365 Days: #30 Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933)

Today's picture is one I've been wanting to see but wasn't available until recently. Kay Francis and Lyle Talbot headline with many great supporting actors from the day, though what interested me most is seeing the portrayal of a female doctor in the 1930s. 

#30 Mary Stevens, M.D.

Mary Stevens and her friend and classmate since childhood, Don Andrews, graduate from medical school and set up their medical practice in the same office building. While Mary struggles to overcome bias against female doctors, Don quickly loses interest in the hard work doctoring requires, and decides to marry a politician's daughter to get ahead, with no consideration for his relationship with Mary. They have a falling out after Mary has to take over during a surgery Don is too intoxicated to perform, and she moves on to develop her own esteemed pediatric practice, while still harboring feelings for him. She reconnects with Don while on vacation and they spend a romantic evening together, which results in a pregnancy. When Don's wife refuses to divorce him because her father wants to avoid scandal, Mary decides to go abroad to have the baby and then adopt it to avoid a scandal that would negatively impact her practice. All goes as planned until her baby contracts infantile paralysis (aka polio) on the voyage home.

"Nothing's guaranteed to break up friendship like giving advice." 

Dr. Mary seems pretty smart except when it comes to men. I can't fathom why she would still be in love with dear old Don after he married someone else for money and position without giving her a second thought, not to mention the fact that he committed a crime. Love is blind. 

"Well, some people work for a career and some people marry one." 

365 Days: #4 Stranded (1935)

I am following up yesterday's flick with another appearance by Kay Francis, who is accompanied by George Brent. While both actors drew me to the film, what interested me most was seeing the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, which is an integral part of the story. 

#4 Stranded

Lynn Palmer works for Traveler's Aid and helps people, while Mack Hale is a construction manager for the Golden Gate Bridge. They fall in love and plan to marry, but when Mack insists that she quit her job, it's a dealbreaker, and the marriage is off. Meanwhile, Mack is being threatened by a racketeer, aptly named Sharkey, who demands that he pay $5000 a month in protection money, but when he refuses, Sharkey hires men to infiltrate the crew and sabotage work on the bridge, with disastrous results. Lessons are learned in the process.

"Don't be humble. You'll break my heart if you're ever humble. Never lose your arrogance. That's the you I love."

I found this movie quite interesting as it has a lot going on and is not just the simple, straightforward fluffy romance I was expecting. There is some underlying social commentary in seeing all the different people Lynn helps, from the lone waif on a train (hard to imagine a time when parents put their toddlers on a train alone with a note pinned to them); to the unwed mother; the tittering immigrant brides; and the proud, old man who shoots and kills himself rather than accepting charity. When Mack gives her an ultimatum, Lynn asserts herself by refusing to give up her job that is more of a calling than a job, without a second thought. Then there's the racketeer who Mack refuses to bow down to, actively fighting him off, set against the backdrop of the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, which opened two years after this film was made. The scenes of its construction were a treat to see. 

365 Days: #3 Trouble in Paradise (1932)

After watching Edward Everett Horton yesterday, I was inspired to revisit the movie that gave me a greater affection for him. This is another gateway movie I saw early in my days of movie collecting that had me seeking out more Ernst Lubitsch movies, as well as films with Herbert Marshall, Miriam Hopkins and Kay Francis.

#3 Trouble in Paradise

A thief posing as a Baron meets and falls in love with a pickpocket posing as a Countess. They engage in a scheme to steal from Mme. Colet, the owner of a perfume company. Trouble arises when Gaston Monescu and Mme. Colet fall in love with one another.

"Darling, remember you are Gaston Monescu. You are a crook. I want you as a crook. I love you as a crook. I worship you as a crook. Steal, swindle, rob! Oh, but don't become one of those useless, good-for-nothing gigolos!"

This has all of the innuendo, romance, and crime that goes unpunished that makes it a fine pre-code film. The jokes are subtle, the costumes are exquisite, and the music is divine. It's a movie I can watch repeatedly. 

"You know, I'm not the marrying type.
I like to take my fun and leave it."