Stubs - Illicit

Illicit (1931) Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, James Rennie, Ricardo Cortez, Natalie Moorhead. Directed by Archie Mayo. Screenplay by Harvey Thew. Based on a play by Edith Fitzgerald and Robert Riskin (copyrighted 1 Jul 1930). Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck Run time: 82 minutes. USA Black and White Pre-Code, Drama.

So much has changed since the day that Illicit was originally released on February 14, 1931. Back then, the film was condemned by the Catholic Legion of Decency and enraged women’s groups. What had once been scandalous is now rated TV-G when it recently aired on TCM.

At 24, Barbara Stanwyck was not yet considered a movie star. Contracted to Columbia Pictures, she had already appeared in four films by the time Illicit went into production. After a successful dancing career and a short stint on Broadway, Stanwyck appeared in a couple of films prior to signing on with Columbia Pictures, starring in Mexicali Rose (1929) and Ladies of Leisure (1930) before being lent out to Warner Bros. to star in this film.

Dick Ives (James Rennie), and Anne Vincent (Barbara Stanwyck) are lovers.

Dick Ives (James Rennie), a wealthy New Yorker, and Anne Vincent (Barbara Stanwyck), a beautiful and liberated young woman, are lovers. We see them lounging around in silk robes in his massive apartment when the film opens. They are obviously in love, but despite Dick's eagerness to marry Anne, she refuses, afraid to lose the romance in their relationship if they marry. Apparently, her parents' love suffered when they married and she doesn’t want to repeat that mistake.

However, their lifestyle has caused a scandal. They learn from their friend George Evans (Charles Butterworth), who has stopped by to borrow bottles of gin, that the word is out about their weekend holidays in Connecticut. If that wasn’t bad enough, Dick’s father (Claude Gillingwater) comes to talk to them about it. Under his influence, Anne agrees to marry Dick.

Anne's former lover, Price Baines (Ricardo Cortez) tries to talk her out of marrying Dick.

But before they get married, one of Anne’s former lovers, Price Baines (Ricardo Cortez) flies into town to try and talk her out of going through with it. Dick, who is uncomfortable with the meeting, eventually goes to Anne’s apartment, with Price is still there. And you get the impression it is only Dick’s appearance that makes Price leave on his own.

The lingerie Bridal shower for Anne.

Prior to the marriage, Anne is thrown a lingerie shower. Helen “Dukie” (pronounced Duckie) Childers (Joan Blondell) shows up not with lingerie but cocktail paraphernalia. She delivers what might be the raciest line in the film.

Helen 'Dukie' Childers: Anne Vincent, don't tell you're so old fashioned you wear a... under garments.

The newlyweds home from their honeymoon.

At first, the marriage seems happy and the couple hosts a welcome home party with George, his ever-companion Dukie, and Margie True (Natalie Moorhead). It is at this party, when they’re alone, that Margie confesses that she’s still in love with Dick.

Dick's former lover, Margie True (Natalie Moorhead), confides that she still loves him.

After a year of marriage, Anne’s biggest fear seems to be coming true as Dick and Anne are taking each other for granted. She thinks that he’s busy working, but discovers that he is stepping out with Margie. Anne learns about his affair when she leaves a nightclub with friends Georgie and Dukie and sees Dick with Margie arriving.

Anne leaves a club with Georgie and Dukie just before she sees Dick arrive with Margie.

When he finally comes home at 4:30 in the morning, he lies to Anne about it. When she confronts him, he apologies, but she is deeply hurt by his actions and leaves him, returning to her own apartment.

After a month apart, Dick and Anne see each other and it is obvious they are still in love. However, when he finds Price at Anne's apartment one day, he begs her to come home with him.

Dick and Anne agree never to be separated again.

When Anne refuses, Dick tells her that from now on he will live his life with complete freedom. Dick and Margie plan to go abroad together and everyone believes they have left. However, Dick decides that he wants to be with Anne, and they resolve never to separate again.

Released on Valentine’s Day 1931, the same day as Universal’s Dracula, the film caused a bit of a kerfuffle when first released. On the surface, this film doesn’t appear to be all that scandalous, however, in 1931 it wasn’t acceptable for a woman to refuse marriage or for the partners to carry on illicit affairs. This latter piece of the story flew in the face of the newly minted, though unenforced, Production Code. Specifically, the Code decreed that: "The sanctity of marriage and the home had to be upheld. Pictures shall not infer that low forms of sex relationships are the accepted or common thing. Adultery and illicit sex, although recognized as sometimes necessary to the plot, could not be explicit or justified and were not supposed to be presented as an attractive option."

