Three on a Match (1932)

Three on a Match Poster

Although Vivian Revere is seemingly the most successful of a trio of reunited schoolmates, she throws it away by descending into a life of debauchery and drugs.

Introduction
"Three on a Match" is a 1932 American pre-Code police procedural movie guided by Mervyn LeRoy as well as starring Joan Blondell, Bette Davis, and also Ann Dvorak. The movie is based upon the novel "Three Women" by Tiffany Thayer and also a 1931 stage play by John Bright and Kubec Glasmon. It tells the tale of three pals whose lives split and intersect, with each handling various individual and social concerns. The movie discovers styles such as women relationship, social expectations, and the effects of not sticking to them.

Plot Overview
The story begins in 1919, where 3 girls-- Mary, Vivian, as well as Ruth-- are finishing from grade school. They are good friends however come from various histories: Mary (played by Joan Blondell) is street-smart and challenging, Vivian (played by Ann Dvorak) is a well-off socialite, as well as Ruth (played by Bette Davis) is a timid and also academic lady. Despite their distinctions, the three make a deal to be lifelong friends.

The film after that fast-forwards to 1931, where the 3 close friends rejoin after many years apart and also review their lives. Mary has actually ended up being a devoted secretary that has striven to overcome her difficult training. She is dating the well-respected lawyer Robert Kirkwood (played by Warren William). Vivian, now wed to an affluent entrepreneur, is unhappy and burnt out in her marriage. Ruth continues her academic path as well as is a devoted as well as focused clerk.

As the film advances, Vivian begins to thwart from her social duty as a wife as well as mom as well as is drawn right into indulgence as well as excessive partying. She comes to be included with a male named Michael Loftus (played by Lyle Talbot), that reveals her to medications and also an undesirable way of life. Incapable to withstand the appeal of this brand-new life, Vivian divorces her spouse and also leaves her son behind.

On the other hand, Mary supports as well as aids Robert Kirkwood in his job as a lawyer, and they fall in love. Noticing their growing nearness, Ruth steps apart, not wanting to conflict in their budding relationship. Nevertheless, when Vivian's child, Junior, is deserted by Vivian, it is Ruth who handles the duty of looking after him.

Misfortune strikes when Vivian's former hubby and his partner are eliminated in an automobile crash. Not recognizing that he has a sibling as well as a brother-in-law willing to look after him, Junior is eliminated by his grandfather who watches Robert and Mary's romance as inappropriate for the raising of his grandson.

Final thought and Impact
As Vivian descends additionally into her self-destructive way of life, she comes to be involved with a gangster called Harve (played by Humphrey Bogart), who vigorously utilizes her in a kidnapping plot versus her own boy. In a significant climax, Harve kills Michael, and also Mary saves Junior from the lawbreakers. The film finishes with Vivian satisfying her terrible fate, as her extra and hedonism cause her untimely fatality.

"Three on a Match" is remarkable for its solid and intricate women personalities, that battle with social expectations and individual passions. The movie's expedition of women friendship and also the consequences of straying from traditional duties was a groundbreaking theme in the early 1930s and gathered much interest from audiences and also movie critics alike. Furthermore, the film showcases an outstanding efficiency from its 3 leads-- Blondell, Davis, and also Dvorak-- that brought the tale of Mary, Vivian, and Ruth to life and also produced a remarkable, traditional dramatization that continues to be a popular item of cinema nearly a century later on.

Top Cast

  • Virginia Davis (small)
    Virginia Davis
    Mary Keaton as a Child
  • Joan Blondell (small)
    Joan Blondell
    Mary Keaton
  • Anne Shirley (small)
    Anne Shirley
    Vivian Revere as a Child
  • Ann Dvorak (small)
    Ann Dvorak
    Vivian Revere
  • Betty Carse
    Ruth Westcott as a Child
  • Bette Davis (small)
    Bette Davis
    Ruth Westcott
  • Warren William (small)
    Warren William
    Robert Kirkwood
  • Lyle Talbot (small)
    Lyle Talbot
    Michael Loftus
  • Humphrey Bogart (small)
    Humphrey Bogart
    Harve
  • Allen Jenkins (small)
    Allen Jenkins
    Dick
  • Edward Arnold (small)
    Edward Arnold
    Ace