User reviews

This is a highly entertaining movie from the '80s when they still made them with opulence! "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles" was originally a novel written by Dominick Dunne. The plot is based on the real-life story of the shooting of William Woodward, a New York socialite. The question asked for years afterwards was, did his wife shoot him by accident thinking he was a burglar as she claimed? Or did she deliberately kill him? The film explores this and the lives of the wealthy along the way.

In the movie, Ann-Margret portrays the chorus girl wife who marries way, way above her station. The other Mrs. Grenville is her mother-in-law, played to perfection by the still glamorous Claudette Colbert. People who knew Woodward's real-life mother, Elsie, state that Colbert was dead-on in the role. In the book, film, and real life, the elder Mrs. Grenville supports her daughter-in-law throughout but not because she believes her or can even tolerate her. She does it to protect the family from scandal.

The movie spans fifty years and will hold your interest throughout.

Ann-Margret definitely deserved the Emmy nomination she received for her role in "the Two Mrs.Grenvilles" she is no less than brilliant. Colbert is just as good and the two on screen together is just the greatest thing ever! The movie itself is just as great!

Ann Margret to me is the most under appreciated actress of our times. A brilliant actress in Drama, Comedy and Music. I can go on for paragraphs but to sum it up Ann Margret is the bestest of the best.This film also gave us the opportunity to see a real Star at work, Claudette Colbert who return to film work after a 25 year absence (Parrish, 1961, a great WB film). Ms Colbert dominates her scenes and won a Golden Globe for her fine work.

This film is based on a true murder mystery the Ann Woodward case that was the basis of the Dominick Dunne novel. A fine film ably directed but the real reason to see it is to witness the work of two great actresses Ann Margret and the one and only Claudette Colbert who won a Golden Globe for her brilliant performance. Dominick Dunne in his book The Way We Lived Then said that Bette Davis, Jane Wyman, Ginger Rogers, Loretta Young, Olivia De Havilland, Joan Fontaine all coveted the role that Claudette Colbert got, and good Colbert did! Colbert was a member of New York Cafe Society and for that reason may have had a better insight into her role than her peers.

This is a fine film and catch it for the performances of two very fine actresses Claudette Colbert and the remarkable Ann Margret

Dominick Dunne who authored the story of the two Mrs. Grenvilles was pleased tha after 26. Years the great Claudette Colbert returned to film making. Colbert's last film had been Troy Donahue's big hit Parrish. Per Dunne all the legendary ladies: Bette Davis, Jane Wyman, Joan Fontaine, Ginger Roger, and Loretta Young all wanted this plum part. Colbert got it and won a Golden Globe for her insightful; performance.

Ms. Colbert unlike Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Tallu Bankhead never had to do the popular "horror movies". Crawford and Davis were both "greater stars" than Colbert but they demeaned their status by making movies such as Straightjacket, Beserk, The Nanny etc.

Claudette Colbert was rich, glamorous with Apartments in New York and Paris and a fabulous mansion in Barbados, with an occasional trip to Los Angeles to see friends Roz Russell, Billy Wilder etc. Colbert had a "feel" for Cafe Society.. Frank Sinatra and Pres Reagan were close to Ms. Colbert

I saw Colbert pn the Broadway stage in her mid 80's in "Aren't We All" a great play and Colbert looked no more than 50 and had verve and a great connection to the audience.

Ann Margret who has given some brilliant performances excels here as the lustful wife in a re creation of an actual NY socialite murder Stephen Collins is perfect in this role. Dunne changed the names. I feel Ann-Margret is as great an actress as Meryl Streep.

Claudette Colbert was in her mid 80's when she starred in this film but is fabulous and has a great confrontation scene with Ann-Margaret whose very young Son commits suicide. "Now You know what it is like to lose a son"

Both actresses deserve praise but Claudette Colbert was a true legend. RIP.

Claudette Colbert is far and away one of the BEST actresses that ever appeared on screen, small or big. She did drama and comedy with equal incredible talent. Her roles in wartime were some of her best... "Since You Went Away", "So Proudly We Hail", just to name two. Her Oscar winner, "It Happened One Night", while a very good performance in a good movie, is not her best. She should have gotten more Oscars. Her turn in "The Egg and I" is hilarious, and yet, totally believable. I miss going to the movies because there aren't performers like Claudette Colbert. There is only one in this day and age that even approaches the talent of Claudette Colbert and that is Sally Field. Consider the similarities!

how where can i buy this movie either on VHS or DVD? both performances are incredible and the settings, the directions the whole spirit of the era are more than believable....they are....in this movie. i just want to find out where i can buy this movie to have anytime i want, and i have to write 10 lines of text to ask the questions. seems silly but i will state once again that this is a phenomenal performance buy (sic) both Ann-Margeret and Ms. Colbert. excellent supporting cast as well. and what excellent direction. the drama is as dramatic as this site even more so. how awesome it could be if CBS NBC ABC or FOX could rerun the entire movie during sweeps week

Claudette Colbert is the only reason to watch this made for television movie. She looks fabulous and steals every scene she is in. Ann-Margaret, on the other hand, is miscast and chews the scenery up with her hysterics!

When Navy ensign Billy Grenville, heir to a vast New York fortune, sees showgirl Ann Arden on the dance floor, it is love at first sight. And much to the horror of Alice Grenville--the indomitable family matriarch--he marries her. Ann wants desperately to be accepted by high society and become the well-bred woman of her fantasies. But a gunshot one rainy night propels Ann into a notorious spotlight--as the two Mrs. Grenvilles enter into a conspiracy of silence that will bind them together for as long as they live. . . .This is by far one of the best made for TV dramas I have ever seen.I still have it on videotape.Ann Margaret is well Anne Margaret no great actress as you will see but totally drop dead gorgeous which was why she was cast in the first place.Claudette Colbert also ideally cast as the Family Matriarch.At the funeral of the grandson Billy Grenville Colbert without missing a beat says to Anne Grenville "Well maybe now you know what it feels like to lose a son."A must see and must read book and film. -R Brentnall

The plot is oft-mentioned in the reviews, so I'll go straight to my take re: the performances-frankly, Ann-Margret and Ms. Colbert rock.

They give life to their characters, making them believable in spite of the soapy elements around them. Ann Grenville is rather a pop-tart in soufflé's clothing, but Ann-Margret is an actress with ability. She brings real emotion to the character, that rises above the script and deservedly got her an Emmy nom.

Likewise, Miss Colbert, as the society icon-slash-mother-you-really-shouldn't-mess-with, deserved the award she ultimately took home.

This is a well made tv-movie with performances that make it worth wading through the sudsy but true-life subject matter.