Born to Be Bad (1934)

Born to Be Bad is a 1934 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Lowell Sherman, and starring Loretta Young and Cary Grant.

This film was rejected by the Hays Office twice before it was finally approved. Young's character, an unwed mother who entertains wholesale buyers to secure contracts for her friend, had to be re-written and re-filmed, so that her occupation is only hinted at. Zanuck had to cut as much as possible shots of Young in her underwear and of exposed legs to the hips. The film was a box-office failure, with a loss of $50,000.

Synopsis

Letty Strong (Loretta Young) was raised in a good family, but became pregnant and ran away from home. She was taken in by elderly Fuzzy (Henry Travers), and gave birth to Mickey (Jackie Kelk) in the back room of Fuzzy's bookstore at the age of fifteen. Embittered, she taught Mickey to be street smart so he will never be taken advantage of like her. Fuzzy strongly disapproves of how she is raising her son. Now seven years old, Mickey skips school and does as he pleases. Meanwhile, Letty earns a living by entertaining buyers so they will give business to her friend Steve Karns.

Actors