This is a beautifully directed movie with some of the Hollywood's best players. Leslie Howard and Bette Davis offer memorable performances in this drama where a medical student is attracted to a promiscuous waitress with tragic consequences. This is based on the novel of Somerset Maugham who lived in Paris until he was ten, then educated at King's School, Canterbury, and at Heidelberg University He goes to study medicine in London and then start writing novels. The lead character Philip Carey (Leslie Howard) tries to become an artist in Paris and after being turned down, he goes to London and enrolls in a medical college. Philip Carey is born with a clubfoot, and as he grows up, orphaned, he struggles with his own deformity. While at Medical school he meets a sultry waitress named, Mildred Rogers; his passion and love for her carries him to the edge of self-destruction. He becomes an instrument in the hands of a cold-hearted woman, and finds himself snubbed, and ridiculed. Her promiscuous nature does not teach Philip anything but leads him to a path of defeat and destruction.
Somerset Maugham's novel is lot more than just story of Philip and Mildred, and there are other unforgettable characters. Each person Philip encounters leaves lasting impression on him. The most notable are Norah (Kay Johnson) who offers him unquestionable love and care, and the Athlneys, Sally Athlney (Frances Dee) and Thorpe Athlney (Reginald Owen) has strong positive influence on him through their goodness and simplicity of life.
At the end of the movie, penniless and stricken with tuberculosis, Mildred passes away and then Philip realizes what he is missing all along his life; the sweetness of a woman like Sally. This movie gave the opportunity for Bette Davis to be a star and influential people of Movie industry ran a campaign to have her name included for Academy award in 1934. She was only 26 when the film was completed and many moviegoers began to notice Bette Davis as a leading lady of Hollywood movies. During an interview Davis recalled that she didn't like Leslie Howard's treatment on the sets. Director John Cromwell brings a certain amount charisma in handling the lack of chemistry between the two characters into a reality.
Somerset Maugham's novel is lot more than just story of Philip and Mildred, and there are other unforgettable characters. Each person Philip encounters leaves lasting impression on him. The most notable are Norah (Kay Johnson) who offers him unquestionable love and care, and the Athlneys, Sally Athlney (Frances Dee) and Thorpe Athlney (Reginald Owen) has strong positive influence on him through their goodness and simplicity of life.
At the end of the movie, penniless and stricken with tuberculosis, Mildred passes away and then Philip realizes what he is missing all along his life; the sweetness of a woman like Sally. This movie gave the opportunity for Bette Davis to be a star and influential people of Movie industry ran a campaign to have her name included for Academy award in 1934. She was only 26 when the film was completed and many moviegoers began to notice Bette Davis as a leading lady of Hollywood movies. During an interview Davis recalled that she didn't like Leslie Howard's treatment on the sets. Director John Cromwell brings a certain amount charisma in handling the lack of chemistry between the two characters into a reality.
Reference: Of Human Bondage – DVD, starring Bette Davis
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