Synopsis
The plane carrying Lt. Charles Mason (Harens), a soldier going to San Francisco for Christmas, is diverted to New Orleans. Lt. Mason meets Simon Fenimore (Whorf), a newspaperman who takes him to a brothel for drinks and entertainment. Simon introduces Mason to singer Jackie Lamont (Durbin). Mason takes her to midnight mass. During the mass, Jackie breaks down into uncontrollable crying. Afterwards in a flashback she explains the reason for her unhappiness to the sympathetic lieutanent.
Her real name is Abigail Manette. Several years previously she meets a charming man, Robert Manette (Kelly), at a concert. They start seeing each other and eventually marry. Abigail moves into the slightly decayed mansion where Robert lives with his mother (Sondergaard). Acknowledging that her son is weak and shiftless, Mrs. Manette hopes that Abigail can help him be more responsible, but she is unable to change him. One night Robert comes home with blood on his clothes. He has murdered a bookmaker. His mother burns his bloody pants and hides the money he stole. Eventually Robert is arrested and convicted of murder. His troubled and unstable mother argues with Abigail who moves away, eventually changing her name and working at a brothel.
The next day, the lieutenant and the reporter visit Jackie at the brothel. Manette has broken out of jail, and police surround the place waiting for him. He sneaks past the police. Abigail runs to him saying that they must leave at once. Robert berates her for working in the brothel and says that she does not care about him. She tells him that she works there as a type of self-punishment because she could not help him. He does not accept her explanation and threatens to shoot her. A policeman approaches, sees Manette, and shoots him through the window. Robert dies in Abigail's arms telling her that she can let go now.
Discussion
This enigmatically titled film is based on the novel of the same name by W.
Somerset Maugham (Of Human Bondage), one of the most popular writers
of the 1930s, with a script by Herman J. Mackiewicz (Citizen Kane),
and is singer and light comedienne Deanna Durbin's only dramatic role. She
convincingly conveys Abigail's unhappiness and sense of guilt. Music is minimized,
and Durbin sings only two songs. The Irving Berlin classic Always
signifies
her unremitting devotion to her husband. Robert Manette, played by Gene Kelly, is
weak, shiftless, deceitful, and murderous. Throughout his career, Kelly mixed
dramatic films among his musical comedies, but he never played a more
unsympathetic or unrepentant character than this one. Mrs. Manette, played by Gale
Sondergaard, has a complex and unhealthy relationship with her son and berates her
daughter-in-law for her inability to cure Robert's problems, a false and sexist
criticism that ruins Abigail's life. Sondergaard, with her sharp features, hard
voice, and piercing look, was easily typecast into this type of role, and portrays
Mrs. Manette with intensity.
Further Reading