New Morals for Old: A controversial story of pre-code era but very touching at the end

Movie Reviewed: New Morals for Old, starring Robert Young

This is a sensitive drama about two children played by Robert Young and Margaret Perry who rebel against the conservative values of their parents. The son wants to move to Paris to become a painter, instead of helping with the family business of designing wallpaper, and the daughter has an affair with a married man whose wife does not let him go. The conservative parents worry about the rebellious nature of their kids, and eventually the father (Lewis Stone) dies and then the son goes to Paris. At the end the mother also dies and the daughter gets to marry her man after his divorce. This is not an unusual story for pre-code era since much more controversial movies were made at that time. The story also takes a crack at the lives of rich and famous at the height of Great Depression. Hollywood made many successful movies in this regard well after the William Hays (Czar of motion pictures) office came into existence to rehabilitate Hollywood's image. It is very touching to see the passing of their father and the mother, and the kids move on with their lives.

John Druten brought his book, "After All" to the screen with a new title called "New morals for the old." This is beautifully directed by Charles Brabin and is well supported by Robert Young, Myrna Loy, Lewis Stone, Jean Hersholt and Donald Cook. Producer Irving Thalberg invited celebrated playwrights from the other side of the Atlantic when the MGM's money machine starting pouring in dollars for his futuristic projects. This is one of the less successful movies of 1932 compared to other MGM's box office hits that year, which included "Grand Hotel," "Tarzan and the ape man," "Red dust," "Red headed woman," "Rasputin and the emperor." MGM made a total of 34 movies in 1932 but this movie did modestly.