OF HUMAN BONDAGE (1934) Bette Davis & Leslie Howard | Drama, Mystery, Romance | COLORIZED

Of Human Bondage is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Cromwell and regarded by critics as the film that made Bette Davis a star. The screenplay by Lester Cohen is based on the 1915 novel Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham.

SYNOPSIS
A young man finds himself attracted to a cold and unfeeling waitress who may ultimately destroy them both.

Sensitive, club-footed artist Philip Carey is a Briton who has been studying painting in Paris for four years. His art teacher tells him his work lacks talent, so he returns to London to become a medical doctor, but his moodiness and chronic self-doubt make it difficult for him to keep up in his schoolwork.

Philip falls passionately in love with tearoom waitress Mildred Rogers, even though she is disdainful of his club foot and his obvious interest in her. Although he is attracted to the anaemic and pale-faced woman, she is manipulative and cruel toward him when he asks her for a date. Her constant response to his romantic invitations is "I don't mind", an expression so uninterested that it infuriates him – which only causes her to use it all the more. His daydreams about her distract him from his studies, and he fails his medical examinations.

When Philip proposes to her, Mildred declines, telling him she will be marrying Emil Miller (a loutish salesman) instead. The self-centred Mildred vindictively berates Philip with nasty insults for becoming romantically interested in her.

Philip begins to forget Mildred when he becomes involved with Norah, an attractive and considerate romance writer working under a male pseudonym. She slowly helps him resolve his painful addiction to Mildred. However, just when it appears that Philip is finding happiness, Mildred returns, pregnant and claiming that Emil has abandoned her.

Philip provides a flat for her, arranges to take care of her financially, and breaks off his relationship with Norah. Norah and Philip admit how interpersonal relationships may amount to bondage (Philip was bound to Mildred, as Norah was to Philip, and as Mildred was to Emil).

Philip's intention is to marry Mildred after her child is born, but a bored and restless Mildred is an uninterested mother, and she hands the baby's care to a nurse.

At a dinner party celebrating their engagement, one of Philip's medical student friends, Harry Griffiths, flirts with Mildred, who somewhat reciprocates. After Philip confronts Mildred, she runs off with Griffiths to Paris. A second time, Philip again finds some comfort in his studies, and with Sally Athelny, the tender-hearted daughter of one of his elderly patients in a charity hospital. The Athelny family is caring and affectionate, and they take Philip into their home.

Once again, Mildred returns with her baby, this time expressing remorse for deserting him. Philip cannot resist rescuing her and helping her to recover from another failed relationship. Things take a turn for the worse when Mildred moves in, spitefully wrecks his apartment, destroys his paintings and books, and burns the securities and bonds he was given by an uncle to finance his tuition. Philip is forced to quit medical school. Before he leaves the institution, an operation corrects his club foot. The Athelnys take Philip in when he is unable to find work and is locked out of his flat, and he takes a job with Sally's father as a window dresser.

As time progresses, a letter is sent to Philip which informs him that his uncle has died, leaving a small inheritance. With the inheritance money, Philip is able to return to medical school and pass his examinations to become a physician.

CAST & CREW
Leslie Howard as Philip Carey
Bette Davis as Mildred Rogers
Frances Dee as Sally Athelny
Kay Johnson as Norah
Reginald Denny as Harry Griffiths
Alan Hale as Emil Miller
Reginald Sheffield as Cyril Dunsford
Reginald Owen as Thorpe Athelny
Tempe Pigott as Agnes Hollet
Desmond Roberts as Dr. Jacobs

Directed by John Cromwell
Screenplay by Lester Cohen
Based on Of Human Bondage 1915 novel by W. Somerset Maugham
Produced by Pandro S. Berman
Cinematography Henry W. Gerrard
Edited by William Morgan
Music by Max Steiner
Production company RKO Radio Pictures
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date June 28, 1934
Running time 83 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $403,000
Box office $592,000

NOTES
In 1962, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication. Consequently, there are numerous DVD and online streaming copies available. WarnerMedia is the current owner of the bulk of the RKO library and a UK DVD was issued in 2003 by Warner Home Video.

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