We’ve spoken extensively about the Pre-Code era, the period in which Hollywood was allowed to be slightly more libertine, with some more controversial or provocative themes slipping through the cracks that had yet to be domineered by the Hayes Code and its draconian principles. It was a period of only a few years, but some of the most inventive and original works were produced during this time, which essentially laid the foundation for the future of the American film industry. Looking at some of the earliest works made at the time, we find films like Indiscreet to be particularly notable – not only was this a very original film that challenged conventions, it introduced a new kind of humour, one that had not been previously present in a lot of films at the time, but would continue to develop in the forthcoming years, essentially flourishing into the highly influential screwball comedy genre. Leo McCarey was the rare combination of someone who possessed the versatility of a journeyman director, but the authorial voice and artistic control of an auteur, long before such a concept was even a mainstream point of conversation. By the time he b began mounting this production, McCarey already had a decade of work under his belt, which allowed him to direct with confidence, precision and authenticity. It may not be his most stylish or compelling work, but it has a certain aura of honesty and complexity that can only come from someone fully in command of his craft, and throughout Indiscreet he shows exactly why he was one of the most important filmmakers of this period, with this fresh and invigorating style being the root of several fascinating concepts that would come to be viewed as very important within the film industry in the coming years.

The terms “screwball” and “Pre-Code” are almost entirely tied to the 1930s in Hollywood, especially since the majority of romantic comedies produced at the time focused on one or the other, or produced with certain guidelines that align them with this style of filmmaking. Indiscreet is one of the rare films that embody both, as well as existing quite early on in the existence of either category, which allows for a very interesting approach to the material. While it has not aged particularly well (and the fact that there seemingly hasn’t been a restoration feels wildly inappropriate for such a revolutionary film), some of the content that exists right at the heart make this quite a groundbreaking film. It feels fresh and unique, and quite ahead of its time, which is a credit to McCarey, as well as the screenwriting team consisting of  Buddy G. DeSylva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson, who all work laboriously to bring this story to life with dedication, tact and earnest commitment to the material. We cannot underestimate the value of doing something that has this much meaning embedded right at its centre, especially when the romantic comedy genre was known for being quite limited and restrictive in what it could show, a result of stringent censors and puritanical values that were factored into every production at the time, even if the rules we considerably more lax than they would be in the upcoming years. For those who can look beyond the period-specific details and aspects that date this film to the early 1930s, it’s clear that Indiscreet has a profoundly modern sensibility that should appeal to many contemporary viewers, with the endlessly quotable script and very memorable performances making for an invigorating, fascinating exercise in social commentary.

Ultimately, one of the aspects that makes Indiscreet so fascinating is that this is a film that understands and appreciates the virtue of simplicity. The premise is extremely straightforward – a stylish, modern young woman is at her peak in terms of popularity and vivacity, and takes those around her for granted, to the point where she falls out of love with her boyfriend solely because she has grown bored of him, and instead she decides to pursue someone far more exciting, and naturally some consequences come from such a blatant expression of hedonism and vanity. It isn’t often that we can praise a film for adhering quite closely to a specific formula, but Indiscreet is one that not only uses it well but through the process of following a specific pattern that had proven to be successful, actually manages to elevate the story far beyond the confines of what we would normally expect from this material. Simplicity is a powerful tool when used correctly, and in the hands of the right director, it can be utterly delightful, as we see throughout this charming and captivating film. The love triangle plot is something we have all seen many times in the past, and there is nothing particularly bespoke or unique about how this film handles these elements – but we can still find so much value in how McCarey and his collaborators develop these ideas, often taking them in unexpected directions and traversing untrodden narrative territory. These components all work together in perfect synchronicity to create a unique and captivating film, one that seamlessly oscillates between comedy and drama without much effort, which alone qualifies it as a much more endearing film than we may initially have expected.

Indiscreet is constructed as a character study, and it does remarkably well in developing on many of these ideas relating to the protagonist and her various challenges. It is interesting how this film doesn’t portray her as someone who is infallible or free of flaws, but rather as an individual who has found herself facing the consequences for her erratic behaviour, and while this may not necessarily be a sign of her poor moral grounding, it does lead to conversations around a very specific kind of hedonism, one in which the youth believe they are truly at liberty, not realizing the true scope of the downfall that will inevitably come with living life in such conditions. In this regard, the choice to cast Gloria Swanson was one of the best decisions this film could have made, both because of the kind of character we encounter with Geraldine Trent, who is tailor-made for someone like Swanson and because it allowed her to prove her mettle in the changing industry. Indiscreet is unmistakably a starring vehicle for the actor, who was clearly eager to make a transition from the silent era, and thus sought out a film defined by its dialogue, making it abundantly clear that she was not going to face the same fate as some of her peers, who either turned away from Hollywood at the advent of sound films or failed to make a career for themselves under these conditions. She was more than capable of crossing over (which is a fascinating contrast to the character she played in her career-defining performance as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard – one has to wonder how much Swanson was drawing from her contemporaries that failed to make an impression in the post-silent years), and her performance in this film is truly terrific. She takes on the part of a stylish young woman who finds her self-confidence threatened after getting involved in a love triangle, and while Ben Lyon and Monroe Owsley are both great (as is Arthur Lake, as the scene-stealing comedic relief), they all stand in the shadow of Swanson, who commands the screen and proves her impeccable talents.

Indiscreet as a filmmay not be influential on its terms, but it certainly does represent a specific era of filmmaking that pushed boundaries that the industry didn’t even realize existed yet. At its most broad, this is a wide-ranging film that oscillates between satirical dark comedy and romantic melodrama, two genres that should not work so well together, but become beautifully interwoven throughout this film, which is a bitingly funny examination of the boundaries of love, and the role we all play in defining our future when it comes to the one universal concept that is simultaneously simple and complex, which is already a revolutionary concept for this film to examine in such vibrant detail. Whether one is an adherent to the work of McCarey, a devotee of the Pre-Code or screwball comedy era (although there are many elements of the latter genre that are not found here, so it is perhaps more appropriate to refer to this film as adjacent to the screwball comedy, which would only truly start to emerge in the following years, but which were certainly influenced by this film), or simply enamoured with the glamour and splendour of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Indiscreet is a very charming, effective and funny film, with heart and soul in an abundance, and a lot of unique humour that makes for a thrilling and enthralling experience. Never a film that intends to go too far, it says just enough to be revolutionary, but never crosses a threshold to the point where it can’t handle its themes. Hilarious and irreverent in equal measure, this film is a true gem, and one of the more inventive comedies to come out the the Pre-Code era, which truly managed to create some brilliant and subversive works.