Furs on Film – Remember (1939)

It’s divorce, 1930’s style again. What more do I need to say? Like McCoy in Star Trek II, it’s time to Remember.

Remember – The Film

Not only is this another in a long line of divorce-themed fur fashion classics from the 1930s, this one has a bonus of including an amnesia potion as a legitimate, no-fooling part of the plot. It stars the alliteratively named Greer Garson as Linda Bronson and Robert Taylor as Jeff Holland, who meet, fall in love, wed, and, yes, divorce in short order. Linda was initially smitten with Jeff’s buddy Sky (Lew Ayers) before Jeff totally violated the wing-man code and scooped her up. Sky’s company happens to have conveniently developed an amnesia drug. He administers it to both parties in hopes that Linda will fall in love with him again, only it ends up that Jeff and Linda meet, fall in love, and don’t divorce.

Remember – The Furs

Greer Garson’s Linda is a woman from a wealthy family, and her wardrobe shows it. Since no summaries toss around the “h” word (heiress), I won’t use it, but it seems like she fits the bill.

We start our little love triangle with Linda in this large silver fox muff as she encounters Jeff and Sky together for the first time.

Like the later fur in this film, the muff is provided ample screen time.

Not the largest ever seen, but it’s long, full, and unmarred by any obnoxious silver broaches that spring to mind for some reason.

Hey, what’s Linda holding onto in this screen before her scheduled departure on the newlywed’s honeymoon? I sure hope she puts that on…

Sometimes dreams come true as Miss Garson is neatly folded into this lavish white fox beauty seconds later.

She and her new husband are ready to leave on their honeymoon, but he is called away by his work, thus straining their relationship a bit.

My earlier mention of ugly, oversized silver broaches wasn’t just a call out to the absolute worst one of all time (which I will always take a moment to complain about). Though slightly less intrusive, the costume designer should have reconsidered marring the fluid white lines of this beautiful coat.

Sadly, this one is given the least amount of screen time of the film’s furs, an error of far more significance than the broach.

Later, after all the shenanigans with amnesia potions have set a similar chain of events in motion, Linda spends much of the last part of the film in this lynx jacket, or perhaps stroller length coat would be more accurate.

Not bad, it’s a little thin for my tastes.

Still, at the end of the film, there’s an enjoyable moment when Greer Garson delivers some news to Jeff about her reproductive status in which she coquettishly plays with the collar of the lynx fur while in close up.

Overall a fine effort that is flawed in its choice of which fur to feature. If only the dock sequence had the lynx and the end sequences featured the fox, it would undoubtedly be one for the ages. As it stands, it’s still a pretty extraordinary effort, especially for lynx fans, who will surely enjoy 4+ minutes they get to watch Greer Grarson wearing it at the end. Of course, another entry on the long, distinguished divorce list, as well. Also, one on the shorter list of “single actress in fur” films, where the same character wears all the furs.

Fur Runtime: approx 9 minutes
Film Runtime: 82 minutes
On-Screen Fur Ratio: 11%