Old Maid The (1939)

Certainly worthy of some tear-jerking. Miriam Hopkins’s character spurns a soldier (George Brent) who her cousin (Bette Davis) has always liked. While comforting him before he goes off to fight in the Civil War Davis’s character becomes pregnant. When Brent is then killed Davis starts an orphanage to prevent scandal. Later out of financial need Davis seeks Hopkins now a rich widow who helps by adopting her child and pretending to be its mother. Of course the women fight over what’s best for the grown daughter played by Jane Bryan who doesn’t know the secret. The always excellent Donald Crisp plays a doctor who becomes a “go between” that helps smooth things over between the two ladies. Jerome Cowan also appears. Directed by Edmund Goulding based on the Edith Wharton novel and Zoe Akins play it was scripted for the screen by Casey Robinson (Captain Blood (1935)).

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