Gloria Swanson in The Trespasser.

The Trespasser is pure soap opera from start to finish. Written and directed by Edmund Goulding as a starring vehicle for Gloria Swanson (her first talking movie), it proved her talent wasn’t limited to silent movies as she was Oscar Nominated for Best Actress at the third annual Academy Awards in 1930. She lost out to Norma Shearer for The Divorcee. Goulding would remake the movie using the title That Certain Woman in 1937 with Bette Davis in the Swanson role.

The plot mirrors real life to some extent. Swanson was having an affair with Joseph Kennedy, father of the future President of the United States, at the time. He, in fact, co-produced the movie with Swanson. In the movie, Gloria’s character has an affair with an older, wealthy, married man.

This early talking picture packs in plenty of plot in 90 minutes and Swanson appears in virtually every scene. When the story begins she is a stenographer about to elope with the son of the wealthiest man in Chicago. The father objects to the marriage and insists on an annulment even though the newlyweds have been living as man and wife for several days. In a highly dramatic confrontation Swanson storms out and leaves her husband.

The hokey melodrama just keeps coming as Swanson bears a child from her brief marriage. Her pride won’t let her tell the boy’s father about him and she nearly has a nervous breakdown. She recovers in the arms of her wealthy but married boss. I won’t give away the rest of the story but believe me there is plenty of overwrought hysterics yet to come. The ending borders on maudlin but Swanson’s acting nearly pulls it off.

Swanson gives a powerhouse performance that definitely deserved recognition by the Academy. She was a bit on the hammy side dramatically speaking but she is quite affecting. She transitioned seamlessly from silent film to sound. A remarkable feat when you consider she had no theatrical training at all. There is one scene early in the movie that includes some silent acting technique. She pantomimes some actions to her fiancé across the room while standing next to her boss who is on the telephone. She also reveals the ace up her sleeve, her remarkably strong singing voice.

The Trespasser is over-the-top melodrama that showcases the great Gloria Swanson’s dramatic chops. It’s too bad she is remembered today only for playing Norma Desmond because she actually left quite a decent body of work. The Trespasser gave her one of her juiciest roles, even if the script is pure hokum.
 

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