dir. Robert Florey
writ. David Boehm, story by Edith Fitgerald and Robert Riskin
feat. Bette Davis, Gene Raymond, Frank McHugh, Monroe Owsley, Claire Dodd
Even a young and lovely Bette Davis can't charm her way through this chaotic and indecisive story about young lovers attempting to defy convention. Helen (Davis) wants no part in marriage, happy to sneak around behind the backs of friends and parents, hopping into bed with Don (Raymond) at her convenience and without infringement upon her freedom and pursuits as an illustrator and woman of the world.
The film is striking for Helen's unapologetic self-defined morals and the frank conversation about the limitations a relationship places upon the individual's dreams. I struggle to think of another film that plainly explores both true love and the sacrifice one makes in sharing time and ambitions. Unfortunately, the filmmakers haven't settled on a point or conclusion to these meandering philosophies, nor do they comfortably accept the chaos and lack of a clear answer in such dealings, leaving the film messy and arguably pointless.
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