Back Street

Irene Dunne ("Rae") gives a strong performance here as a woman who sacrifices her first love so she can help her step-sister. Many years later, she encounters the successful, married "Walter Saxel" (John Boles) again and they embark on an affair. The plot is simple, and probably rather racy for the early 1930s, but the two stars with some help from Zasu Pitts create a character-driven romantic drama with a sense of kindness and affection belied in the rather poor title. Maybe a touch too long, the story certainly takes a bit too long to get up a head of steam, but it's well worth a watch if you get a chance.