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What's After the Movie?
Comedy drama

Perfect Understanding (1933): Cast & Plot

Perfect Understanding (1933) movie poster

Perfect Understanding is a 1933 comedy drama directed by Cyril Gardner, starring Laurence Olivier as Nicholas Randall, Gloria Swanson and Nora Swinburne. It runs 1 hour 20 minutes.

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Perfect Understanding (1933) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 20m (80 min)
Director
Cyril Gardner
Genres
Comedy , Drama , Romance
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Perfect Understanding About?

The premise of Perfect Understanding without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A young couple marries on the strict premise that they will never argue, believing that absolute harmony will protect their love. Their pact is challenged when the husband becomes drawn to a strikingly beautiful young woman, forcing both partners to confront the limits of their agreement and the realities of desire.

Perfect Understanding Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • couple
  • husband
  • young
  • marriage contract
  • kiss on the cheek
  • ocean voyage
  • yodeling
  • gramophone
  • bickering husband wife relationship
  • sexy maid
  • maid
  • husband wife relationship
+38 more
  • bells
  • husband suspects his wife of cheating
  • pratfall
  • man and woman kissing
  • screaming woman
  • top hat
  • woman riding a horse
  • scene during opening credits
  • interior decorator
  • doctor
  • european trip
  • swan
  • man carrying a woman
  • implied female nudity
  • butler
  • monocle
  • boat
  • philandering husband
  • blown up skirt
  • monoplane
  • explorer
  • just married sign
  • old trunk
  • venice italy
  • man kisses a woman's hand
  • female star appears in swimsuit
  • marriage proposal
  • husband confesses infidelity to wife
  • woman smoking
  • throwing rice
  • husband catches wife with another man
  • dialogue driven
  • hiding behind a door
  • woman singing
  • hiding behind a curtain
  • steam locomotive
  • love triangle
  • woman stabbed
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Cast & crew

Perfect Understanding Cast & Characters

Laurence Olivier leads the cast as Nicholas Randall, with Gloria Swanson as Judy Rogers and Nora Swinburne as Lady Stephanie Fitzmaurice. Directed by Cyril Gardner; 18 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Perfect Understanding

· 14 more
From the director

More from Cyril Gardner

More films directed by Cyril Gardner: The Royal Family of Broadway and Grumpy.

Full filmography
Plot

Perfect Understanding Plot Summary

What happens in Perfect Understanding from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Judy Gloria Swanson Rogers and Nicholas Laurence Olivier Randall begin their marriage under a bold premise: a perfect understanding designed to stamp out jealousy and keep passion firmly in check. They imagine that trust and restraint can steer their relationship toward lasting harmony, and they embark on a life together with this quiet, modern philosophy at the center of their vows.

Full summary

The whole story of Perfect Understanding, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Perfect Understanding?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What philosophical principle governs Judy and Nicholas's marriage at the start of the film?

Details

Perfect Understanding Also Known As

3 alternative titles, including “Съвършеното разбирателство” and “充分谅解”.

Also known as
  • Съвършеното разбирателство
  • 充分谅解
  • Casamento Liberal

Seen Perfect Understanding?

FAQ

Perfect Understanding FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Perfect Understanding, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Perfect Understanding?

Perfect Understanding runs 1 hour 20 minutes (80 minutes).

When was Perfect Understanding released?

Perfect Understanding was released on January 15, 1933.

Who directed Perfect Understanding?

Perfect Understanding was directed by Cyril Gardner.

More films by Cyril Gardner

Who is in the cast of Perfect Understanding?

Perfect Understanding stars Laurence Olivier as Nicholas Randall, Gloria Swanson as Judy Rogers and Nora Swinburne as Lady Stephanie Fitzmaurice, among 18 credited actors.

Does Perfect Understanding have a post-credit scene?

No. Perfect Understanding has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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