As I sat watching this for the first time, I was amazed at the degree of "soapiness" of this film. The story is about Mary Donnell (Bette Davis), who had been married to a bootlegger killed during the St. Valentine's Day massacre. She becomes a secretary to a rich attorney who falls in love with her, but never directly reveals that love. Instead Mary marries the a pleasant, but spineless society man (Henry Fonda) who has a domineering father (Donald Crisp...with a full head of hair!). Dad has the marriage annulled. But, Mary is already pregnant and has the child without informing the father, who marries a woman of society, who is crippled in an auto accident caused by her new husband during their honeymoon in Europe. Mary becomes rich when her loving boss dies and leaves her most of his estate, but his wife, who believes Mary's son is her husband's illegitimate child, attempts to overturn the will. Mary makes the mistake of telling her ex that the boy is his, and then domineering grand-pop attempts to take the child away by having Mary declared an unfit mother. After meeting her ex's crippled wife, Mary inexplicably gives them the child and travels to Europe. The Fonda character's wife dies and he -- with the child -- follows Mary to Europe to reunite. On the way to Europe, the plane Fonda's character is on crashes into the hotel where Mary is staying, and everyone comes down with smallpox. OKAY...I MADE THAT LAST SENTENCE UP, but it almost seems logical considering the plot that Warners Brothers approved for this script. Too much...overload!!!!! Now, despite the ridiculousness of the plot, there is some pretty decent acting here. Specifically, Bette Davis acts her heart out. And, Donald Crisp certainly distinguishes himself, although not with a very nice character. Fonda is fine, but plays such a jerk that's it's impossible to like him much.
This is a film worth watching...once...but it won't find its way onto my DVD shelf.
This is a film worth watching...once...but it won't find its way onto my DVD shelf.