By Violet LeVoit
My Past
Brief Synopsis
A stage star finds herself torn between a wealthy older man and a handsome younger one.
Cast & Crew
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Roy Del Ruth
Director
Bebe Daniels
Doree Macy
Lewis Stone
John Thornley
Ben Lyon
Robert Byrne
Joan Blondell
Marian Moore
Natalie Moorhead
Consuelo Byrne
Film Details
Also Known As
Ex-Mistress
Genre
Romance
Drama
Release Date
May
14,
1931
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
The Vitaphone Corp.; Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Ex-Mistress by Dora Macy (New York, 1930).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 23m
Sound
Brunswick
Color
Black and White
Film Length
8 reels
Synopsis
Steel magnate John Thornley has been in love with showgirl Doree Macy for years. When he learns she is in New York with a play, he invites her to a party on his yacht. He also brings along his partner, Robert Byrne, who agrees to come on the condition that he can bring his work with him. John sends Doree in to tempt Bob away from his work. He refuses, but the next morning, joins her for a swim. By the end of the weekend, Doree has fallen in love with Bob, who is married, but explains that he and his wife have an "understanding." Although she is afraid that he is only playing around while his wife is gone, Doree begins an affair with him. Then, one day, she finds a telegram from Bob's wife Consuelo announcing her return. He admits that although he will always love Doree, he is still committed to his marriage. Bob tries to renew his relationship with Consuelo, but she tells him that she doesn't love him in a physical way and wants a divorce. Bob immediately cables the yacht where John has taken Doree to get over the affair but Doree turns him away. In response, John offers to help her get over Bob, even though he knows she doesn't love him. Back in the city, John learns that Bob is getting divorced and sends him off to tell Doree. Bob steps aside, however, when he discovers John's love for her. To save Doree from a nervous breakdown, John takes her to Europe on his yacht. Unknown to Doree, Bob is in France, trying to forget her. John arranges for the two to meet and then sails away leaving the two of them together.
Director
Roy Del Ruth
Director
Cast
Bebe Daniels
Doree Macy
Lewis Stone
John Thornley
Ben Lyon
Robert Byrne
Joan Blondell
Marian Moore
Natalie Moorhead
Consuelo Byrne
Albert Gran
Lionel Reisch
Virginia Sale
Miss Taft
Daisy Belmore
Mrs. Bennett
Crew
Film Details
Also Known As
Ex-Mistress
Genre
Romance
Drama
Release Date
May
14,
1931
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
The Vitaphone Corp.; Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel Ex-Mistress by Dora Macy (New York, 1930).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 23m
Sound
Brunswick
Color
Black and White
Film Length
8 reels
Articles
My Past (1931) -
Should the vague title confound any pre-Code audiences, the trailer makes this movie's salacious intent clear: "As modern as next week's news -- as intimate as milady's boudoir"! There's a lot of bed-hopping on the yacht belonging to moneyed bigwig John Thornley (Lewis Stone): he's got his eye on seducing show girl Doree Macy (Bebe Daniels), but pretty soon his younger business partner Robert (Ben Lyon) is joining Doree for au naturel swims. Add to the confusion when Robert's wife Consuelo (Natalie Moorhead) shows up -- do they really have "an understanding", as Robert swore to Doree that they did? Made the same year as The Public Enemy and Harlow vehicle Platinum Blonde, 1931 was a banner year for shamelessly carnal pre-Code. Blondell would benefit from the career boost of My Past, appearing in Night Nurse (1931) with Clark Gable and enjoying a salary jump to four hundred dollars a week. Keep an eye out for a cameo from a bound copy of the book "The Maltese Falcon", a sly plug for the film (also starring Bebe Daniels) that Warner Brothers was readying for theaters.
By Violet LeVoit
By Violet LeVoit
My Past (1931) -
Should the vague title confound any pre-Code audiences, the trailer makes this movie's salacious intent clear: "As modern as next week's news -- as intimate as milady's boudoir"! There's a lot of bed-hopping on the yacht belonging to moneyed bigwig John Thornley (Lewis Stone): he's got his eye on seducing show girl Doree Macy (Bebe Daniels), but pretty soon his younger business partner Robert (Ben Lyon) is joining Doree for au naturel swims. Add to the confusion when Robert's wife Consuelo (Natalie Moorhead) shows up -- do they really have "an understanding", as Robert swore to Doree that they did? Made the same year as The Public Enemy and Harlow vehicle Platinum Blonde, 1931 was a banner year for shamelessly carnal pre-Code. Blondell would benefit from the career boost of My Past, appearing in Night Nurse (1931) with Clark Gable and enjoying a salary jump to four hundred dollars a week. Keep an eye out for a cameo from a bound copy of the book "The Maltese Falcon", a sly plug for the film (also starring Bebe Daniels) that Warner Brothers was readying for theaters.
By Violet LeVoit
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Motion Picture Herald indicates that the novel was published anonymously. The working title of the film was Ex-Mistress. Variety notes that Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels were married at the time of filming and that this was their first film together.
