"Born To Be Bad"

I hadn't seen this film in many years, but remembered enjoying it. Watching it again, I learned my memory didn't fail me. This movie stars two of my favorite actors, Cary Grant and Loretta Young.

Loretta plays "Letty", a single mom who teaches her son to have street smarts. He is 7, drinks booze, smokes, and plays hooky from school. Letty doesn't mind or course, because she is born to be bad. She cavorts with rich men every night looking fab in beautiful dresses (designed by Cecil B. DeMille's protegee Gwen Wakeling). When her son is hit by a car by rich Cary Grant, she tries to make it seem worse than it is to the courts to use Cary as her meal ticket.

This plan backfires and Letty's son is taken away because (shocker) her parenting skills are horrible. Cary Grant being the perfect specimen that he is feels bad and decides to take the troubled kid in. His wife is all for this since she can't pop kids out herself. Since Letty is again, born to be bad, she sees this as another way to drain Cary's bank account and tries to seduce him. Since Letty is so damn hot, Cary gives in. Letty records this  and just before the blackmail begins, Cary tells her he has confessed to his wife and that he wants to be with her! Fail. Now Letty is faced with a challenge. Not once thinking what is best for her kid until the end, Letty must go through mixed emotions until she decides to do what is right.

This picture is exactly one hour long and showcases Loretta Young at her finest. This was an interesting role for her considering a year later she would herself become a single mother after her private affair with married Clark Gable. Loretta was a faith filled woman and to watch her play such a bad charactered woman is fun.