Their Own Desire (1929)

“Lally” (Norma Shearer) lives a blissfully happy life with her wealthy parents until her dad “Henry” (Lewis Stone) announces that he is to divorce her mother (Belle Bennett) and take up with his lover “Mrs. Cheever” (Helene Millard). Naturally, she is devastated by this news and vows never to speak to him again, but she is still spending his cash though and it’s whilst she is on holiday she encounters the pretty forward “Jack” (Robert Montgomery). Suffice to say, it’s love at first sight but she is for a bit of a shock as it turns out he is the son of the woman who caused her parents to split up. What chance their romance now? Given that talkies were only just off the storyboard, this isn’t an half bad effort. Shearer overacts a little, especially towards the end, but unlike many silent stars she does at least seem to realise that she can tone down her ordinarily expressive gesturing and rely on the wordy but bearable dialogue. Montgomery brings a certain joie-de-vivre right from his rather soggy entrance and there is even an attempt at some storm effects that don’t quite come off, but at least they try to create a sense of some jeopardy. This is an amiable love story touched by a bit of torridness, a little wise-cracking and it suggests what is going to be possible now sound has arrived.