La vie commence

Compelling Pre-Code drama centering on a hospital maternity ward and the different people there -- the expectant mothers and fathers, the doctors and nurses. Loretta Young plays a woman convicted of manslaughter who is brought to the hospital to deliver her baby. Her wimpy husband Eric Linden waits and worries. Glenda Farrell is an alcoholic showgirl who finds out she's having twins -- and can't wait to get rid of them! Clara Bandick plays an older woman who already has six kids of her own and happily looks forward to number seven. Aline MacMahon is the sympathetic head nurse. Preston Foster plays one of the doctors. Frank McHugh has a funny role as a nervous father-to-be. Gilbert Roland has a brief but memorable role, as well.

Loretta is beautiful and gives an appealing, sensitive performance. Eric Linden is the divisive one here. Some will find him appropriately nervous for the part but others will think he's over-the-top, bordering on hysterical at times. The rest of the cast is terrific. This is a real gem for fans of Pre-Code films. It's well-written and pretty realistic for the subject matter and time it was made. They use the word 'husky' a lot for some reason, though. It was remade in 1939 as A Child Is Born. That version is good, too, but not as gritty or interesting as this one.