I saw a very murky, dark print (the film can be found), but it still engaged me completely, which is saying something given the condition of the print. I'll admit I'm a Constance Bennett fan, and this was made during her peak years. A social climbing girl finds out she was illegitimate and why, but doesn't realize she is guilty of the same superficiality as her mother. She follows the same path... I won't say more to not give away the story, but while the ending may be expected, it is an entertaining path getting there. There are no early 30s melodramatics here, the acting was quite good and I think it's the only opportunity to see Constance Bennett playing opposite here father Richard. If you like early talkie drama, this is highly recommended.
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AAdaSC31 March 2019Constance Bennett (Stephanie) is a socially aspiring teenager who wants to belong to the wealthy classes. She has been brought up by hard-working mother Dorothy Peterson but has never known her father. There are 3 men who enter into her life - Richard Bennett (Meyer), Ben Lyon (Nick) and Ray Milland (Charles). It's a soap opera story about how she finds love and the right path.
The film is pretty obvious in where it is going and I mean that with regard to every storyline. You should guess the whole thing pretty early on. It doesn't matter, though, as the cast are good and Bennett wins the audience over. She starts off as selfish but she turns things around and we get to like her as she changes her tune. I wouldn't have recognized Milland had it not been for his voice. He's young here and pretty scarily plastered with make-up. Unfortunately, the film suffers slightly with the sound quality and a great deal more with the picture quality.
The film covers a 2 year period as Constance progresses from an 18 year old to a 20 year old. From an immature teenager to a mature young lady. -
mark.waltz13 November 2023Early 30's pre-code soaper, with Constance Bennett's Stephanie Dale the earlier equivalent of Rachel on "Another World", Erica on "All My Children" and Jill on "The Young and the Restless", the fatherless poor girl longing for a better life. It's her 18th birthday and she's almost finished with school and a neighbor (Maude Eburne) brings her a lace handkerchief that Stephanie (nicknamed Steve throughout the film) considers the loveliest thing she's ever owned. She tells her mother (Dorothy Peterson) of her desire to marry up, and soon is being welcomed into some upscale homes including that of Richard Bennett as someone who once knew her mother and admirerers Ray Milland and Ben Lyon.
Playing opposite her real life father makes it pretty obvious of one secret that is going to be revealed, and he advises her in affairs of the heart, something she doesn't easily listen to. The melodrama isn't exactly believable, but the performances are good especially Eburne and Clara Blandick as the landlady always offering her unsolicited advice. At times it's really heartwarming and other times unintentionally funny, but Bennett gives the best she can as a rather messed up young lady who isn't either really bought or rented (the melodramatic looking poster doesn't reflect the theme very well), but one who needs to learn how to be true to herself. -
gcube19429 August 2015This is an extremely enjoyable film despite the print quality. Miss Bennett was worth every penny that the Brother's Warner paid her. It was a little disconcerting to see her so painfully thin but that was part of the 1930's allure. A fine cast, no clinkers at all. Note that Dorothy Peterson was just 7 years old when she supposedly gave birth to CB - only in Hollywood! Miss Peterson was intelligent enough to accept mother roles very early in her career and thus prolonged it far beyond the average tenure of her contemporaries. Thank goodness that films such as this have survived to serve as a counterpoint to what is produced today.
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pauldeboef23 January 2014In 1931 Constance Bennett's star shone brighter than ever. At this point of her career she was Hollywood's highest paid actress. While filming BOUGHT, Warner Brothers paid her the all-time high salary of $30.000 a week. This is a superior Pre-code drama film and one of Constance Bennett's most unusual films, but certainly one of her best.
The advertising slogan for BOUGHT was : "She sold her self for a taste of life". When the film came out in 1931 it received rave reviews, above all because of Constance Bennetts natural acting and her fine portrayal of a modern girl. It was one of her most successful films. It's a good story - Constance Bennett is cast as a young woman of rather poor background who lives with her mother. When her mother dies she moves to an apartment. She gets a job as a fashion model at a modiste shop where she meets an elderly man (played by Bennett's real life father Richard). She loves to read literature and he gives her a few books with rather suggestive titles (including James Harvey Robinson's "The mind in the making" and Molnar's "Eva and Derelict boat") and they soon become friends. But she is put off by his age and later she gets bored by his company and she begins to avoid him. She falls for a young writer (Ben Lyon), but what she desires is a wealthy society life and she starts an affair with a rich guy (Ray Milland). But she does not feel happy with him.
The film has nothing really spectacular, but it's a very engaging, charming and beautiful film. It's indeed very well and naturally acted by Constance - less melodramatic than in her previous films - and she's a powerful presence here. She makes her character sensitive, intelligent and alluring, and she looks more beautiful than ever. I never saw her look any better. In my opinion this is Constance Bennett at her best. Another highlight of BOUGHT is the presence of Richard Bennett who gives a very poignant and realistic portrayal as her father. His screen presence is really something special here. What makes this film rather touching is the fact that Constance Bennett befriends a mysterious elderly man, a man unknown to her, but he is her long lost father.
BOUGHT is somewhat more realistic than Constance Bennett's previous films like THE EASIEST WAY, SIN TAKES A HOLIDAY or BORN TO LOVE. There's also some nice music in the background now and then, which heightens the atmosphere.
Highly recommended.