Folks who haven't seen many old films often assume that they were all morally chaste and 'nice'. Well, this was true of nearly all films made between 1934 and about 1960 due to the tough Production Code which severely restricted the content in Hollywood films. However, before July, 1934, films were occasionally pretty scandalous...even by modern standards. While "My Past" doesn't have any nudity and the language is all strictly PG-rated, the plot itself is, well, rather sleazy...surprisingly so.
Doree Macy is an actress...and she apparently has a non-conventional sense of morality. She is interested in two men who both run a steel company. John (Lewis Stone) is older and single...Bob (Ben Lyon) is married. Of the two, she prefers Bob but realizes that because he's married, their relationship cannot result in marriage. But she throws caution to the wind and while his wife is away, the two have an affair. When the wife returns, Doree walks away...saying it was all in good fun. What she doesn't realize is that Bob's wife is totally disinterested in him...and wants a divorce. But by then it's too late...Doree is back with John. What's next?
Even by modern standards, this movie is pretty sleazy since it seems very pro-adultery. Additionally, Doree is quite the bohemian, swimming naked with Bob and enjoying a lusty sex life. It's not surprising that films like this eventually resulted in some backlash from 1930s audiences, and by 1934 box office receipts were way down...and Hollywood decided to actually enforce the new Code.
So is it any good? No. It's not just that the film offers a sleazy message...but it actually manages to be awfully boring in the process!! How can a film feature a nude swimming scene, adultery and more...yet manage to put you to sleep? Well, this one sure did for me!
