This 1931 Pre-Code version is somewhat forgotten since MGM remade it in 1940 with bigger stars. The 1940 version with Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh may be sanitized, but it is a tender and sweet story. But this one from Universal has its points.
The two leads, Mae Clarke as Myra, the prostitute prowling the streets of WWI era London, and Kent Douglass as Roy, the naive soldier who falls in love with her, are excellent. Their performances are natural and ring with authenticity.
Even if Myra did not have this "big secret" that she is keeping from Roy, you've got to wonder why he so badly wants to marry someone who is a master at passive aggressive behavior and abruptly turns from agreeable to abrasive. If you know her complete story her behavior makes sense, but otherwise you are likely to end up like Claude Rains' character in Kings Row - living in isolation out in the boonies trying to hide your mad wife.
Actually, though she denies being a chorus girl, Myra actually IS one. The opening scene shows her in the chorus. Her employment is probably too sporadic for her support. She seems very hard on herself. Doris Lloyd is also very good as Kitty, Myra's older friend and fellow streetwalker. Kitty has no delusions. For her, it's a job like any other job. She hopes to save enough money to eventually retire in relative comfort.
Waterloo Bridge steers clear of sermonizing. Clarke manages to show the thrill Myra gets from walking around London, looking for customers, of being your own boss. This is quite a statement to make about prostitution, and very much Pre-Code. The realization creeps in that Myra and Roy's relationship is a one way street. And Roy remains a bit of an enigma, including his sexuality. You're never sure what he sees in Myra. Is it an adventure from his affluent but stultifying background, like joining the Army? These questions make Waterloo Bridge all the more intriguing.
Director James Whale imbues the production with an elegance of spirit, while still maintaining a rudimentary realism. The sets, contrasting the vividness of London landmarks with Myra's drab and Spartan apartment, are major strengths.
Do note Bette Davis as Roy's sister. She isn't given anything to do here that would make her stand out. Universal also put her in "Seed" which I haven't seen, and "The Bad Sister" in which everything that can be done to make Bette look drab and plain is done. And with that Universal decided she wasn't worth keeping around, which would be Warner Brothers' good luck.
The two leads, Mae Clarke as Myra, the prostitute prowling the streets of WWI era London, and Kent Douglass as Roy, the naive soldier who falls in love with her, are excellent. Their performances are natural and ring with authenticity.
Even if Myra did not have this "big secret" that she is keeping from Roy, you've got to wonder why he so badly wants to marry someone who is a master at passive aggressive behavior and abruptly turns from agreeable to abrasive. If you know her complete story her behavior makes sense, but otherwise you are likely to end up like Claude Rains' character in Kings Row - living in isolation out in the boonies trying to hide your mad wife.
Actually, though she denies being a chorus girl, Myra actually IS one. The opening scene shows her in the chorus. Her employment is probably too sporadic for her support. She seems very hard on herself. Doris Lloyd is also very good as Kitty, Myra's older friend and fellow streetwalker. Kitty has no delusions. For her, it's a job like any other job. She hopes to save enough money to eventually retire in relative comfort.
Waterloo Bridge steers clear of sermonizing. Clarke manages to show the thrill Myra gets from walking around London, looking for customers, of being your own boss. This is quite a statement to make about prostitution, and very much Pre-Code. The realization creeps in that Myra and Roy's relationship is a one way street. And Roy remains a bit of an enigma, including his sexuality. You're never sure what he sees in Myra. Is it an adventure from his affluent but stultifying background, like joining the Army? These questions make Waterloo Bridge all the more intriguing.
Director James Whale imbues the production with an elegance of spirit, while still maintaining a rudimentary realism. The sets, contrasting the vividness of London landmarks with Myra's drab and Spartan apartment, are major strengths.
Do note Bette Davis as Roy's sister. She isn't given anything to do here that would make her stand out. Universal also put her in "Seed" which I haven't seen, and "The Bad Sister" in which everything that can be done to make Bette look drab and plain is done. And with that Universal decided she wasn't worth keeping around, which would be Warner Brothers' good luck.