Laraine Day probably got her career screen role in The Locket playing a completely amoral woman who steals on compulsion and leaves a slew of men in her wake paying for her crimes. Those crimes also include murder.
The title of the film comes from a locket that Day as a child was given and then taken back by the mother of the rich girl she played with. Day's own mother was a housekeeper at a rich estate. The rich girl's mother is played with appropriate wicked relish by Katharine Emery.
The film begins with an unknown ex-husband Brian Aherne crashing the pre-wedding reception that Gene Raymond is having. He's about to marry Day, but he's frightfully ignorant of her past. Aherne proceeds to enlighten him and most of the film is in flashback.
Two other men in her life are millionaire Ricardo Cortez who is an art patron and Robert Mitchum the Bohemian artist she convinces Cortez to patronize. It all ends really bad for both these guys and others.
Special mention should also go to young Sharyn Moffett who plays Day as a child. During her scenes we get a glimpse of why Day is the way she is.
I'm surprised that Day got no Academy recognition for her performance. Had this been at a bigger studio than RKO she just might have with the bigger publicity machines at their command.
The men are all good, but Laraine really makes this film all her own.
The title of the film comes from a locket that Day as a child was given and then taken back by the mother of the rich girl she played with. Day's own mother was a housekeeper at a rich estate. The rich girl's mother is played with appropriate wicked relish by Katharine Emery.
The film begins with an unknown ex-husband Brian Aherne crashing the pre-wedding reception that Gene Raymond is having. He's about to marry Day, but he's frightfully ignorant of her past. Aherne proceeds to enlighten him and most of the film is in flashback.
Two other men in her life are millionaire Ricardo Cortez who is an art patron and Robert Mitchum the Bohemian artist she convinces Cortez to patronize. It all ends really bad for both these guys and others.
Special mention should also go to young Sharyn Moffett who plays Day as a child. During her scenes we get a glimpse of why Day is the way she is.
I'm surprised that Day got no Academy recognition for her performance. Had this been at a bigger studio than RKO she just might have with the bigger publicity machines at their command.
The men are all good, but Laraine really makes this film all her own.