GIVE ME YOUR HEART

US, 1936, 88 minutes, Black-and-white
Kay Francis, George Brent, Roland Young, Patric Knowles, Henry Stephenson, Frida Inescourt, Helen Flint, Halliwell Hobbs.
Directed by Archie L. Mayo.

Give Me Your Heart is a Warner Brothers melodrama of the mid-1930s, something in the name of Stella Dallas, but more upper-class. It is interesting in view of the recent introduction of the Motion Picture Code, to see how adultery and illegitimacy are treated, explicitly but not too explicitly.

Kay Francis portrays a young woman who has an affair with a married man in England, son of gentry. She is persuaded by the man’s father, Henry Stephenson, quite sympathetic, to give up the child so that it can be reared as his grandson by his father, Patric Knowles, and by his mother, Frida Inescort. She agrees and goes to the United States, meeting a genial man on the train and on the boat and, eventually, marrying him, George Brent.

Roland Young portrays an author, friend of the young woman and concerned about her and engineers a trip to the United States to meet her at the same time as the father of her child and his wife are visiting. She is under strain, attending a doctor, Helen Flint, but agrees to go to a meal and, finally, meeting the wife and seeing her child – at least giving her some peace as a mother and the satisfaction of knowing that her child will be brought up well.

1. Drama and melodrama – and the touch of soap operas for the 1930s? An emotional Warner Brothers production?

2. The 1930s, black-and-white photography, the British setting, the mansions, the contrast with the United States, society, apartments, welcome?

3. The title and the reference to the central characters, to Linda and her love for her child?

4. The Motion Picture Production Code and issues of legitimacy, unmarried mothers… The treatment for the 1930s?

5. Linda, the focus, with Robert, not knowing he was married, her pregnancy and if there? The reticence? Tubbs, his knowing the truth? Her relationship with her aunt? Her father, going to Naples for advice, the bond with her father, his death? The return home, cabby arranging the talk with Lord Farrington, his sympathetic approach, the proposal, her emotional response, needing time to think?

6. Her going to London, lonely, Tubbs, pregnant, Lord Farrington paying – and the pregnancy and birth of the screen?

7. Going to the United States, the financial support, meeting Jim Baker, talking on the train, his genial approach, the voyage?

8. The two years passing, her marrying Jim Baker? The contact with England, giving her father’s books to Lord Farrington, his putting them on the shelves, for his grandson, the scenes with the baby boy? In the sound and the visit, no contact from Linda? Tubbs not knowing?

9. Linda in New York, being called Bill, her love for her husband, his being pleasant, hard-working, the socials, her drinking, his concern, proposing the trip, her negative reaction? Her life, friends, moods, trying, inability to respond? Her continued worry, the secret about her child?

10. Jim Baker, becoming more desperate, trying to please his wife?

11. The doctor and Tubbs and the taxi, arrival at the door, visiting the same apartment? Tubbs and his tax advice from Jim, the discussions, going out of the room, meeting Linda, talking with her, her refusal to talk about the child?

12. The doctor, care for Linda, the massage? Agreeing to go to the meal? Travelling with Tubbs In the taxi, the humorous subplot of unlikely romance?

13. The dinner, Robert and his wife, Linda seeing them? Meeting, the drink at the bar, her moods, Tubbs and his diplomacy? Robert and his anxiety?

14. Robert’s wife, the past illness, taking the baby, taking a long time to forgive her husband, her wanting to talk with Linda, going to the room, the melting of hatred, seeing the child, the bonds, arranging for the gift? Linda and her friendship, moments of peace?

15. The doctor telling Jim to take a tough stance – and his thinking that that was the solution for everything?

16. The touch of soap operas while treating serious issues, emotionally?