Marked Woman (1937)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Abem Finkel (writer)
Robert Rossen (writer)

Release Date:

10 April 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A crusading DA persuades a clip joint "party girl" to testify against her mobster boss after her innocent sister is accidentally murdered during one of his unsavory "parties."

Plot Keywords:

Party | Gangster | Boss | Roommate | Clip Joint

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Mary Dwight Strauber
Humphrey Bogart	...	David Graham
Lola Lane	...	Dorothy 'Gabby' Marvin
Isabel Jewell	...	Emmy Lou Eagan
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Johnny Vanning
Rosalind Marquis	...	Florrie Liggett
Mayo Methot	...	Estelle Porter
Jane Bryan	...	Betty Strauber
Allen Jenkins	...	Louie
John Litel	...	Gordon
Ben Welden	...	Charlie Delaney
Damian O'Flynn	...	Ralph Krawford
Henry O'Neill	...	District Attorney Arthur Sheldon
Raymond Hatton	...	Vanning's Lawyer
Carlos San Martín	...	Head Waiter

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1937-1950) | Finland:K-16 (1950) | USA:Approved (PCA #2936)

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Humphrey Bogart and Mayo Methot fell in love during production. They were married as soon as he had divorced his second wife, Mary Philips.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Emmy Lou gets out of the elevator at the thirty-fifth floor, she leaves the threatening gangsters behind, but they are there waiting for her when the elevator opens on the ground floor.

Quotes:

Mary Dwight Strauber: I'll get you, even if I have to crawl back from the grave to do it!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Mister and Missus Doakes

Bette and Bogart

Marked Woman (1937)

*** (out of 4)

A prosecutor (Humphrey Bogart) tries to get a key witness (Bette Davis) to testify against her gangster boss. The first hour of this film was only so-so but it certainly picked up in the final half hour when the gangsters start going after Davis and her younger sister. I think the story is just standard Warner stuff but the performances by Davis and Bogart makes this a small classic that makes for a good time. Davis is very good in her role, although I felt she came off a tad bit campy whenever she was playing anger. A few of her anger scenes made me smile but for the rest of the time she's on fire. Bogart is also very good in his role and it's always fun seeing him play a clean good guy without any baggage. The supporting cast is also in good form and features nice performances from Lola Lane, Isabel Jewell, Eduardo Ciannelli and Mayo Methot (future Mrs. Bogart). Cagney's buddy Allen Jenkins has a fun cameo. The final courtroom scenes are very well handled with some nice cinematography including a great shot during Bogart's closing statement where the camera swoops down on him.