Movie Mirrors Index

Millie

(1931 b 85')

En: 5 Ed: 4


Based on a novel by Donald Henderson Clarke, a woman marries, has a child, divorces, and refuses to marry again.

Millie (Helen Twelvetrees) marries Jack Maitland (James Hall) to go to New York. From a hotel room she calls her mother and cries.

Three years later the governess won't let her bathe her baby. Millie complains to Jack that he does not love her anymore. Angie (Joan Blondell) calls Millie, and Angie's roommate Helen (Lilyan Tashman) has them meet. Jack comes in with a blonde. Millie sees them kiss and hits her. Millie files for divorce and leaves her child in Jack's home. Millie works behind a counter at a hotel and meets Jimmy Daimer (John Halliday). Tommy Roche (Robert Ames) takes Millie out to Coney Island and says he wants a wife. Holmes (Frank McHugh) sings during a party at Tommy's apartment. Jimmy brings booze. After Tommy passes out, Millie declines a ride from Jimmy.

Millie loves Tommy but won't marry again. She gets promoted and persuades Tommy to attend a party. A trio sings about Millie the redhead, a song Jimmy had written for her. Angie and Helen go after Hawksworth (Harvey Clark), but he dances on Helen's toes. Clara Roscoe (Geneva Mitchell) proves to Millie that Tommy is with another woman by calling and having him bring her bag. Millie drinks. Jimmy gives reporter Tommy a job for a bank, and Millie gives Tommy the gate. Millie takes Jimmy to Tommy's apartment and breaks her photo. On Christmas Holmes is drunk. Millie parties with a man and Helen, Angie and her husband Hawksworth. Jimmy calls Millie, who declines his gift. She sends the man home to his wife. Tommy calls Millie, who declines to see him. Millie and Helen get drunk and say men are tramps.

Eight years later Millie sees Jimmy and Mark, who tells Jimmy about her daughter Connie (Anita Louise). Jimmy attends church to see her. Millie warns Jimmy not to hurt Connie and asks him to keep away from her; he promises. Jimmy picks up Connie to take her to school but takes her to his lodge. Chauffeur Mike calls Millie, who grabs a pistol and rushes in a taxi. Connie tells Jimmy she wants to be an actress, and he gives her cider and a coat. They kiss. Millie knocks, and Jimmy sends Connie upstairs. He stops Millie from going upstairs. Connie appears, and Millie shoots Jimmy. In court Millie denies she saw the woman and won't say who called. Her lawyer has Holmes convince the prosecutor Millie was jealous. Connie comes into court to testify, and Millie is acquitted.

After divorce Millie declines to be a chorus girl while young but gradually slips into drinking and partying when the second man she loved betrays her also. When a third man preys on her young daughter, she goes over the edge, dramatizing her frustration with faithless men.

Copyright © 2002 by Sanderson Beck

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