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Virtue

  • 1932
  • Passed
  • 1h 8m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
858
YOUR RATING
Carole Lombard and Pat O'Brien in Virtue (1932)
CrimeDramaRomance

A relationship gradually develops between a savvy New York street girl and a good-hearted cab driver, but other matters keep getting in their way, including financial problems and a murder.A relationship gradually develops between a savvy New York street girl and a good-hearted cab driver, but other matters keep getting in their way, including financial problems and a murder.A relationship gradually develops between a savvy New York street girl and a good-hearted cab driver, but other matters keep getting in their way, including financial problems and a murder.

  • Director
    • Edward Buzzell
  • Writers
    • Robert Riskin
    • Ethel Hill
  • Stars
    • Carole Lombard
    • Pat O'Brien
    • Mayo Methot
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    858
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Edward Buzzell
    • Writers
      • Robert Riskin
      • Ethel Hill
    • Stars
      • Carole Lombard
      • Pat O'Brien
      • Mayo Methot
    • 25User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos10

    Carole Lombard and Pat O'Brien in Virtue (1932)
    Carole Lombard in Virtue (1932)
    Carole Lombard and Shirley Grey in Virtue (1932)
    Ward Bond, Carole Lombard, Pat O'Brien, Charles McMurphy, Buddy Roosevelt, Fred Santley, Harry Semels, and Arthur Wanzer in Virtue (1932)
    Carole Lombard, Pat O'Brien, Vance Carroll, Jack Cheatham, Shirley Grey, Lew Kelly, and Mayo Methot in Virtue (1932)
    Carole Lombard and Mayo Methot in Virtue (1932)
    Carole Lombard and Pat O'Brien in Virtue (1932)
    Carole Lombard and Mayo Methot in Virtue (1932)
    Carole Lombard, Pat O'Brien, Jack La Rue, Fred Santley, Harry Semels, and Arthur Wanzer in Virtue (1932)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Carole Lombard
    Carole Lombard
    • Mae
    Pat O'Brien
    Pat O'Brien
    • Jimmy Doyle
    Mayo Methot
    Mayo Methot
    • Lil Blaine
    Jack La Rue
    Jack La Rue
    • Toots
    Shirley Grey
    Shirley Grey
    • Gert
    Ward Bond
    Ward Bond
    • Frank
    Willard Robertson
    Willard Robertson
    • MacKenzie
    Lew Kelly
    • Magistrate
    Fred Santley
    Fred Santley
    • Hank
    Arthur Wanzer
    • Flanagan
    Jessie Arnold
    Jessie Arnold
    • Landlady
    Edwin Stanley
    Edwin Stanley
    • District Attorney
    Vance Carroll
    • Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Cheatham
    Jack Cheatham
    • Police Desk Sergeant
    • (uncredited)
    Sherry Hall
    • Charlie
    • (uncredited)
    Edward LeSaint
    Edward LeSaint
    • Judge
    • (uncredited)
    Charles McMurphy
    Charles McMurphy
    • Ryan
    • (uncredited)
    Lew Meehan
    Lew Meehan
    • 2nd Detective
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Edward Buzzell
    • Writers
      • Robert Riskin(screen play)
      • Ethel Hill(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Carole Lombard and the president of Columbia Pictures, Harry Cohn, met for the first time right before production on this film began. Cohn, famous for his opinionated and profanity-laced comments, told Lombard that her hair was too white and made her look like a whore. Not missing a beat, Lombard responded, "if anyone would know a whore it would be you." After this rocky start, the two developed a mutual respect that lasted the rest of their careers.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Flanagan: [at the ticket window at a train station] Pretty soft for you, sister, getting the city to pay your fare to Danbury.

      Mae: Pretty soft for the city I don't live in Australia. C'mon, grandpa.

      Flanagan: [on the train, placing Mae's luggage on the rack] There y'are.

      [to the conductor]

      Flanagan: The lady goes to Danbury, chief.

      [to Mae]

      Flanagan: Now take my advice, sister, and keep out of New York.

      Mae: [snidely] OK, grandpa. I'll remember all your advice: I'll watch my diet, go to the dentist twice a year, keep my nose clean, and pray for you every night - to break a couple of legs.

      [closeup on Mae's gams as she crosses them; fadeout]

    • Alternate versions
      Years later, Columbia reissued the film to capitalize on the subsequent stardom of Lombard and O'Brien. The Breen Office demanded the removal of the opening courtroom scene (which clearly establishes Lombard as a prostitute) to conform to the Production Code. In restoring the film, the original soundtrack was located, but the image is still missing, thus current prints have a slug (blank footage) for the opening scene, leading some viewers to believe the black image was intentional.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: Carole Lombard (1961)
    • Soundtracks
      My Gal Sal
      (1905) (uncredited)

      Written by Paul Dresser

      Played on a phonograph in Lil's room, twice

    User reviews25

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    First Part Shines
    No need to recap the plot. Pre-code movies are almost all interesting, but this one doesn't reach the level of hidden gem. (Check out Night Nurse {1931} or Employees Entrance {1933} for examples of pre-Code sleepers.) Virtue is a well-acted, involving feature with some clever innuendo. However, developments get pretty contrived toward the end with an outcome that's all too predictable. In short, despite some adult-level boldness, the final result is too similar to movies made after the Code to really distinguish itself from the pack.

    Lombard is winning as the reformed hooker; however, she plays it straight, so this is not one of her signature madcap roles, to say the least. I agree with the reviewer who singles out Methot's performance as especially good. Her role here is the first time I've seen her and I'm impressed. She manages to make the betrayal of the gigolo Toots O'Neill deliciously believable in the midst of a pretty contrived murder sequence.

    Be sure to cock an ear to the first 15 minutes. That's where Rifkin's dialogue really shines with a number of fast-moving innuendoes. Once the two lovebirds get hitched, the patter settles into a more conventional mode. Good thing O'Brien's not supposed to be rich because this is a pretty cheap production. The newly-wed's cold water flat is fine, but check out the "casino"—a heavy curtain, a bare table, and a chuck-a-luck. So I guess we're supposed to use our imagination. However, despite the flaws, the movie remains an entertaining 70 minutes.
    helpful•10
    3
    • dougdoepke
    • Jul 29, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 25, 1932 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Добродетель
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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