Philip Carey, dragging his clubfoot, is sucked into a nightmare of masochism and self abasement. The object of his obsession, waitress Mildred has no back story, she comes to us 'ready made' - full of cynicism, transparent wiles, reflexive cruelty and one suspects she has had a horrible life and childhood. I watched the film for the second time realizing that there is never an idyllic period in their relationship. He comes to her to be degraded and humiliated. Leslie Howard and Bette Davis were a powerful combination.
Review of Of Human Bondage
