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Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Frances Dee, Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny ... see more see more... , Alan Hale , Reginald Owen , Reginald Sheffield , Des Roberts , Tempe Piggott , Desmond Roberts , Frank Baker

The first of three film versions of Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage stars Leslie Howard as sensitive, clubfooted artist-cum-med student Philip Carey. Despite his yearnings for the finer things in ... read more read more...life, Carey cannot extricate himself from a mutually destructive relationship with sluttish waitress Mildred Rogers (Bette Davis). After an incredible series of emotional disasters, Carey finally finds happiness in the arms of Sally Altheny (Frances Dee). The industry buzz in 1934 indicated that Bette Davis was a shoe-in for an Academy Award for her savage portrayal of Mildred, but her home studio Warner Bros. failed to mount an adequate publicity campaign on Davis' behalf, allegedly because she'd made the film on loan-out to RKO and Warners wasn't about to heap praise upon a rival. It is now generally conceded that Davis' Oscar win for 1935's Dangerous was consolation for her losing the statuette in 1934. Long out of circulation due to the 1946 remake, the 1934 Of Human Bondage has since slipped into the public domain, and is now seen more often than either of the subsequent remakes (the last was in 1964). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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69% liked it

2,527 ratings

Critics

78% liked it

9 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: John Cromwell

Release Date: July 20, 1934

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DVD Release Date: May 8, 2001

Stats: 155 reviews

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Of Human Bondage Bette Davis in Of Human Bondage Bette Davis and Leslie Howard
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Flixster Reviews (155)

  • romy861
    July 22, 2011
    romy861
    I must have watched the worst copy of this going - one of those $2 store jobs with scratchy sound and picture, lines, blotches, you name it, and I still found this compelling. I can only imagine what it must be like to watch it properly. I think I will have to track down a dece... read morent copy online and I must check the book out too as apparently that was much more detailed.
    Bette Davis plays a horrible, but beautiful woman with a grating English accent (other reviewers seemed to think it was accurate). I could see how Philip kept falling for her even though she was absolutely heinous! The scene where she is screaming at him that she wiped her mouth every time he kissed her was especially awful.
    This would be one of my favourite older movies so far, can't believe I had this dvd for about two years and only just watched it!
  • mjgildea
    December 1, 2010
    mjgildea
    Of Human Bondage kind of epitomizes everything I dislike about movies from the mid-30s. The pacing is slow, its overdramatic and feels just kind of... hollow overall. I know the point of this movie is to watch Leslie Howard's simp of a character step in the same pile of dog shit ... read moreover and over but despite a pretty quick running time it gets old sort of fast. And despite a very wobbly cockney accent, Bette Davis plays a magnificent See You Next Tuesday and her physical transformation into a shitball hag was great. (And a drag at the same time because Davis was an absolute doll when she was young.) Nothing amazing but not horrible.
  • ajv2688
    September 8, 2010
    ajv2688
    I've heard a lot of good things about this movie, but when I saw it I didn't understand it. Maybe I need to see it again, but I really thought it was dull and uninteresting.
  • jjnxn
    April 4, 2007
    jjnxn
    bette is an over the top harridan but as always she's compelling
  • SteveStrange
    January 19, 2009
    SteveStrange
    The unabridged version of the the novel simply can't be adapted to the screen.
  • trisarahtops22
    January 27, 2008
    trisarahtops22
    A sad and pitiful love story, and an interesting film.
  • jusstpete
    May 13, 2012
    jusstpete
    Bette Davis was so beautiful in this, I can understand why Philip kept coming back. Davis owned this alright.. what a character.
  • ernesteddy
    May 7, 2009
    ernesteddy
    This film is brilliant, not only in story line but also because of the way they use the camera to tell the story regardless of the actors in front of it, this is a film that really revels in the art which is film making
  • evilralphwiggum
    March 21, 2009
    evilralphwiggum
    Proves to me that the book is indeed a timeless classic. This short movie version is good, but of course you can't get the full effect unless you read the thousand plus pages.
  • ac2010fz
    January 30, 2008
    ac2010fz
    One of W. Somerset Maugham's best. Since I haven't read the book, I could not compare the film adaptation to the book, but I thought at parts, the plot might've moved too fast. Overall thought, I have to say the characters were well-developed. Expected story with a unexpected(or... read more expected..hard to say) ending, and seems like most W. Somerset Maugham's works have the female character as the protagonist, but this story focused on Howard's character...still very good. And I have to give credit to Bette Davis, her character was SUCK A BITCH! lol

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Critic Reviews

Phil Hall
June 20, 2008
Phil Hall, Film Threat

Strictly so-so on its own terms, but invaluable as Bette Davis' star-launching platform. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 23, 2007
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

The first and best of three Hollywood versions of Maugham's novel boasts a grand dramatic performance from Bette Davis, who scandalously was snubbed by the Academy; she was a write-in candidate for th... Full Review

Daniel Eagan
August 10, 2004
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International

Dated but compelling drama

Nick Davis
August 14, 2003
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks

Davis either grates or invigorates; either way, the rest of the movie hangs dully around her.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Mordaunt Hall
March 25, 2006
Mordaunt Hall, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Daniel M. Kimmel
May 14, 2004
Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

Brian Webster
March 16, 2004
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide

Click to read the article Full Review

Christopher Smith
April 21, 2003
Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News (Maine)

No review available.

Philip Martin
December 16, 2002
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Of Human Bondage Trivia

  • What job does Bette Davis hold in Of Human Bondage?  Answer »
  • This movie was the first in which Bette Davis appeared to major critical acclaim, after a string of flops and small appearances:  Answer »
  • One of Bette Davis's film performances did not garner her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, so many displeased voters wrote her name in on their ballots. This was for her performance in  Answer »
  • Bette Davis, early in her career, was a serious contender for the Oscar for Best Actress one year ... without being nominated. Her name was written in on many ballots. For which film was this?  Answer »
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