The Sin of Madelon Claudet

[Glebb]

Posted: 1/1/06 at 11:19am

M-G-M/Helen Hayes - 1931
She got oscar!
Anyone seen it?

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/1/06 at 11:45am

Years ago. I remember the ending made me cry. It's an early "talkie" so be prepared for the melodramatic approach. But it's very good.

I also remember hearing they re-shot the ending because the film tested so badly. It was almost shelved. Then they re-shot the last 20 minutes or so, changed the title from "Lullaby" to "The Sin of Madelon Claudet"... and the rest is Oscar history.

[roquat]

Posted: 1/1/06 at 12:25pm

This is one of those noble, self-sacrificial maternal pictures, isn't it?

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/1/06 at 12:32pm

Yes.

...But I still cried at the end (as I recall).

She's a homeless woman of the "streets." (I think they imply that she was a prostitute, but I can't remember.) I thought her sin was that she had a son out of wedlock, but I think it's really that she "gave him up," or something like that. It's been SO long, I confess I'm vague about the plot.

Then years later, she sees that he's grown up into a fine successful man. She won't tell him that she's his mother though.

Sounds kinda like "To Each His Own," come to think of it... which Olivia De Havilland also picked up an Oscar for.

Maybe THAT'S what I need to do: Make a movie where I have a successful child and don't tell them I'm a "parent." I'm engraving my name on the golden pedestal right now!

[cturtle]

Posted: 1/1/06 at 1:42pm

another movie i need to dig out of the old archives ... i think it's on vhs around here somewhere ...

[hannahshule]

Posted: 1/1/06 at 3:09pm

Netflix has it, but it's in the "save" category, so you can add it to your queue, but it will be on a wait

[Glebb]

Posted: 1/1/06 at 3:18pm

I'm curious to see it.
Reminds me a bit of Madame X.