The bad sister 1931 - Bette Davis' film debut as the good sister

IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021636/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
IMDB rating: 7,2

Director: Hobart Henley
Main Cast: Conrad Nagel, Sidney Fox, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Charles Winninger, Zasu Pitts

"'Any intelligent woman could make any man fall in love with her' - No, it has nothing to do with The Bad Sister, but it was Sidney Fox's creed that she practiced. Who would have thought that in just 3 years, the quiet, dependable 'good sister' would be making Hollywood sit up and take notice while the star, the 'bad sister' who got most of the good reviews and publicity would be almost at the end of her career.
Sidney Fox had both father and son (the Laemmles) twisted around her little finger. Junior was the first to fall in love with her - he saw her in the play 'Lost Ship' in 1930 and signed her to a contract. She came to Universal with great fanfare, nothing but the best for little Sidney and The Bad Sister was a flashy debut.
Marianne (beautiful Miss Fox) is the spoiled darling of the Madison household - sleeping late, insulting the maid, Millie (Zasu Pitts) is all in a day's work for her. Being a 'little town flirt' keeps her busy as well - Wade (Bert Roach) is madly in love with her, as is Dick Lindley (Conrad Nagel) - or so he thinks! She also manages to almost lead her family to the poor house because of her extravagant ways and a father who cannot refuse her. While out with Dick, she meets Val Corliss (Humphrey Bogart) or rather 'very neatly' picks him up. She begins a flirtation with Val - but Val is different to the other boys as he is a sophisticated con man. His story goes - he is planning to build a factory on the outskirts of town and wants to bring some local businessmen into key positions. He tries to hook Marianne's father (Charles Winniger), even though he has no money, all Val wants is his name and the influence he has over the town. Strangely, he is the one man in town who is unconvinced of Val's honesty - plus he hasn't made a thorough background check of the company yet. Marianne tries to use her wiles to get her father to sign the contract but when he refuses there is a huge scene. Miss Fox pulls out all the emotional stops as she belittles him, shaming him for his honor and respectability and in the end calling him a failure - until he has a heart attack. Poor, mousey 'good sister' Laura (Bette Davis) has a secret - she is secretly in love with Dick and has written all about it in her diary. Heddie finds the diary and gives it to Dick who is then caught with it by Laura. The movie which until now has been full of small town whimsy turns dramatic as Marianne uses her father's convalescence to take a forged letter to the townsmen stating that Val's scheme is all above board. With that she elopes with Val - only to return home sadder but wiser (Val has run out on her) and also to find that Dick has realised that quiet, dependable Laura can give him true happiness and Wade is her only, still ardent beau.
Apparently Bette Davis lamented for years that she had desperately wanted to play the bad sister but at that stage (it was her first film) she didn't have the vivacity or flirtatiousness of Sidney Fox, who was ideal in the role."

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