Of Human Bondage / Millie / Kept Husbands [DVD Triple Feature]

Description

In April of 1934, the Catholic Legion of Decency was formed, to pressure Hollywood into enforcing the Production Code. Within two months, the Production Code Administration (PCA) was in place under Will Hayes and Joseph Breen. The Hays Office controlled what America in at the movies will into the 1960s.

The three films of this set were released before the formation of the PCA. Each deals with the then-taboo topic of adultery, which was verbotten under the Code’s Sex heading. Watching these movies today, it’s very easy to see what the fuss was all about.

Of Human Bondage: Stars Leslie Howard as sensitive, clubfooted artist-cum-med student Philip Carey. Despite his yearnings for the finer things in life, Carey cannot extricate himself from a mutually destructive relationship with sluttish waitress Mildred Rogers (Bette Davis).

1935 Academy Award nominee for Best Actress (Bette Davis)
1934 – USA – 84 min.

Millie: In this melodrama, a divorcee flirts from man-to-man. It seems she will love everyone but the wealthy town broker, who, to ease his breaking heart takes up with her 16-year-old daughter. The ruffled mother warns him repeatedly to stop, but he does not and she ends up killing him. Featuring Joan Blondell
1931 – USA – 85 min B&W

Kept Husbands: In this drama, a blue collar steelworker marries a wealthy socialite. It all begins after he saves two workers during a factory accident. To thank him, the boss invites him to dinner where he meets the boss’s lovely daughter, and they eventualy marry. Unfortunately, he finds that her appetite for extravagances is insatiable. This begins to wear him down, financially and emotionally, until he becomes a kept husband. Joel McCrea stars.
1931 – USA – 76 min – B&W

DVD Features:

• Dolby Digital Sound