Mandalay (1934)

A Russian refugee (Kay Francis) is abandoned by her no good gunrunner lover (Ricardo Cortez) in Rangoon (now Yangon in Myanmar). Circumstances force her to work as a "hostess" in a brothel. When she saves up enough money, she leaves for the city of Mandalay where she hopes to start a new life under an assumed name. While on a ship headed to her destination, she falls in love with an alcoholic doctor (Lyle Talbot) but then her ex-lover enters the picture. Directed by Michael Curtiz (WHITE CHRISTMAS). I very much enjoyed this sordid pre code melodrama. The movie takes advantage of the freedom of the pre code era of Hollywood film. A major character even gets away with murder scot free! Kay Francis is very affecting as the promiscuous tramp attempting to turn her life around and Ricardo Cortez just drips with slime as her manipulative lover. The film was a modest hit. Certainly not a major or important film but a good example of pre code cinema. With Warner Oland, Ruth Donnelly, Etienne Girardot, Rafaela Ottiano and Reginald Owen.