Back Street (1941)

Pretty Rae Smith and handsome Walter Saxel meet, fall in love and make plans to marry. Unfortunately, their marriage plans get sabotaged when a jealous beau makes Rae miss the ceremony. The... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Fannie Hurst (novel), Bruce Manning (screenplay),

Stars:

Charles Boyer, Margaret Sullavan, Richard Carlson

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charles Boyer	...	Walter Louis Saxel
Margaret Sullavan	...	Ray Smith
Richard Carlson	...	Curt Stanton
Frank McHugh	...	Ed Porter
Tim Holt	...	Richard Saxel
Frank Jenks	...	Harry Niles
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Smith
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Felix Darren
Peggy Stewart	...	Freda Smith
Nell O'Day	...	Elizabeth Saxel
Kitty O'Neil	...	Mrs. Dilling
Nella Walker	...	Corinne Saxel
Cecil Cunningham	...	Mrs. Miller
Marjorie Gateson	...	Mrs. Adams
Dale Winter	...	Miss Evans

Storyline

Pretty Rae Smith and handsome Walter Saxel meet, fall in love and make plans to marry. Unfortunately, their marriage plans get sabotaged when a jealous beau makes Rae miss the ceremony. The two meet many years later in New York, only now Walter is married. Refusing to be shut out of his life, Rae agrees to be Walter's mistress.

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | mistress | clothing industry | ostracism | traveling salesman | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 February 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Esquina do Pecado

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Screen Director's Playhouse" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on May 24, 1951 with Charles Boyer reprising his film role.

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Connections

Version of Back Street (1932)

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Soundtracks

"Auld Lang Syne"
(uncredited)
Traditional Scottish music
Lyrics by Robert Burns
Sung by New Year's Eve party revellers

User Reviews

I guess my mistake was seeing the Susan Hayward version first.

I'm the rotten apple in the bunch. Everyone loved this version and blasted the 1961 super sudser. My comments will be brief. I just detested both of the main characters. Boyer's Saxel was a pompous boor at best and a downright t**d at worst. "Well, it's not as if I had a choice about taking this job!" paraphrase he exclaims haughtily when poor, poor Rae complains about his trip abroad. (Guess not...his father-in-law might have cut off his other... well, you know...and put it in his *other* jacket pocket) It was at about this point in the movie that someone needed to start slapping Rae about every 30 seconds or so. Someone called the Hayward version "unbelievable". That 1941-Rae would dump the oh so cute and sweet Curt in favor of that French aristocratic ass is the *height* of disbelief in my opinion. I mean, for crying out loud, Saxel not only left her for an indeterminate period of time but also took his wife with him, didn't tell Rae he was back for a week when he finally did come home and managed to pop off a baby girl Saxel with the little woman while on the boat. "You know how crazy everything gets when a new Saxel is born," <paraphrase> he tells her to excuse his tardiness (with an grudging "a"). Frankly, given his degree of romantic appeal, I'd have questioned paternity. Plot-wise, nobody is that stupid. But, Crazy Rae *still* leaves poor old Curt in the lurch to stand by her t**d. Now *that's* unbelievable. At least the Hayward character had the sense to get a job. In the 1961 version events were related pretty much as they happened...in this version, we are *finally* given an explanation of Rae's foolish devotion to Saxel (ah! now it all makes sense...well, no it doesn't) in so short a time that had I gotten up to yawn I'd have missed it. Saxel's lack of personality and superior attitude never was explained...chalk it up to a bad childhood in France. When the inevitable happened, I could only hope for lightning to hit the other end of the line. Well, I could go on but I won't. If ever a movie needed soaping, sudsing and completely dry cleaned it was this one and the 1961 Hayward/Gavin versions contained just the right brand of detergent. Put it on a hanger, slap it on the rack and tag it with a "00". I confess, in retaliation and outrage I voted the 1961 version a 10.