Mary Stevens, MD

Movie
Original title	Mary Stevens, MD
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1933
length	72 minutes
Rod
Director	Lloyd Bacon
script	Rian James , Virginia Kellogg
production	Hal B. Wallis for Warner Brothers
music	Bernhard Kaun
camera	Sid Hickox
cut	Ray Curtiss
occupation
Kay Francis : Dr. Mary Stevens Lyle Talbot : Dr. Donald A. 'Don' Andrews Glenda Farrell : Glenda Carroll Thelma Todd : Lois Rising Harold Huber : Tony Una O'Connor : Mrs. Arnell Simmons Hobart Cavanaugh : Alf Simmons Charles C. Wilson : Walter Rising George Cooper : Pete

Mary Stevens, MD is a 1933 American film starring Kay Francis .

action

Mary Stevens and her fellow student Donald 'Don' Andrews open a group practice after completing their medical degree, which soon becomes a success. Although Mary has always loved Don, he is lured into marriage by the blonde socialite Lois Risin, which however becomes unhappy. At some point Don and Mary start an affair, Mary becomes pregnant and some time after the baby is born, the two can finally get married.

background

Kay Francis moved from Paramount to Warner Brothers in 1932 in the course of a talent raid that was highly regarded at the time, together with Ruth Chatterton and William Powell , with the promise of more salary and better roles. While Powell and Chatterton left the studio more or less quickly, Francis stayed with Warners and played whatever role the studio offered her as long as her name was above the title and she got her salary on time. Unlike Chatterton, she had no contractual say in the selection of roles and so she often got projects that were rejected by Chatterton: The House on 56th Street and Mary Stevens, MD Originally, George Brent , with whom Francis had shortly before in The Keyhole had worked together to take on the male part.

In the book Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood , author Mick LaSalle lists Mary Stevens, MD as a good example of the generally positive portrayal of working women in Hollywood films before the Production Code came into effect in mid-1934. Mary Stevens is a professionally successful woman who does her job well and with a lot of empathy. At the same time, the film demonstrates the disregard of the censorship regulations that were based on voluntary self-regulation until then. Actually, it was both forbidden to explicitly bring extramarital relationships to the screen and to present illegitimate children. Both regulations have hardly been observed at all over the years. Mary and Don never show a guilty conscience and Don's wife is presented so unappealingly that no pity arises for her. When Mary learns she is pregnant, she enthusiastically tells her best friend Glenda about it:

“Hold on to the table, stand straight up and get ready for the shock of your life. I will have this child. What's so funny about it? I didn't have that idea. Women have had babies for a long time. And I feel like I'm walking on clouds. "

criticism

The reviews were good, praising Francis' intense portrayal. In Variety warm words of praise were to read:

“[The movie] is excellent entertainment for adults. Kay Francis is always dignified and yet very personable. "

Theatrical release

The production costs were only 150,000 US dollars, which, however, corresponded to the usual editing for a Kay Francis film of the time. In the US, Mary Stevens, MD grossed $ 360,000, with an additional $ 139,000 from abroad. Total revenues were $ 499,000.

Web links

• Mary Stevens, MD in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Mary Stevens, MD at Turner Classic Movies (English)
• Mary Stevens, MD (1933). In: Kay Francis Films. Archived from the original on April 5, 2014 . 
• Mary Stevens, MD (1933). In: Zimbio. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013 (English, detailed essay). 
• short synopsis - English

Literature on the subject of pre-code films

• Mark A. Viera: Sin in Soft Focus: Pre-Code Hollywood, ISBN 978-0-8109-4475-6
• Mick LaSalle: Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood - ISBN 978-0-312-28431-2
• Thomas Doherty: Pre-Code Hollywood. ISBN 978-0-231-11095-2
• Lea Jacobs: The Wages of Sin: Censorship and the Fallen Woman Film, 1928–1942 - ISBN 978-0-520-20790-5

Footnotes

1. ↑ Take a good grip on that desk, plant your feet firmly and prepare for the shock of your life. I'm going to have a baby… What's so funny about it? I didn't invent the idea. Women have been having babies for a long while! And I feel like walking on air about it!
2. ↑ [The film] is exceptionally good adult entertainment. Kay Francis is always dignified, yet very personable.