Bad Girl

Starring: James Dunn, Sally Eilers, Minna Gombell
Directed by: Frank Borzage
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Drama, Romance
1931

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two people fall in love and experience the ups and downs of romance.

Review:

Tim: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Frank Borzage's sweet little romance. It's a straightforward story about two people who fall in love and how their relationship changes over time. It's a realistic, unflinching look at relationships, especially the confusion and miscommunication that can arise. I wouldn't quite call this a great movie, but it's a really, really good one, and it doesn't surprise me that it won two Academy Awards. Borzage won for Best Director, which is deserved. He crafts a delightful film. It also won for Best Adapted Screenplay, which again makes sense. The writing and direction both elevated this movie.

I really liked how the film looked at the relationship between the two main characters. It starts off a little rocky, but soon blossoms into romance. It's funny how that happens sometimes- that something emerges where you least expect it. That felt authentic to me. It was simultaneously joyful and sorrowful to watch these two regular people try to navigate the building of their relationship while discussing their hopes and dreams. I loved that this story was about everyday people- these characters could be anyone you pass on the street on any given day. While they might not be rich or famous, they have their own dreams. It was fascinating to watch how those dreams changed and evolved over time. I loved watching these characters consider the sacrifices they would have to make once they entered a relationship. While so much of this is still applicable to day, I loved seeing romance examined as it would be in the early 1930s. While there's still so much that is true to human love (which will always be present), it was thought-provoking to see how the context of the early 1930s created different dilemmas and considerations than couples today would have. I found that aspect of the movie to be one of my favorites.

The cast was fine, although they didn't quite reach the heights of the more technical aspects of the film. James Dunn is a highlight, but Sally Eilers worked well also. I enjoyed both their performances, although neither really blew me away.

Borzage directs a film that never feels overly long at 90 minutes. It moves nicely, never really dragging. There's some really good sequences in the film. I loved the memorable moments- like the meet cute on the ship, Eddie secretly enlisting the best doctor in the city (which was one of my favorite moments), the miscommunications, the mistaken beliefs, the love that held these characters together. The whole thing just felt very authentic.

I know people don't really watch very old movies anymore, and if they do, they typically go for the big, landmark films (and they probably should). But, there's still real value in searching out films like this- a movie that won two Academy Awards, but most people have never heard about. I enjoyed Bad Girl very much and I'm so thankful I was finally able to track it down.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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