Stage Mother (film)

Stage Mother is a 1933 American PreCode drama film directed by Charles Brabin and starring Alice Brady and Maureen OSullivan. The film is about a frustrated vaudeville performer who pushes her daughter into becoming a star dancer selfishness, deceit and blackmail drive mother and daughter apart until a reconciliation at the end of the film. The films screenplay was written by John Meehan, based on the 1933 novel Stage Mother by Bradford Ropes.

During tryouts in Boston, Shirley returns to her family home and meets Warren Foster, an artist now living there. She takes advantage of her mothers sudden illness to continue seeing Warren, eventually staying the night with him. When Kitty intercepts a love letter from Warren to Shirley, she blackmails Warrens parents for 10,000. Warren angrily denounces Shirley.Shirley next takes up with Al Dexter, a candidate for mayor. When his political operatives get wind of the relationship they pay Kitty 25,000 to sail with Shirley to Europe. Onboard ship, Shirley meets Lord Reggie Aylesworth. Worried that the classconscious Reggie will abandon her, Shirley denies that Kitty is her mother, claiming she is merely a stage mother. Reggie proposes and Shirley accepts, blithely informing Kitty both of the lie and that she will not be welcomed in her new home. A contrite Kitty hands over another intercepted love letter from Warren and gives Shirley her blessing for a happy life. ........

Source: Wikipedia