Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, and Kay Francis star in “In Name Only”

In Name Only (1939) stars Carole Lombard and Cary Grant in rare dramatic form in this marital melodrama directed by John Cromwell (Since You Went Away).

Grant is Alec Walker, a man stuck in a loveless marriage with his wife Maida (Kay Francis). Maida married Alec for his money and his social position; she never loved him. One afternoon Alec runs into Julie (Lombard), a commercial artist with a young daughter named Ellen (Peggy Ann Garner). They are instantly attracted to each other, but Maida stands in the way of their happiness.

Lombard, Grant, and Francis mug for this publicity photo for In Name Only.

Although the public loved Lombard and Grant for their comedy performances, both are believable as a couple deeply in love. Will their love survive Maida’s intrigue?

One of the great melodramas of the late-1930s, In Name Only was praised by the critics. Variety said, “In the steering of the story director John Cromwell has made every situation as believable as could be accomplished in order to sustain the dramatic undercurrent, strife and the beleaguered romance which has developed. Cary Grant and Carole Lombard emerge highly impressive.” Frank Nugent of the New York Times called the film “Soap opera par excellence…blessed with a peerless cast.”

Click HERE to watch the movie at the Internet Archive.

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In Name Only trivia

• Photoplay magazine named Lombard and Grant as the best movie performers for the month of October 1939.
• Katharine Hepburn was supposed to play the female lead and reunite with Grant, but due to the failure of Bringing Up Baby, Lombard was brought on board to replace her.
• The Hollywood Reporter said that Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was set to play the role of Alec.
• Lombard insisted on casting her friend Kay Francis in the role of Maida after Francis was dropped from Warner Bros.
• The home used as the location for the garden party, is the front portico of the old Selznick Studio in Culver City, where Gone with the Wind (1939) was being filmed at the same time as In Name Only.
• This was Peggy Ann Garner’s first credited role.
• In Name Only premiered in New York at the city’s famed Radio City Music Hall on August 4, 1939 where it was held over for several weeks.

Discussion questions

1. What did you think of the acting of Grant and Lombard? Were they convincing
2. Was Lombard right to insist that Kay Francis play the part of Maida? Was Francis convincing as the 
3. gold-digging wife?
4. Was the romantic triangle realistic and/or believable?
5. Charles Coburn did a rare dramatic turn as the father of Alec. What did you think of his performance?
6. Was there anything about this film that surprised you?
7. Did In Name Only remind you of any other films?