Die zweite Mutter

The year before Gladys George played the self-sacrificing mother covering up her terrible past, she starred in Valiant is the Word for Carrie, as a self-sacrificing mother covering up her terrible past. For the 1936 melodrama she was nominated for an Oscar; for the 1937 melodrama she was nominated for a Rag.

While the two movies are relatively similar in premise, the actual stories aren't the same. In this one, Gladys starts off a fallen woman, although because of the Production Code, what made her fall is never actually mentioned. She befriends an adorable young boy, Jackie Moran, who's terribly mistreated at home. When at last Jackie's abusive father dies, he asks Gladys to adopt him. Along the way, they pick up the stray waif Charlene Wyatt, and they leave town, change their names, and enjoy a fresh start.

You know these types of movies, don't you? The fresh start only lasts so long, and Gladys's past comes back to haunt her. Plus, as the adorable children grow up, they run into problems and make their poor mother suffer. But, if you want to see a solid Gladys George performance, try to find yourself a copy.