Forsaking All Others is a 1934 romantic comedy film directed by W.S. Van Dyke, adapted by screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz from a play of the same name.
Jeff Williams (Clark Gable), Dillon "Dill" Todd (Robert Montgomery), and Mary Clay (Joan Crawford) are all super-rich, and have all known each other since childhood. Jeff comes back from Spain, where he's made a lot of money; he intends to propose marriage to Mary. He is unpleasantly surprised to arrive in New York to discover that in his absence, Dill and Mary have gotten engaged. Jeff, being a gentleman, keeps his feelings to himself and agrees to give Mary away.
However, the night before the wedding, Dill's old girlfriend Connie shows up. Mary is in her wedding dress and "Here Comes the Bride" is playing before she finds out that Dill has run away and married Connie instead. Because no one in this social circle needs to work, Mary leaves town for a while. Jeff continues to hide his feelings while playing the supportive friend. Will Jeff ever tell Mary how he feels?
Rosalind Russell makes one of her first film appearances as Eleanor, another member of the same super-rich group.
Tropes:
- Anguished Declaration of Love: After twenty years, Jeff finally confesses this just minutes before Mary is supposed to get married to Dill.Jeff: You know, for 20 years you've been in love with Dill, and I've been in love with you.
- Answer Cut: Cornflowers are Mary's favorite. Jeff calls the florist for cornflowers for the wedding, and when he's told they have hardly any he says "You can get more cornflowers!" Cut to row after row of cornflowers in the church for the ceremony.
- Ask a Stupid Question...: Shep and Paula are taking the dirty dishes away. Shep says "Where are we going with them?", and an irritated Paula hisses "To Cairo, where do you think? We're going to the kitchen!"
- Call-Back: The cornflowers. A chance remark near the end reveals to Mary that it was Jeff, not Dill, who was thoughtful enough to bedeck the church with cornflowers. This reveals to her that Jeff loves her more than Dill does.
- Cast Full of Rich People: It's America during the Great Depression so naturally everyone in the cast is filthy rich, and living in the lap of luxury. When Mary gets dumped she's free to go to the Adirondacks and Lake George, where she has plenty of time to drive a speed boat and ride horses.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Mary with both Jeff and Dill, all three having known each other since grade school.
- City Mouse: All of them, really, but no more than Jeff's buddy Shep. When they have to go to the Adirondacks after Mary, Shep complains about how he'd rather be back in New York living the high life instead of a cabin without electricity or gas. Later, as the gang is driving through the country again, Shep says "Look, look, a cow!", with glee.
- Cock-a-Doodle Dawn: A rooster crows to confirm that Dill and Mary stayed that whole night at a friend's house.
- Driver Faces Passenger: Unlike most instances of this trope this is plot relevant, as Dill kissing Mary while also driving the car leads him to veer off the road and wreck the car.
- High Collar of Doom: In her first scene Connie wears a wrap with just such a high collar. Sure enough, she steals Dill away from Mary.
- Love Triangle: Your standard triangle between Dill, Mary, and Jeff. The fact that Dill is married does nothing to stop this.
- Runaway Bride: One for each gender. In the beginning, Dill runs away from his wedding to Mary. At the end she runs away, just as they're about to get married again, because she realizes she loves Jeff.
- Sexy Backless Outfit: Both Mary and Connie wear these for the uncomfortable party after Dill and Connie get married.
- Shower Scene: Robert Montgomery seen shirtless in the shower, for a little Fanservice.
- Video Credits: Only briefly, in the opening credits, showing Montgomery, Crawford, and Gable waking arm-in-arm-in-arm as their names are shown on the screen.
