One of the reviews complains about the very downbeat theme and ending but that's what audiences of the day were eager to see. This movie brought together every essential ingredient required for a superior tear jerker - although critics didn't think it came close to the original "Back Street". Beautiful Ann Harding made her role as the genteel milliner, destined to be waiting, for ever waiting at rising politician's (John Boles) beck and call, really believable and Boles seemed more human and not his usual stuffy self.
As John Shadwell's funeral procession passes, Vergie Winters sits alone in her prison cell remembering...
...remembering how John married Laura (Helen Vinson) because he had heard that it was "necessary" for Virgie to marry Hugo (Creigton Chaney) but it was all the evil plotting of Laura's father who had given Virgie's father $10,000 to spread the vicious rumour. From the time they return from their honeymoon Laura makes herself unpleasant, especially to the servants etc. But wait, there's more - even a passing nod to stream of consciousness dialogue via "Strange Interlude" which was all the rage at the time but seemed out of place in this old fashioned melodrama.
Of course John realises his marriage was all a ghastly mistake but poor Virgie is doomed to remain in the "back streets" of town and as news of the scandalous behaviour filters out, Virgie's once chic hat shop is shunned by the town's leading citizens. Her friendly and respectful manner to Madame Claire and her "girls" earns her a true friend and help from a couple of tricky financial situations. Unlike the heroine from "Back Street" she prefers to make a go of it without the financial help of any man - in fact she is a career woman from the start.
A child is born, Joan (first played by Bonita Granville and then by the very capable Betty Furness) but Virgie tearfully hands her over to John and Laura, once again taking a back seat and viewing Joan's milestones from the shadows. There is a subplot involving Virgie's assistant Sadie (Molly O'Day was still quite young but she had had her best role in "The Patent Leather Kid" 7 years before and a difficulty in keeping a slim figure had damaged her career) and went to point out the hypocrisy of small town life. Sadie longs for the bright lights and is also juggling the attentions of two men, one (Ben Alexander) takes her to the city but they flee back to the town owing $500. He is then shot by his father trying to retrieve evidence that shows Virgie is the real mother of Joan and the next scene shows Sadie hastily accepting another boy's proposal of marriage. Everything happens in this movie and it concludes with a very soggy finale where all is resolved.
Helen Vinson was the actress they turned to when a vindictive other woman was called for - she could play these roles in her sleep. Also Dorothy Sebastian, star of silents and pal of Joan Crawford, had a very small role as Virgie's second assistant.
As John Shadwell's funeral procession passes, Vergie Winters sits alone in her prison cell remembering...
...remembering how John married Laura (Helen Vinson) because he had heard that it was "necessary" for Virgie to marry Hugo (Creigton Chaney) but it was all the evil plotting of Laura's father who had given Virgie's father $10,000 to spread the vicious rumour. From the time they return from their honeymoon Laura makes herself unpleasant, especially to the servants etc. But wait, there's more - even a passing nod to stream of consciousness dialogue via "Strange Interlude" which was all the rage at the time but seemed out of place in this old fashioned melodrama.
Of course John realises his marriage was all a ghastly mistake but poor Virgie is doomed to remain in the "back streets" of town and as news of the scandalous behaviour filters out, Virgie's once chic hat shop is shunned by the town's leading citizens. Her friendly and respectful manner to Madame Claire and her "girls" earns her a true friend and help from a couple of tricky financial situations. Unlike the heroine from "Back Street" she prefers to make a go of it without the financial help of any man - in fact she is a career woman from the start.
A child is born, Joan (first played by Bonita Granville and then by the very capable Betty Furness) but Virgie tearfully hands her over to John and Laura, once again taking a back seat and viewing Joan's milestones from the shadows. There is a subplot involving Virgie's assistant Sadie (Molly O'Day was still quite young but she had had her best role in "The Patent Leather Kid" 7 years before and a difficulty in keeping a slim figure had damaged her career) and went to point out the hypocrisy of small town life. Sadie longs for the bright lights and is also juggling the attentions of two men, one (Ben Alexander) takes her to the city but they flee back to the town owing $500. He is then shot by his father trying to retrieve evidence that shows Virgie is the real mother of Joan and the next scene shows Sadie hastily accepting another boy's proposal of marriage. Everything happens in this movie and it concludes with a very soggy finale where all is resolved.
Helen Vinson was the actress they turned to when a vindictive other woman was called for - she could play these roles in her sleep. Also Dorothy Sebastian, star of silents and pal of Joan Crawford, had a very small role as Virgie's second assistant.