Storyline

French country girl Madelon falls for artist Larry, who leaves her after she becomes pregnant. She finds help from jewel thief Carlo, but he commits suicide when the police try to arrest him. Madelon is arrested and receives a ten year term in prison for assisting him in his profession. To support her son, who does not know that she's been in prison, she becomes a street walker, allowing him to attend medical school.—Stephan Eichenberg

Plot Keywords

doctor, single mother, artist, jewel thief, prostitute, farmer, melodramatic, bleak, profound, paris, france, farm, prison, apartment, city, abandonment, betrayal, motherhood, wrongful conviction, patriarchy, gambling, sacrifice, fall, love, underdog, 1930s

Short Review

Helen Hayes won her first Oscar for playing a self-sacrificing mother in this MGM soap opera, scripted by husband Charles MacArthur, which was part of femme-driven film cycle that included the Oscar-nominated Madame X and Sarah and Son.

Trailer

Streaming Service

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