There’s nothing particularly Pre-Code about this essentially dated “woman’s picture” – apart from the fact that the heroine is a prostitute (ironically, given the narrative’s London setting, it did get censored on its U.K. release!). Unfortunately, the audio on Warners’ DVD (the second title I’ve watched from their FORBIDDEN Hollywood COLLECTION VOL. 1) is rather low – with dialogue that’s even harder to make out through the thick British accents!
Reportedly, Tom Reed’s original draft had rendered Robert E. Sherwood’s play virtually unrecognizable – before trusted Whale scribe Benn W. Levy was roped in for a rewrite and chose to stick close to the source material. His one major addition is the central couple’s visit to the young soldier’s family estate, which provided some of the film’s best moments; however, his original intention of utilizing the poster of the long-running musical “Chu Chin Chow” (eventually filmed in England in 1934 and recently issued in an intriguing “Special Edition” 3-Disc Set through VCI!) to delineate the progress in the heroine’s fall from grace wasn’t followed through. Given the film’s theatrical origins and primitive technical quality (such as the obvious use of back-projection for the London backgrounds), it generally lacks the trademark Whale stylistics – evident only in his inventive manipulation of studio sets and especially the tragic finale (filmed in an inspired overhead shot); actually, he was under pressure to bring in the picture quickly and cheaply, because Universal was virtually broke at the time.
Though it goes without saying that I disagree with Michael Elliott’s **** rating and his assertion that WATERLOO BRIDGE is superior to FRANKENSTEIN (1931), there’s still a lot to admire here – to begin with, a surprisingly excellent performance from leading lady Mae Clarke (a role for which Rose Hobart was originally slated). Clarke would be fairly stilted in Whale’s next film, FRANKENSTEIN – but, that same year, also saw her famously on the receiving end of James Cagney’s grapefruit in THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931)! A very young but believable Douglass Montgomery (billed as Kent Douglass) is effective, both as the love-struck soldier and when he rages in front of Clarke’s tactless landlady for daring to insult her. However, his inexperience put further strain on Whale’s tight shooting schedule and the actor had to be extensively rehearsed.
The supporting cast is equally good: Doris Lloyd as Clarke’s lively companion, Ethel Griffies as the nagging landlady (a role she recreated for the 1940 MGM version!), Enid Bennett as Douglas’ surprisingly understanding mother (the actress had been Maid Marian to Douglas Fairbanks’ ROBIN HOOD [1922] in the Silent spectacular), Frederick Kerr as his endearingly doddering stepfather (he would virtually reprise his role wholesale for FRANKENSTEIN!) – plus a nice early role for Bette Davis as Douglass’ sister, who cheekily dotes on the slightly-deaf Kerr. The crew is practically identical to the one that would soon after work on FRANKENSTEIN – and which seems to me to have been shot on some of the very same sets!
I’ve watched the glossy remake several years back but don’t recall it enough to compare – except that I know it was considerably bowdlerized: if I’m not mistaken, in the later version, the heroine is a ballerina who only turns to prostitution when the soldier goes back to war and his family subsequently shun her! By the way, this is the sixth non-horror Whale film that I’ve watched – which brings me to a total of ten; therefore, I’m still half-way through his filmography...
Reportedly, Tom Reed’s original draft had rendered Robert E. Sherwood’s play virtually unrecognizable – before trusted Whale scribe Benn W. Levy was roped in for a rewrite and chose to stick close to the source material. His one major addition is the central couple’s visit to the young soldier’s family estate, which provided some of the film’s best moments; however, his original intention of utilizing the poster of the long-running musical “Chu Chin Chow” (eventually filmed in England in 1934 and recently issued in an intriguing “Special Edition” 3-Disc Set through VCI!) to delineate the progress in the heroine’s fall from grace wasn’t followed through. Given the film’s theatrical origins and primitive technical quality (such as the obvious use of back-projection for the London backgrounds), it generally lacks the trademark Whale stylistics – evident only in his inventive manipulation of studio sets and especially the tragic finale (filmed in an inspired overhead shot); actually, he was under pressure to bring in the picture quickly and cheaply, because Universal was virtually broke at the time.
Though it goes without saying that I disagree with Michael Elliott’s **** rating and his assertion that WATERLOO BRIDGE is superior to FRANKENSTEIN (1931), there’s still a lot to admire here – to begin with, a surprisingly excellent performance from leading lady Mae Clarke (a role for which Rose Hobart was originally slated). Clarke would be fairly stilted in Whale’s next film, FRANKENSTEIN – but, that same year, also saw her famously on the receiving end of James Cagney’s grapefruit in THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931)! A very young but believable Douglass Montgomery (billed as Kent Douglass) is effective, both as the love-struck soldier and when he rages in front of Clarke’s tactless landlady for daring to insult her. However, his inexperience put further strain on Whale’s tight shooting schedule and the actor had to be extensively rehearsed.
The supporting cast is equally good: Doris Lloyd as Clarke’s lively companion, Ethel Griffies as the nagging landlady (a role she recreated for the 1940 MGM version!), Enid Bennett as Douglas’ surprisingly understanding mother (the actress had been Maid Marian to Douglas Fairbanks’ ROBIN HOOD [1922] in the Silent spectacular), Frederick Kerr as his endearingly doddering stepfather (he would virtually reprise his role wholesale for FRANKENSTEIN!) – plus a nice early role for Bette Davis as Douglass’ sister, who cheekily dotes on the slightly-deaf Kerr. The crew is practically identical to the one that would soon after work on FRANKENSTEIN – and which seems to me to have been shot on some of the very same sets!
I’ve watched the glossy remake several years back but don’t recall it enough to compare – except that I know it was considerably bowdlerized: if I’m not mistaken, in the later version, the heroine is a ballerina who only turns to prostitution when the soldier goes back to war and his family subsequently shun her! By the way, this is the sixth non-horror Whale film that I’ve watched – which brings me to a total of ten; therefore, I’m still half-way through his filmography...