Those We Love - 1932 ***

'For Those We Love' is rather tragic, because for once it shows what can happen when paranoia and suspicion gets too much when really there is nothing going on.
Mary Astor plays May, a pretty and sweet woman who buys the very first copy of a novel published by aspiring author Freddie (Kenneth MacKenna). They fall in love, get married and have a son, but Freddie becomes the object of affection for a desperate neighbour who is unhappy in her own marriage. Ever the gentleman, Freddie resists all her advances. Wrongly believing that Freddie has been unfaithful after coming home early and finding Valerie's coat draped over a chair, May leaves immediately with their son, with no word of an explanation and giving Freddie no chance to explain. This leads him to finally give in and have an affair with Valerie. Very sad really. Wonderful to watch Mary Astor in a role like this whilst being aware of her own colourful and unfaithful personal life where she got through man after man right under her husband's nose; and kept a diary of all her exploits that was eventually published in the newspaper!

Young Bride - 1932 ***

Helen Twelvetrees is yet again walked all over here, but this time by a poncy idiot who looks like he's wearing too much mascara. Her character Allie, is a timid and shy librarian, who is persuaded by her party-loving friends to go out one evening to try and cheer her up after mourning the death of her mother. Once there, she meets a loutish cad named Charlie, who has ridiculous and unrealistic expectations about life, love and money. When he first tries to seduce her, she refuses which sends him into a rage. But over time she is sweet-talked by him, and eventually succumbs, all the time being told by Charlie that he is on the verge of a big break that will make him rich. When Allie announces that she is pregnant, this doesn't go down well with Charlie, and he does what any pathetic weasel of a man does in a tricky situation - he goes after another woman, leaving Allie devastated. The lead man comes across as being almost identical to a young Jimmy Cagney, which probably boosted his career no end. Twelvetrees is worth a watch alone.