Faithless (1932) [Warner Archive Blu-ray review]

Faithless is about a woman that won’t let The Great Depression stop her spending sprees. Almost a century later, it’s not that far fetched. We’ve watched time and time again as people live above their means and victimize those that ask them to stop. So, we look at socialite Carol Morgan and her beau Bill Wade as they try to manage finances and love. It’s a tall task, but it’s also 1932. It will get solved in under 90 minutes.

Pre code movies are rather crazy

The Pre Code era was a wild time. Faithless was a major release just three years after The Great Depression hit the world. Now, you have a major motion picture release about a woman rejecting her man over his spending limits and then going broke. What’s crazy is the movie’s tone isn’t super punitive. Carol Morgan is quick to have casual sex, overspend and mess with Bill. But, she only shows a little remorse when she thinks he can bring her more money.

When Bill Wade is found to be broke, she backs off to a degree. Bill believes that Carol can be a good person, but his brother and others thinks she’s a woman of ill-repute. That’s 1930s talk for calling her trifling and other things that are nasty to put into print. Bill keeps trying to find better work, as Carol hops from wealthy man after wealthy man. Eventually, she has to sell her last pair of shoes and turn to prostitution.

Somehow, this results Bill and Carol finally getting married. But, that’s right before he gets nailed as a strikebreaker and ends up in the hospital. Facing an onslaught of medical bills, Carol turns to prostitution again where she meets up with her now brother-in-law. As stated before, Pre Code movies are rather crazy.

What Faithless does right

Faithless works when it gives you a reason not to trust Tallulah Bankhead. She had failed at Paramount and was loaned out to MGM to serve as a Garbo style talent for American audiences. Naturally, that didn’t translate. Why? Well, because Garbo didn’t do movies about rich women bedhopping for profit. While that might get you a YASSS Queen in 2024, it was looked down upon during the lowest financial period of the 20th Century.

The fact that Bankhead’s Carol Morgan wasn’t more hated by audiences leads me to believe a couple of things. People could understand how a woman of the time had to do what she needed to do to thrive. Even in the 1930s, poor people still over idolize the rich and think of themselves as peers. Beyond that, the cast was rather amazing and did their best with the script. But, damn if it isn’t a gloomy drama.

What Faithless does that doesn’t work

Cinema and morality go together like orange juice and toothpaste. You see it pop up a ton in boomer fare where they believe everything has to be black and white. That went away for a bit and started returning Gen Z fare. It’s weird how cyclical a lot of these personal leanings are, but I would love to show Faithless to a group of 18-21 year olds.

Warner Archive brings Faithless to Blu-ray

Warner Archive does right by the Faithless Blu-ray. The special features range from vintage classic short subjects. You get a lot of mystery and radio material, but it feels right for the era. I say that like I have direct memories of the 1930s. But, the A/V Quality is rather robust for the period coming into the Blu-ray generation. The 1080p transfer is rather strong with those crushing blacks you hear me talking about a lot.

But, what about for people who don’t share my abiding love of 1930s movies? Honestly, I’m surprised you read this far. But, is Faithless the easiest movie to broach young or new cinema viewers? Not really, but it is a film that will help you understand what cinema was like before the Hayes Code took over. I recommend it!

Faithless (1932) is now available from the Warner Archive Collection. Purchase your own copy at MovieZyng!