Marriage: Love and Law exhibition catalogue - Flipbook - Page 35
ANDREE LAUZANNE
& ARNOLD RESCH
Breach of promise was not exclusive to the colonial era. It extended well into
the 20th Century and this was sometimes known as ‘heart balm’. In these cases,
a plaintiff would sue for emotional loss—a broken heart—as well as the value
of lost expectations.
One of the most sensational cases of heart balm played out in Sydney in 1925.
A French fashion designer, Andree Lauzanne, sued Arnold Resch—heir to the
famous Resch’s beer empire and one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors—
in the Supreme Court of NSW. Part way into the trial, a settlement was reached.
Lauzanne was awarded £2,000: much less than the £25,000 she had initially
sought from Resch.
The salaciousness of the Lauzanne vs Resch case and the notoriety of the
defendant provided thrilling fodder for the tabloid press, and a business
opportunity for film-maker Gordon Conrad. His film—made in just four days—
was a huge hit in the cinemas, giving audiences an insight into the lives of the
rich and famous.
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‘I intend enforcing you
to keep your promise …
I consider your conduct
towards me, much
beneath my notice.’
Sarah Cox, Letter to John Payne, no. 6, n.d.,
NSW State Archives, NRS 13471 [9/5198]
Cox v Payne 1825
25 David Souter
Letter to Sarah Cox,
16 August 1824
Paper
1824
NSW State Archives, NRS 13471
[9/5198] Cox v Payne 1825
Resch acted in the same way as a man
who was going to marry a woman.
In fact, he even took her out and introduced
her to his own mother. ‘Was this Brewer’s
love mostly froth and bubble?’
Truth, 4 October 1925, p. 11
26 Supreme Court of NSW
Supreme Court papers, Cox,
spinster v Payne, filed by
William Wentworth,
21 September 1824
Paper
1824
NSW State Archives, NRS 13471
[9/5198] Cox v Payne 1825
27 Gordon Conrad
The Resch–Lauzanne
breach of promise case
Film (digitised)
1925
National Film and Sound Archive
of Australia, Title No: 5229
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