Mary Stevens, M.D.

Kay Francis stars with Lyle Talbot, Thelma Todd, and Glenda Farrell in "Mary Stevens, M. D."

Mary and her dear friend, Don, graduate from medical school and set up practice together. Don, however, is attracted to easy money, so he marries a politician's daughter, Lois (Thelma Todd).

He gets a special job on the medical commission. Apparently they're a bunch of crooks and charge more money for a service than was charged by the hospital. This was some kind of pre-Medicare fraud.

Mary, meanwhile, has been in love with Don all these years, and it's unrequited. She stays busy with her pediatrician practice, but finally her nurse (Farrell) insists she take a vacation. Well, who does she run into - running from an indictment - but Don.

The indictment is quashed thanks to his father-in-law. Don plans on asking Lois for a divorce - both of them want their freedom. So Mary and Don declare their love for one another.

Once back in the thick of things, Mary realizes she's pregnant. When she tries to tell Don, he informs her that Lois is pregnant, and he can't divorce her now. So Mary does what many unwed mothers did back then - she goes away, planning on returning with an adopted child.

Kay Francis as an actress exuded so much warmth and emotion that you're pulling for her all the way. Actually I thought she could do a lot better than Lyle Talbot, who did a good job as Don. Farrell was a riot as the voice of reality.

A year after this film, the Hayes Code kicked in and unwed moms were out.

"Mary Stevens, M. D." is a true melodrama. I was yanked into it, and I found it enjoyable, with some nail-biting along the way.