs. Windleweaver
• Bill Elliott as Reporter on Ship (uncredited)
• Harold Miller as Deck Lounger (uncredited)
• Dennis O'Keefe as Passenger Departing Ship (uncredited)
• Pearl Varvalle as Helen, Gibson's maid (uncredited)

Reception

In his New York Times review, critic Mordaunt Hall called Smart Woman a "neat diversion"..."spoken by competent players and Gregory La Cava has directed it with a keen eye on its none too rugged story."^[2]

References

External links

• Smart Woman at IMDb
• Smart Woman at the TCM Movie Database
• Synopsis at AllMovie
• Smart Woman at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

This article related to an American film of the 1930s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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