Lady with a Past

Lady with a Past is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy film starring Constance Bennett as a shy and very proper young lady who decides to invent a scandalous past for herself to spice up her life. It is based on the novel of the same name by Harriet Henry.

Lady with a Past
Directed byEdward H. Griffith
E. J. Babille (assistant)
Produced byCharles R. Rogers
Screenplay byHorace Jackson
Based onLady with a Past
1931 novel
by Harriet Henry
StarringConstance Bennett
Ben Lyon
David Manners
Edited byCharles Craft
Production
company
RKO Pathė Pictures, Inc.
Charles R. Rogers
Distributed byRKO Pathė Pictures, Inc.
Release date
  • February 19, 1932 (1932-02-19)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$541,000[1]
Box office$595,000[1]

Plot

Although she is an heiress and quite lovely, Venice Muir is very shy. She is flattered when flirtatious Donnie Wainwright urges her to elope to Paris with him, then irked when he abandons her before their ship departs.

Venice gets an idea, hiring a penniless fellow, Guy Bryson, to pretend to be a gigolo and spread word of Venice's effect on men. Soon she is the toast of Paris, suitors lining up to woo her, including Rene, a man of noble lineage. Unbeknownst to her, Rene is in serious debt. When she rejects his proposal, Rene commits suicide, enhancing Venice's reputation as a heartbreaking vixen.

Sailing back home, Venice is followed by more gossip, including some about Guy. A dazzled Donnie begins pursuing her again, finally winning over Venice without ever knowing of her ruse.

Cast

Reception

According to RKO records the film lost $140,000.[1]

References
  1. Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931-1951', Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television, Vol 14 No 1, 1994 p39
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