IMDb > Of Human Bondage (1934)
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Of Human Bondage (1934) More at IMDbPro »

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Of Human Bondage (1934) -- Abandoning artistic ambitions, sensitive and club-footed Philip Carey enrolls in medical school and falls in love with illiterate waitress Mildred Rogers...

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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   1,849 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 45% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
W. Somerset Maugham (novel)
Lester Cohen (screenplay)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Of Human Bondage on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 July 1934 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The Love That Lifted a Man to Paradise......and Hurled Him Back to Earth Again
Plot:
Abandoning artistic ambitions, sensitive and club-footed Philip Carey enrolls in medical school and... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. more
User Comments:
You Dirty Swine!.. I Never Cared For You Not Once! more (61 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Leslie Howard ... Philip Carey

Bette Davis ... Mildred Rogers
Frances Dee ... Sally Athelny
Kay Johnson ... Norah
Reginald Denny ... Harry Griffiths
Alan Hale ... Emil Miller
Reginald Sheffield ... Cyril Dunsford
Reginald Owen ... Thorpe Athelny
Desmond Roberts ... Dr. Jacobs
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Coleman ... (scenes deleted)
Frank Mills ... Chimneysweep (scenes deleted)
Pat Somerset ... (scenes deleted)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
83 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Victor System)
Certification:
Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #53)
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Bette Davis fully expected to be nominated for an Oscar for this, her breakthrough performance in films. When she was denied an official nomination, there was an attempt to make her a "write-in" candidate, a practice now barred by the Academy. more
Quotes:
Mildred Rogers: Anything you want?
Philip Carey: Yes, if you don't mind I'd like to talk to you. Um... filthy weather, isn't it?
Mildred Rogers: Makes no difference to me. I have to be here all day.
Philip Carey: Don't talk like that. I only wanted to say something pleasant.
Mildred Rogers: Well, say it.
Philip Carey: You know you have a lovely smile. You should try using it more often.
Mildred Rogers: Oh, don't go spoofing me. A girl who works hard all day like I do. I don't have much reason to smile.
Philip Carey: Perhaps I could find a reason. Would you let me try?
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Movie Connections:
Featured in Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (2006) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Hesitation Blues more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
12 out of 16 people found the following comment useful.
You Dirty Swine!.. I Never Cared For You Not Once!, 5 February 2005
8/10
Author: sol from Brooklyn NY USA

**SPOILER ALERT** W. Somerset Maugham classic on film about a love obsessed young man who's abused hurt and humiliated by the object of his obsession to the point of losing everything he has only to find true love in the end under the most unusual circumstances.

Leslie Howard plays the role of Philip Carey a sensitive young artiest in Paris trying to make a living by selling his paintings. Told by a local art expert that his work is not at all good enough to be sold to the art going public Philip decides to go back to his native England and study medicine and become a physician in order to help others.

Philip being born with a club foot is very hypersensitive about his awkward condition and makes up for that by being a very pleasant and friendly person. One afternoon Philip is at a local café with a fellow medical student and spots pretty waitress Mildred Rogers, Bette Davis, and immediately falls in love with her. Mildred at first rebuffs the love-sick Philip but later realizing just what a sap he is takes advantage of his feelings for her. Mildred has him spend himself into poverty buying her gifts and taking her out to the theater every time she off from work. Phlip also falls behind on his studies, by paying so much attention towards Mildred, at the medical university and fails his final exams.

Going into hock buying an engagement ring for Mildred in an attempt to ask for her hand in marriage the cold hearted Mildred tells the startled Philip that she's already engaged to be married to Emil Miller, Alan Hale. It turns out that he's one of the customers at the café that she's always flirting with.

Philip broke and heart-sick slowly get his life back together and later retakes his medical exam and passes it and at the same time finds a new love in Nora, Fay Johnson, a writer for a local love magazine. Later to Philip's shock and surprise Mildred walks back into his life.

Mildred telling Philip that her husband Emil, who's child she's carrying, threw her out of the house has the kind and understanding Philip take her back at the expense of Nora who was very much in love with him. It later turns out that Mildred wasn't married to Emil but had a child out of wedlock by having an illicit affair with him! Emil it turns out was already married.

As before Mildred takes advantage of Philip's kind heart for her and her baby daughter, where he supports them with food medical attention and shelter, to the point where he again goes broke and can't continue his studies ending with her leaving Philip; after having a very heated and emotional encounter with him. Out on the streets with nowhere to go Philip is taken in by Mr. Athanly, Reginald Owens, who he once treated at the hospital and falls in love with his daughter Sally, Frances Dee.

Later Philip has his club foot corrected at the medical center and with the help of Mr. Athenly gets back to being a doctor. It's then when he encounters Mildred again who's really at the end of her rope. Dying of tuberculosis and having lost her daughter she's all alone with no one to look after her. Philip now well to do and respected in medical circles does all he can to help the sick and poor Mildred but in the end she succumbed to her illness and passes away.

Mildred had the love and devotion in Philip all those years that he was in love with her but choose to abuse him and have affairs with man who were just like her, cold unfeeling and selfish. In the end Mildred got back just what she gave to the kind and sensitive Philip: She became both unloved and alone. Philip found in the sweet and caring Sally everything that Mildred wasn't and in the end also found the true love that he was looking for all of his life.

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The Money thats_tacky
Confused about time line kerrytrout
Mildred was based on a man GCJake
Just opinion, but: I don't think Davis was that fantastic. cakeandtea
Where's the baby? sharedg
1935 best actress oscar race: opinions please wobber1012
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