From the cook's daughter to employer of a cook, Sadie McKee (Joan Crawford) has a lot on her plate. Engaged to Tommy (Gene Raymond), she moves with him to New York but he leaves her for a chorus girl. Working in a nightclub chorus line herself thanks to neighbor pal Esther Ralston, Crawford marries drunken millionaire Edward Arnold on the rebound making her the scourge of New York society as well as her own kitchen. But Crawford only has noble motives and vows to make Arnold sober when his doctor tells her that his continued drinking will surely kill him! Not wanting him to suffer another "Lost Weekend", Crawford has an intense scene where she threatens to fire the staff who refuse to acknowledge her marriage to Arnold.
Music plays an important part in this well-acted soap opera with Raymond's recurring singing of "All I Do Is Dream of You" and a nightclub scene where the chorus comes out of what looks like a dresser drawer underneath the orchestra. 1934 was a busy year for Crawford, and she was outstanding in all three films she made that year. I used to confuse Gene Raymond and Franchot Tone (here cast as Arnolds' attorney, ironically an old pal of Crawford's), but after seeing them here together, I never will again, even though the roles they played were basically interchangeable. Arnold gives one of his best performances as the lovable drunk who gets violently furious when anybody tries to take away his liquor. Here, he is one of those actors worthy of Supporting Acting Oscar consideration several years before that prize was given. Esther Ralston is worthy of praise as well. Brilliant art decco set design and some great photography, particularly the hospital scene where snow falls outside the enormously large windows.
Music plays an important part in this well-acted soap opera with Raymond's recurring singing of "All I Do Is Dream of You" and a nightclub scene where the chorus comes out of what looks like a dresser drawer underneath the orchestra. 1934 was a busy year for Crawford, and she was outstanding in all three films she made that year. I used to confuse Gene Raymond and Franchot Tone (here cast as Arnolds' attorney, ironically an old pal of Crawford's), but after seeing them here together, I never will again, even though the roles they played were basically interchangeable. Arnold gives one of his best performances as the lovable drunk who gets violently furious when anybody tries to take away his liquor. Here, he is one of those actors worthy of Supporting Acting Oscar consideration several years before that prize was given. Esther Ralston is worthy of praise as well. Brilliant art decco set design and some great photography, particularly the hospital scene where snow falls outside the enormously large windows.