Directed: Frank Borzage

Year: 1931

Nominated: Best Film, Best Director – Frank Borzage

Won: Best Director – Frank Borzage

Plot in 25 Words: A very ordinary film about the very ordinary lives of very ordinary people. Lots of casual sexism and a terrifying insight into a 1930’s childbirth.

In My Opinion: This was a very strange film. There was nothing spectacular. Nothing too dramatic. No great Hollywood plot. It just simply was. With a very misleading title.

Two very sarcastic and bitter people who are very opposed to marriage, fall in love and…of course they get married.

The most fascinating part of the film for me was the shots of the labour wards. It seemed to be a very depressing place designed to keep parents from ever actually meeting their newborn.

Of course the fascination at that barely clawed back some of my disgust at the terrible attitudes to women. The gist was ‘dressing like that, you’re asking for it’. I know it was a different time, and women were treated differently but wow it still makes me mad!

Star Performer: James Dunn as Eddie Collins. A bit of a chauvinistic twat but his boxing acting was great.

Overall: Not a bad film. Not a great film. Just a film.