When I chose The Wedding Night (1935), I thought it would be a comedy.  My preference with classic cinema is for more light hearted fare.  Dramas from that era can sometimes be overacted.  Besides, I could use some laughs in these troubling times.  Another reason I picked it was because of the fact that the female lead was described as being Polish.  Being partially of that ethnic persuasion, I was curious to see how that culture would be depicted.  I was satisfied with this aspect of the film, particularly in showing the role of Catholicism in the title event, but was less so with the ending.  As always, you will have to read on to find out more.

Speaking of reading, Anthony “Tony” Barrett (Gary Cooper) is a writer having trouble attracting readers at the beginning of The Wedding Night.  We meet him shortly after he has given his agent a black eye.  The violence stems from the agent’s criticism of Tony’s recent work, which has been poor, and the fact that he and his wife, Dora Barrett (Helen Vinson), are living beyond their means.  Because Tony’s agent will not give him an advance, he decides they will have to leave the fast life in the city for his Connecticut farm.  Shortly after arriving, they are visited by Jan Novak (Sig Ruman), and his daughter, Manya Novak (Anna Sten).  Jan wants Anna to do the talking as they propose to buy one of Tony’s fields for $5,000.  This is fine by Tony for two reasons.  First, the money is exactly what he had been waiting for, even if the intention is to spend much of it on booze.  Secondly, he cannot take his eyes off Manya.  At any rate, they agree upon the deal, though Tony teases Dora about changing his mind on the transaction.  The next day, he stops at the Novak residence to make the transaction, a lot of the meeting being taken up by casting furtive looks at Manya.  He is invited to stay for dinner, and just prior to the meal, he is introduced to Frederik Sobieski (Ralph Bellamy).  Frederik is the man that Jan and Kaise Novak (Esther Dale), Manya’s mother, have picked for their daughter to marry.  Indeed, there is a sort of betrothal ceremony done at the table, although it is evident that Manya’s heart is not into it.  Tony notices the lackluster gesture.  Upon returning home, Dora is packing to return to the city.  Instead, Tony gives her the money from the sale and tells her to go on without him.  She initially resists, but then says she will come back for him in a few months.  With that, he sets to writing his next book with Manya as the inspiration.  This inspiration is less honorable at first.  Part of the deal Tony made with the Novaks involves them providing him with milk, which is delivered by Manya.  During the first delivery, he is quite forward with her, hoping that him telling her that he is penning a novel about her will get her to be intimate with him.  She admirably fends him off, and the next day he comes to her place with the milk can and an apology.  She is accepting and the visits resume.  They take on a different nature when Taka (Otto Yamaoka), Tony’s servant, decides he does not like country living and resigns.  Because he is now alone, she increasingly brings him food while he reads to her the progress of his book.  This is not acceptable behavior in Jan’s view, and he warns Manya about going to Tony’s place.  She ignores his warnings, though with some due respect.  It gets a little more tense when Frederik sees her in Tony’s living room, laughing and apparently enjoying herself.  Frederik threatens to call off their wedding, but is convinced otherwise.  One day, as a large blizzard is about to blanket the landscape in snow, Manya makes a secret trip to Tony’s place.  The weather prevents going home, and she ends up sleeping at his house, though in separate beds.  This is the 1930s, after all.  The next morning, an enraged Jan collects his daughter and announces upon their return that she will be marrying Frederik the next Monday.  Complicating matters is Dora unexpectedly showing up.  As she tries to settle back in with her husband, she reads Tony’s new work and is troubled.  It is clear that he is coding his love for Manya into the book, and suggesting that he no longer cares for Dora.  As such, with Tony out one day, Dora is there to receive Manya, who has come to tell him about the upcoming nuptials.  Dora is not cruel towards Manya, promising to relay the message, but does not do so until the day of the wedding.  In the meantime, he tells Dora that he wants a divorce.  On the day of the ceremony, while Dora and Tony are having their supper, they can hear the raucous revelers celebrating the occasion. Instead of eating, Tony goes to the reception and is allowed a dance with Manya.  Afterwards, Frederik goes into Manya’s room to consummate their marriage, but finds her still unenthusiastic.  Angry and drunk enough to do something about it, he flies from the room saying he is going to kill Tony.  Manya rushes ahead to warn Tony, arriving just before Frederik.  Nonetheless, she is caught in the middle of the developing brawl on the stairs and is pushed down them, landing awkwardly on the floor below.  Though the doctor is immediately called, she dies in Tony’s home with him looking out the window and imagining the days when he happily saw her coming over the hill to greet him.

As referenced in the introduction, The Wedding Night does not have the happy ending that Tony imagined.  The film also did not seem to know how it was going to end.  As Dora reads the pages of Tony’s book, there is some debate as to whether he will end up with her or Manya.  Because Dora wants it to be her, she waits until after the wedding has happened to deliver Manya’s message.  As such, she is as much to blame for the tragedy as anyone else.  I was prepared to give her a pass because she seemed to be the one being wronged in this situation.  Granted, she is a frivolous person, caring too much for material things despite her affection for her husband.  I also commend her for acting as a Catholic wife is taught by not immediately giving up on Tony despite the changes in his behavior once they get to the farm.  As I have said many times in reviews, the Church does allow for divorce in certain situations, but part of the conditions involve doing everything in one’s power to prevent a dissolution of a marriage.  It can be argued that leaving your husband because you are bored is not “doing everything” to save their relationship, but then again, she had no reason to suspect Manya.  Dora also remains devoted to Tony after he admits to loving Manya.  A modern viewer might take this behavior as pathetic.  In any case, she is not the party being wronged.  Where she errs, again, is in not telling Tony about Manya’s last visit.  Of course, Dora could not have known the consequences of her actions, but honesty is the best course.  The Church has always recommended the truth in all situations, no matter the pain it might cause.  Such a stance, further, does not mean being a jerk about it.  The goal is to speak the truth in love, which is being Christ-like.  Dora had an opportunity to do so and she did not take it.

Because of the way The Wedding Night ends, I am not sure I recommend it.  I was already having trouble with the potential extra-marital affairs.  As the final scene faded, I commented to myself how it was a kick in the rear.  If such an ending appeals to you, then you might enjoy the rest.