LGM Film Club, Part 433: Bed of Roses

Tonight’s Film Club entry builds on the last one and looks at another early 30s film of Constance Bennett. Gregory LaCava directed Bed of Roses, which was released in 1933. Bennett plays a young woman being released from prison. Her deal is getting rich men drunk and stealing their money. Her friend (Pert Kelton) is released at the same time. She’s a prostitute. Together, they want to get to New Orleans. Various things happen, including Bennett jumping ship (literally) and being pulled in by cotton barge owner Joel McCrea. She gets to New Orleans finally and suckers in John Halliday as her rich mark. But then she loves McCrea. What will happen?

Truthfully, this is a quite mediocre production. Unlike What Price Hollywood, it is shot in the flat technique of early talkies and thus looks bad. Bennett and McCrea have no heat at all. The saving grace is Kelton, who gets all the good lines and is having a hell of a good time playing a completely unrepentant prostitute. That’s probably the best reason to watch it. It’s alright–I’d say it’s a 5/10. You can undoubtedly do better though. Still, if you want a 65 minute black and white, well, it’s one of them.

Here’s a few minutes of the film.