Sources report that local censor boards in New York required a good deal of cutting to appease the powerful Catholic moral forces in the state before the release of Illicit, and some cuts were so drastic that parts of the storyline were altered. Many censor boards cut overt references to the couple’s intimacy and required less suggestive angles to hide any implied immorality on the part of Dick and Anne. The drinking in the movie was also of concern to the censors, who wanted it taken out as it did not “progress the story.” It should be noted that this was also made during Prohibition and not only is there a lot of drinking, but George is depicted as drunk every time he’s onscreen. New York was also one of the censor boards objecting to the title of the film, but ultimately the title stayed.

Despite that, the reviews were generally good. Our favorite contemporary reviewer, Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times wrote, "In this story, an intelligent adaptation of a play by Edith Fitzgerald and Robert Riskin, the real conqueror is not marriage, but love. Although the happenings in this production are not particularly dramatic or original, the tale is well worked out and whether Richard and Anne are frowning or cheerful, their doings are always interesting. Here and there the episodes strain one's powers of credulity, but as they are part and parcel of the plot one has to accept them. Barbara Stanwyck gives a most effective performance as Anne. James Rennie measures up to what is desired of him in the role of Richard. The inimitable Charles Butterworth, whose comedy is always so welcome, gives an emphatically amusing portrayal of the intemperate Georgie. Ricardo Cortez does quite well in the minor role of Price Baines and Natalie Moorhead lends her flaxen beauty to the part of Margie."

My biggest criticism about the film is that it seems to drag, despite its short run time. It is very stagey, taking place in one room after another, and there is little or no action in the film. The dialogue at times is rather “racy” here and there. As an example, Dukie’s remarks to Anne during the lingerie shower. Mentioning unmentionables or the lack thereof most likely caused some women in the audience to blush. Going commando was not something that was done in 1931, however, Dukie seems to be an early proponent of the practice.

Barbara Stanwyck may not have been a star at the time she made this film, looking back it was easy to see that she was destined to be one. The camera, as they say, loves her and despite the rather out-there views of Anne, they don’t distract from her performance.

Stanwyck was an actress that made her fame in controversy. Following Illicit, she would go on to star in several films that would meet the ire of the Production Code Administration and give work to the Censor Boards. Films like Night Nurse (1931), Forbidden (1932), Baby Face (1933), and The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933) would all be considered controversial when they were released. Stanwyck’s career didn’t seem to suffer from their notoriety though as she would be active for many years to come and her best work was still ahead of her.

James Rennie was not the first choice to play Dick, that was Neil Hamilton. Unlike Stanwyck, Rennie doesn’t light up the screen when he’s on the way she does. As Hall notes, Rennie “measures up” to the role but he really doesn’t blow you away with his performance. It should say something about his acting chops that he is perhaps best known as being silent actress Dorothy Gish’s husband. He only made three more films in the 1930s and only a handful in the 40s. In the years in between, and afterward, Rennie returned to a successful stage career on Broadway.

The role of Price Baines was originally going to Lew Cody, another actor best known for marrying a silent cinema star, in his case Mabel Normand. However, Cody became ill before the film went into production and was replaced by Ricardo Cortez. Despite this Latin stage name and looks, he was born Jacob Krantz to a Jewish family in New York City. His name was changed to Cortez by Hollywood trying to capitalize on the popularity of Latin Lovers such as Rudolph Valentino, Ramon Novarro, and Antonio Moreno. When this cultural appropriation was discovered, his “origins” were changed to be French and then Viennese.

Ricardo Cortez trying to seduce Barbara Stanwyck in Illicit.

Cortez, who appeared in over 100 films, may be best remembered by some for being the first Sam Spade in Warner’s 1931 version of the Maltese Falcon. He comes off just swarmy enough here to be unsettling. You get the feeling that he could easily win over Anne from Dick and you never really want that to happen. Cortez, is, therefore, perfect for the part.

Charles Butterworth

I recently discovered Charles Butterworth for myself in another Pre-code film, Beauty and the Boss (1932). In that film, his comedy was sorely needed as it was in this film. Here, he is the perennial drunk and again, brings comedic relief as such when he is on the screen.

Known for her distinctive platinum blonde hair, Natalie Moorhead was a stage actress who came to Hollywood when sound pictures became the rage. It’s hard to get a feel for how good of an actress she is because there really isn’t that much for her to work within the role of the other woman.

Natalie Moorhead, Barbara Stanwyck, and Joan Blondell in Illicit.

Finally, Joan Blondell has a surprisingly small role in the film as Dukie. She seems to be the only person on Anne’s wavelength in the film. This was only her fifth film in Hollywood, so maybe Warner Bros. was still trying to figure out how to use her. She is always fun to see on the screen.

Like so many pre-code films of its day, Illicit hasn’t really stood the test of time. Controversy is not the same as quality. Illicit was made to make money and what may have worked in the early 1930s wouldn’t necessarily work today. I’m a big fan of Stanwyck’s and was happy to have had the chance to see her in a very early role. And if you are similarly enamored with her, you will no doubt want to see this film, too.

Otherwise, this isn’t really a film that you’ll want to see again after you’ve seen it.