pre-Code
Pre-Code Hollywood was an era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry that occurred between the widespread adoption of sound in film in the late 1920s and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship gui ...
romantic drama film
Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...
directed by
Nick Grinde
Nick Grinde (January 12, 1893 – June 19, 1979) was an American film director and screenwriter. He directed 57 films between 1928 and 1945.
Biography
Born Harry A. Grinde in Madison, Wisconsin but nicknamed "Nick", Grinde graduated from th ...
and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Regis Toomey. Written by Jo Swerling and Robert Riskin, based on a story by Sarah Y. Mason, the film is about a poor hardworking waitress who meets and falls in love with a wealthy college student. His mother objects to the union and has the waitress framed as a sex worker. After serving her time, the waitress enters show business and becomes a star.
Plot
Waitress Kitty Lane and wealthy David Livingston fall in love. However, his overly protective mother Helen does not approve and does everything she can to break them up. She has her friend Judge Forbes first try bribery; when that fails, he arranges to have her jailed on a bogus morals charge. Meanwhile, Mrs. Livingston convinces her son that Kitty took the $5000 bribe.
As the years pass, Kitty becomes a successful showgirl, with numerous admirers, while David is a doctor. When their paths cross again, their love is rekindled, though Kitty is skeptical of David's resolve in the face of his mother's unwavering opposition. David finally convinces her to marry him.
Alarmed, Mrs. Livingston goes to see Kitty. She begs her to break off the engagement, fearing her son's career will be ruined, but Kitty is unmoved. In desperation, the distraught mother pulls out a gun. Kitty manages to take it away from the confused woman, but is touched by her pleas. When David shows up, Mrs. Livingston hides while Kitty puts on an act, pretending that she only agreed to marry him to get back at his mother. David is finally convinced, but then a repentant Mrs. Livingston stops him from leaving and confesses the truth.
Lucien Littlefield
Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men befor ...
as Fred
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Clara Blandick
Clara Blandick (born Clara Blanchard Dickey; June 4, 1876 – April 15, 1962) was an American character, film, stage and theater actress who portrayed Aunt Em in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939). As a character actress, ...
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'',
Mordaunt Hall
Mordaunt Hall (1 November 1878 – 2 July 1973) was the first regularly assigned motion picture critic for ''The New York Times'', working from October 1924 to September 1934.