This takes a while to get going, indeed the first half hour is pretty dull. It is worth sticking with it though as eventuality it evolves into a mature little drama about small town prejudice and petty small mindedness.
Nancy Caroll gives a give an outstanding performance as Ruth, a pretty but very normal, and ordinary girl who lives in a town called Marysville where the national sport seems to be gossip and pernicious tittle-tattle. Unlike many female lead roles in the 30s, Ruth is her own person, she's not someone who's prepared to just be someone's possession. Through no fault of her own, she acquires the wrath of the town gossips and is soon treated like a pariah by the whole nasty little town.
The two men in her life who might be able to help are her sweet childhood sweetheart and the local millionaire playboy. In a twist from the usual 1930s plot-line, the sweet childhood sweetheart turns out to be the bad 'un whereas the millionaire playboy (Cary Grant) is the knight in shining armour.
The natural and modern style of acting along the oppressiveness of the insular and mundane life of the town gives this picture a real sense of authenticity. Director William Seiter as usual delivers a believable story which you can empathise with. Nobody is particularly memorable, nobody stands out from the crowd. This makes it all very true to life but not especially exciting. Everything however happens so fast that it never has time to get boring although a bit of humour might have given it some extra sparkle.
Overall, it's a very well acted and well directed drama about that judgmental and snobbish attitude which although still pervades society today was endemic during this more pseudo moralistic time. It's not particularly shocking or revelatory and not really that memorable but it's an interesting glimpse into a former time.
Nancy Caroll gives a give an outstanding performance as Ruth, a pretty but very normal, and ordinary girl who lives in a town called Marysville where the national sport seems to be gossip and pernicious tittle-tattle. Unlike many female lead roles in the 30s, Ruth is her own person, she's not someone who's prepared to just be someone's possession. Through no fault of her own, she acquires the wrath of the town gossips and is soon treated like a pariah by the whole nasty little town.
The two men in her life who might be able to help are her sweet childhood sweetheart and the local millionaire playboy. In a twist from the usual 1930s plot-line, the sweet childhood sweetheart turns out to be the bad 'un whereas the millionaire playboy (Cary Grant) is the knight in shining armour.
The natural and modern style of acting along the oppressiveness of the insular and mundane life of the town gives this picture a real sense of authenticity. Director William Seiter as usual delivers a believable story which you can empathise with. Nobody is particularly memorable, nobody stands out from the crowd. This makes it all very true to life but not especially exciting. Everything however happens so fast that it never has time to get boring although a bit of humour might have given it some extra sparkle.
Overall, it's a very well acted and well directed drama about that judgmental and snobbish attitude which although still pervades society today was endemic during this more pseudo moralistic time. It's not particularly shocking or revelatory and not really that memorable but it's an interesting glimpse into a former time.