A Woman Rebels (1936)

A Victorian feminist (Katharine Hepburn) finds herself pregnant by a married man (Van Heflin). She passes off her daughter (Doris Dudley) as her niece and continues to work for women's rights until 20 years later when her past threatens to destroy everything she has ever worked for. Based on the novel PORTRAIT OF A REBEL by Netta Syrett and directed by Mark Sandrich (TOP HAT). Often considered one of Hepburn's worst films (by those who obviously haven't seen SPITFIRE or MARY OF SCOTLAND), it starts off okay if somewhat clumsy before it ventures into a trite soap opera. Hepburn is rather wonderful which compensates for the rather creaky execution. Alas, it was a flop at the box office and contributed to Hepburn's place on the exhibitor's box office poison list. With Herbert Marshall as the suitor who hangs around waiting for Hepburn, Donald Crisp as her cold and unloving father, Elizabeth Allan and David Manners.