James Whale was known for his horror movies, including 1931's "Frankenstein," 1932's "The Old Dark House," and 1933's "The Invisible Man." As a former stage director, Whale harkened back to his live theatre days and tackled a subject that some considered foreboden in August 1934's "One More River," a film released just before his 1935's "The Bride of Frankenstein."
The adaptation of the John Galsworthy 1933's novel of the same name, Whale's "One More River" was the first to aggressively test the new Production Code Administration (PCA), led by Joseph Breen. A movie on a husband's sadism towards his wife in the middle of an abusive marriage could have passed the censors in the Pre-Code era, but was taboo during the Breen reign. Whale and his associates had difficulty getting the jest of Galsworthy's themes passed by the Hays Office that ran the PCA. But Whale subtly unfolded "One More River's" more unsavory moments that can be picked up by the observant viewer. Clare (Diana Wynyard) had decided to leave her abusive husband, Sir Gerald Corven (Colin Clive), and her home in Sri Lanka. On the way back to England on an ocean liner, Clare meets a sympathetic young man, Tony Croom (Frank Lawton). Her jealous husband discovers the platonic relationship between the two and tries to get even with her in a highly-publicized domestic trial.
Film historian William Everson labeled "One River More" Whale's masterpiece. "It is by far Hollywood's most successful attempt at putting any subject of England on the screen, not even excepting Cavalcade," he wrote. "It represents the fullest flowering of Whale's unique, richly theatrical yet wholly cinematic style."
Universal Pictures persuaded England's superstar lady of the stage, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, to play Lady Mont, a friend of Clare's, in one of her a handful of movies she appeared. Playwright George Bernard Shaw was a huge fan of Mrs. Campbell, and was so inspired by her acting he based a number of his plays on her. One work was Eliza Doolittle in his 1913 "Pygmalion," later remade into the stage musical and movie "My Fair Lady." Even though she was married, the two had a close friendship, which, judging by the letters he wrote to her, Shaw wanted their relationship to be even closer. Campbell, by all accounts, wasn't exactly enamored about being on the screen. The actress quipped about love making being shown to all by famously saying, "My dear, I don't care what they do, so long as they don't do it in the street and frighten the horses." Mrs. Campbell first arrived on the set requesting from Whales, "I would like to look like a woman called '(Greta) Garbo." When she saw her character on the screen, she retorted, "I look like a little chest of drawers."
"One More River" is also known as Jane Wyatt's film debut. The New Jersey-born and Manhattan-raised daughter of an investment banker, Wyatt possessed a love for the stage, attending apprentice school at the Berkshire Playhouse in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Wyatt easily made the transition from the Broadway stage to Hollywood as Dinny Charwell, sister of Clare. Famous for her appearances in films such as Frank Capra's 1937 "Lost Horizon" and 1947's "Gentleman's Agreement," she ran into a buzzsaw during the McCarthy hearings with her outspoken defense of the senator's targets. She is most remembered as Margaret Anderson in television's 'Father Knows Best' series.
"One More River" was a mediocre performer at the box office and has since been relegated just to those studying director Whale's body of work. But as historian William Everson noted, "Perhaps more than any other film currently available, it deserves 'Rediscovery.' "
