Is anyone in the mood for a cross between Back Street and Night Court? Following those 1931 and 1932 dramas, and combining the stars, comes Ann Vickers, a drama about a strong woman who falls in love with a married man, a judge who doesn't let the law rule his personal life. If you liked both of those precursors, I know what you're renting tonight.
This is an extremely racy movie, and it's a miracle it received a seal of approval from the not-yet mandatory Production Code. The beginning of the film follows Irene Dunne as she has a romance with a soldier, Bruce Cabot. She gets pregnant, and while it's not explicitly spelled out, it's made extremely clear that she goes to Havana to have and recover from an abortion. She's seen resting, wincing, and crying, and no further mention is made of her impending pregnancy. If you don't know how much of a big deal that was to include in a 1933 movie, you're probably not ready to watch it yet.
Her best friend, Edna May Oliver, is another strong female figure from the silver screen, so it's no wonder Irene gets back up on her feet and takes another stab at life. This time, the strong feminist takes a job at a women's prison. This is one of those great silver screen flicks that show how terrible prison conditions were, as well as the interactions between female prisoners and the process of becoming a hardened criminal. Irene tries her hand at drastic prison reform, but since she's a woman and she's trying to improve conditions for women, she's ignored, belittled, and dismissed. This is Irene Dunne, so don't think for a second she'll take that treatment lying down.
Where does Walter Huston come in? you might be asking. I'm sorry to tell you, you're going to have a very long wait ahead of you until he shows up. Keep in mind the movie is called "Ann Vickers" not "Judge Dolphin". He has such talent, it's too bad he doesn't take up more screen time, but since he is so talented, he adds a lot to the scenes he's in. Among the supporting cast, you'll see Conrad Nagel, Mitchell Lewis, Rafaela Ottiano, and J. Carrol Naish. Check this forgotten drama out if you like Irene Dunne, racy pre-Code movies, or early feminist pioneers. This movie is screaming for a remake, so don't be surprised if one of the top modern actresses takes on his powerful role in the future.
