To me, this movie is perfection.

best movie i've ever seen.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Here is an early-talkie that I have never before seen until I received the DVD as a gift. This is a fun movie from the "pre-code" era which stars the little-known (these days) Helen Twelvetrees. She had a reputation for playing "wronged women" and she plays one here. Miss Twelvetrees was indeed a beautiful woman and a competent actress. The story is something of a cross between "The Women" (which had not been written yet) and "Madame X", with it's bitchy dialog and it's finale celebrating Mother love. A surprising part of the film shows what is most likely a lesbian relationship between Joan Blondell (in one of her earliest roles) and the amazing Lilyan Tashman. It is truly tragic that Miss Tashman died so young (in 1934) for she could have gone on to play wonderful parts in many later films. My "what if?" scenario would be to cast "The Women" as an RKO film with Miss Twelvetrees playing the Norma Shearer part, Miss Tashman in the Roz Russell role, and Miss Blondell as Phyllis Povah. I adore the original cast, but who knows what my reverie could have been like? This film is also notable as one of the best-preserved (or is it restored?) of it's era. The print is sharp and clear and the sound recording is crisp and distinct, making every word audible. This is one of Alpha's finest quality DVDs, available at a bargain price and most satisfying to view and listen to.

I liked this film - I was looking forward to seeing this as Helen Twelvetrees was Queen of the betrayal movie, so I had read.I especially like Helen Twelvetrees and think there should be more of her films available. She had a really ethereal beauty and was really suited to playing sweet young innocents ie "Bad Company". In "Millie" she was never a "sweet young thing" being more of a "hot little number", judging by the young fellow's comments at the drug- store. Millie is already on her way to becoming Mrs. John Maitland as the film begins - 3 years later she is a bored young wife and mother, whose husband is having a fling with another woman. Millie accidentally finds out while lunching with gal pals (Lilyan Tashman and Joan Blondell - who even share the same bed!!!) John (James Hall) is more concerned with not causing a scene rather than comforting Millie. Unlike one of the other reviewers I did not like her husband - he didn't seem sorry for his actions. She then gets a job at a cigarette stand and in the years that follow, rises up in the business world to become manager of her own concession stand. I actually think the film is about Millie's emancipation from a rich business man's bored wife to being an independent young woman. When she first leaves her husband, her pals ask her how she is going to survive. Millie is determined to do it on her own and not ask her husband for anything. She also decides to leave her daughter with him because she would not be able to give her the things she need.After fending off men right, left and centre, she finally falls for Tommy Rock (Robert Ames) a reporter who wants to marry her. Millie is determined not to marry again but is quite happy to move in with him. He then treats her the same way as her husband treated her. I really wasn't expecting that - his personality being of the "awh shucks" type. At least he was sorry - sitting down and crying his eyes out when she leaves him (after she wrecks his apartment!!!) She then decides to be free and easy with her love - even offending Joan Blondell, who has since married a respectable businessman. John Halliday plays James Damier, Millie's boss, who has always been keen on her but as time goes on transfers his attentions to Millie's daughter Connie. She is played by Anita Louise, who looks about 15 and absolutely gorgeous. I won't reveal the ending but it is quite melodramatic.Look out for Carmelita Geraghty - I think she plays the young woman who tells Millie that Tommy has been cheating on her and can prove it. She was a lovely actress who was always under used in my opinion.Recommended.

Poor Millie! She marries for love - not money - and still ends up unlucky in love. There's something intriguingly contemporary about her consistently entering into bad relationships. Also contemporary is her decision to live with her boyfriend instead of marrying him - even though he does offer to marry her.Helen Twelvetrees has the ability to make the heroine's story somewhat compelling despite the film's plodding structure. John Halliday is very appealing as Twelvetrees' suitor until his character turns surprisingly into a cad.So what's the moral of this "woman's picture?" Millie is so hurt by her broken marriage that perhaps she errs in writing off her unfaithful husband so quickly. In him she may have found the only decent male character in the story.

I'm surprised that no-one has commented yet on the amazing lesbian sub-text in the relationship between the characters played by Joan Blondell and Lilyan Tashman (who was an "out" lesbian in real life). Sometimes it's not even sub-text - especially as the first shot of the couple has them in bed together, half-dressed! And Lilyan is obviously most annoyed when Joan runs off with a rich man. It's also interesting that Millie assumes that Lilyan has never been in love, with a man! Lilyan says she has, but I think she might be talking about a woman.All film buffs, and lesbians especially, need to re-discover Lilyan Tashman - a remarkable actress, and an even more remarkable person. Her early death is probably responsible for her relative obscurity today, but there are still enough of her films around for us all to hunt out and enjoy. Long live Lilyan!