Omnibus film from the year that brought that mother of all omnibus dramas, GRAND HOTEL. It’s GRAND MATERNITY HOSPITAL. Well, yes & no. Six or seven storylines are in play, but nothing ‘grand’ about this women’s hospital ‘waiting’ ward for ‘before’ and ‘post’ delivery, looking about a step-and–a-half above a charity wing. Pretty corny lineup, too: the lowlife willing to ‘sell’ her twins . . . till she gets a look at them, a six time ‘regular,’ the handcuffed murderess hoping to see her husband before she goes in; nervous Dad with a lucky rabbit’s foot*; the middle-aged gal with friendly advice; not a surprise in the lot. Yet a fun watch with a strong cast. (Look!, Clara Blandick, Dorothy’s Aunt Em.) And considerable interest as a slice of Depression Era health care. (When one mom-to-be poo-poos the idea of a kid growing up to be President, she’s talking about Hoover.) Director James Flood follows the action to reasonable effect, tossing in an occasional arty angle to liven things up and helped by Pre-Code frankness, though not a baby-bump in sight. (No doubt why the hysteric who only thinks she’s pregnant isn’t immediately spotted.) Of the three leads, Loretta Young emotes with restraint as the prisoner-on-release facing a difficult birth; Eric Linden shows limited variety playing her young husband (three years on, he'd regress to High School senior for AH, WILDERNESS); while the great Aline MacMahon is a tower of graceful strength as head nurse. Leaving only Glenda Farrell, a holdover from the B'way cast, to seriously overplay the tough, soused broad who melts in the end.
DOUBLE-BILL: Two remakes - A CHILD IS BORN/’39; LOVE STORY/’42 (neither seen here) - of Mary McDougal Axelson's flop play, her sole credit on stage & screen.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: *That rabbit’s foot a rare example of a lucky charm failing on screen. Normally, they only fail when you forget to bring them. (Or did I miss seeing it dropped?)
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