Shopworn

Shopworn
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Nick Grinde
Screenplay by	Jo Swerling Robert Riskin
Story by	Sarah Y. Mason
Produced by	Harry Cohn
Starring	Barbara Stanwyck Regis Toomey
Cinematography	Joseph Walker
Edited by	Gene Havlick
Production company	Columbia Pictures
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	March 25, 1932 (1932-03-25) (USA)
Running time	72 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Shopworn is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Nick Grinde and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Regis Toomey. Written by Jo Swerling and Robert Riskin, based on a story by Sarah Y. Mason, the film is about a poor hardworking waitress who meets and falls in love with a wealthy college student. His mother objects to the union and frames the waitress for a crime she did not commit. After serving her time, the waitress enters show business and becomes a star.^[1]

Plot

Waitress Kitty Lane and wealthy David Livingston fall in love. However his overly protective mother Helen does not approve and does everything she can to break them up. She has her friend Judge Forbes first try bribery; when that fails, he arranges to have her jailed on a bogus morals charge. Meanwhile, Mrs. Livingston convinces her son that Kitty took the $5000 bribe.

As the years pass, Kitty becomes a successful showgirl, with numerous admirers, while David is a doctor. When their paths cross again, their love is rekindled, though Kitty is skeptical of David's resolve in the face of his mother's unwavering opposition. David finally convinces her to marry him.

Alarmed, Mrs. Livingston goes to see Kitty. She begs her to break off the engagement, fearing her son's career will be ruined, but Kitty is unmoved. In desperation, the distraught mother pulls out a gun. Kitty manages to take it away from the confused woman, but is touched by her pleas. When David shows up, Mrs. Livingston hides while Kitty puts on an act, pretending that she only agreed to marry him to get back at his mother. David is finally convinced, but then a repentant Mrs. Livingston stops him from leaving and confesses the truth.

Cast

Barbara Stanwyck as Kitty Lane
Regis Toomey as David Livingston
ZaSu Pitts as Aunt Dot
Lucien Littlefield as Fred
Clara Blandick as Mrs. Helen Livingston
Robert Alden as Toby
Oscar Apfel as Judge Forbes
Maude Turner Gordon as Mrs. Thorne^[1]
Wallis Clark as Mr. Dean
Tom London as Pa Lane
Edwin Maxwell as Bierbauer
Harry Tenbrook as Workman (uncredited)

Critical response

In his review for The New York Times, Mordaunt Hall wrote that despite the performances of the actors, the film was "tedious":

It is beyond the powers of such capable players as Barbara Stanwyck, Regis Toomey, Clara Blandick and Zassu [sic] Pitts to make their actions in this film convincing or even mildly interesting. In fact, none of the persons involved succeeds in enlisting either sympathy or dislike.^[1]