Marked Woman (1937)

A crusading district attorney persuades a clip joint hostess to testify against her mobster boss after her innocent sister is accidentally murdered during one of his unsavory parties.

Directors:

Lloyd Bacon, Michael Curtiz (uncredited)

Writers:

Robert Rossen (original screen play), Abem Finkel (original screen play)

Stars:

Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Lola Lane

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bette Davis	...	Mary
Humphrey Bogart	...	David Graham
Lola Lane	...	Gabby
Isabel Jewell	...	Emmy Lou
Rosalind Marquis	...	Florrie
Mayo Methot	...	Estelle
Jane Bryan	...	Betty
Allen Jenkins	...	Louie
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Johnny Vanning
John Litel	...	Gordon
Ben Welden	...	Charlie
Damian O'Flynn	...	Ralph Krawford
Henry O'Neill	...	Sheldon
Raymond Hatton	...	Lawyer
Carlos San Martín	...	Head Waiter

Storyline

In this roman-a-clef for the infamous Lucky Luciano Trial, Mary Dwight and four roommates work as hostesses at the Club Intime, a "clip joint" that offers gambling, liquor, and female companionship to the "big spender" clientèle. When ruthless thug and pimp Johnny Vanning takes over all the clubs in town, the girls are forced to follow Vanning's rules and kick back on their "tips" in exchange for protection. Although she is not a hardened old hand like Gabby and Estella, Mary knows enough to sidestep Vanning's amorous advances. Unfortunately the more naive Mary Lou is impressed by Vanning's oily veneer of materialism and accepts invitations to "entertain" at the gangster's private parties. Mary's naive younger sister Betty arrives from college just when Mary and her roommates are arrested as material witnesses in the murder of one of the casino's non-paying customers. Vanning's corrupt lawyer frees the others but pressures Mary to commit perjury in order to discredit crusading ...

---

Plot Keywords:

prostitution | fedora | police lineup | questioning | bar | 

---

Taglines:

A Star Teaming You'll Never Forget!

---

Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The nightclub check for $384 would equate to over $7,000 in 2019.

---

Goofs

During the judge's final remarks Emmy changes her clothes then changes them back again.

---

Quotes

David Graham: I thought they were your friends.
Mary Dwight Strauber: So did I.

---

Connections

Referenced in Biography: Humphrey Bogart (2003)

---

Soundtracks

Mister and Missus Doakes
(1936) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Sung by Lola Lane

User Reviews

A must see for Davis fans ... good dialog

This is a star vehicle for Bette Davis. And she really gives a top performance as a professional hostess in a night club owned by a brutal mobster. The character she plays lives through a kind of moral awakening, and with it Davis' appearance changes also. First she wears heavy make up, at the end of the movie almost none. In between she gets beaten up badly by the mobster's thugs who carve a cross into her cheek. But she is attractive throughout. Incidentally, this is NOT a movie for Bogart fans. For once he is a clean cut good guy, not one of Bogart's fortes. His performance struck me as being one dimensional and totally uninspired.

Marked Woman has a good script by Abem Finkel and Robert Rossen (All the King's Men, The Hustler). Excellent portrayal of the brutal, uneducated mobster by Eduardo Ciannelli. Almost reminded me of Peter Sellers. Every now and then he grandly orders one of his bodyguard to make a note of some unimportant detail – the bodyguard just nods obediently, he does not look like a master of calligraphy. The club the mobster takes over is called Club Intime. „What does that mean, intime?" asks the mobster. „Uh, intimate", answers the intimidated restaurateur. „What does THAT mean?". The restaurateur writhes, presses fore and middle finger together and holds them out. „Like that." „Ah ... THEN WHY DON'T YOU SAY SO!" The chandelier in the club has to go, of course. Indirect lighting, that's the thing. The best line belongs to one of Davis' companions, calling an evening dress „the sugar that makes the flies come round". Max Steiner's musical score for this movie is good and fitting.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 April 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Man Behind

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1