Steineded How sad is this?

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

mark.waltz The focus is on George Brent for once, not leading lady Kay Francis, in this drama about a troubled amateur pilot who accidentally kills his sister and parents when flying in the fog with a low tank of gas. So what do you do when you kill off your family, lose your pilot license and really have no other goal in life than to party your life away? Look for a rich socialite to support you! That would appear to be the case in Brent's sudden flirtation and marriage to the well dressed Francis who falls in love with his non-conformist ways from the start, even allowing him to laugh at her charming speech impediment as she recites "30 days has September", pronouncing April as "Apwil". You have to give Ms. Francis credit for allowing the script writer to include this "wefewance" to her inability to really pronounce any word with the letter "r", and the scene is more than just a cute passing reference to the well publicized deficient in her speech. They marry and are soon living in the country, against the advice of Francis's well-meaning but interfering aunt (Helen Lowell).Better known for her glamorous wardrobe more than for her slight lisp, Francis actually goes from gowns to house dresses, shockingly shown cleaning cupboards as Brent prepares to go grocery shopping. Of course, he comes back with only half of what is on the list, which is supposed to be an indication to her that he is not very responsible. To think that she gently dumped his friend Warren William (her co-star from "Dr. Monica") for Brent is unbelievable, and when she reveals that she had hoped to change him by marrying him, you know she's asking for heartache. A man like Brent's character can't be easily manipulated, and even if her intentions seem good (starting by aiding him in getting over his suppressed guilt), he's sort of like Holly Golightly from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" to where he does wacky things just to act like he's living, even though he's only living an obvious imitation of life. One scene after a break-up has Francis laughing heartily simply just for the point of laughing to hide her pain, and it seems rather false. In fact, this being a woman's picture told from a man's angle makes this seem rather forced from the beginning, even though Brent and Francis are a good team. It's odd to see Warren William on the sidelines in this, although he does provide the wisdom in their circle of friends, making him the guiding light in the solving of the issues that Francis's character wanted to become.

Neil Doyle There's really nothing too special about LIVING ON VELVET to distinguish it from many other Warner melodramas of the '30s. The trio of stars--GEORGE BRENT, KAY FRANCIS and WARREN WILLIAM--are suitably cast in the leads and the script moves along at a brisk pace to tell the story of an adventurer (Brent) and a society woman (Francis) who fall in love but can't seem to save their failing marriage until he nearly loses his life in an accident. The plot is really as simple as that.It's performed capably by the three stars with Warren Williams given little to do except to stand on the sidelines while Brent and Francis fall in love. Director Frank Borzage keeps the story moving swiftly after the first meeting of Kay Francis and George Brent at a party wherein they fall instantly in love. Nothing much happens except that their romance loses its luster when she decides to walk out on him, but soon returns for the happy ending.It passes the time pleasantly, but don't expect too much. It's typical Warner Bros. romantic fare for Miss Francis and that's about it.

dbdumonteil Coming just before " Stranded" , a movie dealing with the plight of people left out in the cold ," Living On Velvet" ,if there were any doubt about it,shows how much Frank Borzage was an auteur.His sympathy for suffering people was infinite and the things he tells us still reverberates today.A man has lost all his family in a plane crash.So he is "living on velvet" now,playing the part of a faux bon vivant,incapable of "filling the void" .A man ("Gibraltar") will have to sacrifice his true love for a woman to give Clarence a reason to believe in life again.There are real saints in Borzage's work: Margaret Sullavan would do the same in " the shining hour" where she's willing to leave her husband she loves dearly so that two people will be happy.Like this ? try these ......"Phone Call from a stranger" (Jean Negulesco,1952) "Fearless" (Peter Weir,1993)

Kalaman "Living on Velvet" is a passionate, though slightly incoherent Borzage melodrama starring Kay Francis and George Brent. I'm a fan of director Borzage and the always wavishing Kay Fwancis (she had trouble pronouncing the Rs), so I was very eager to see this one. I happened to watch "Living on Velvet" the other night together with another Borzage love story with Francis & Brent called "Stranded", also made in 1935 for Warner Brothers. Of the two films, "Living on Velvet" is the best and most uncompromising illustration of Borzage's lifelong preoccupation with spirituality and humanity. Francis is wonderful in the role of Amy Prentiss, the passionate, devoted wife of Terry Parker (Brent), a rather reckless pilot who miraculously survived a plane crash with his family. The most romantic & unforgettable moment is of course the scene in which Terry meets Amy, seriously looking each other for the first time, their charging eyes never even blinking. The scene is one of Borzage's greatest achievements. It illustrates his genuine commitment to his material; the couple is looking at love itself, something concrete and tangible. Our involvement and identification are heightened through the emotional intensity of the couple's passion. The capable supporting players include Warren William as Gibraltar, Terry's best friend, and Helen Lowell as Aunt Martha.