IMDb RATING
7.0/10
8.4K
YOUR RATING
A young man finds himself attracted to a cold, unfeeling waitress who might ultimately destroy them both.A young man finds himself attracted to a cold, unfeeling waitress who might ultimately destroy them both.A young man finds himself attracted to a cold, unfeeling waitress who might ultimately destroy them both.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
Frank Mills
- Chimneysweep
- (scenes deleted)
Harry Allen
- Cabbie at End
- (uncredited)
Ray Atchley
- J. Murphy
- (uncredited)
Frank Baker
- Policeman Removing Mildred
- (uncredited)
Evelyn Beresford
- Coughing Lady
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Lester Cohen
- W. Somerset Maugham
- Ann Coleman(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film was released on June 28, 1934, just three days before strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code began. The paintings of nude women that Philip Carey cherished were the last such images to be seen in an American film for many years.
- GoofsAthelny's mustache and beard are almost coming unstuck when he is eating dinner.
- Quotes
Mildred Rogers: You cad, you dirty swine! I never cared for you, not once! I was always makin' a fool of ya! Ya bored me stiff; I hated ya! It made me sick when I had to let ya kiss me. I only did it because ya begged me, ya hounded me and drove me crazy! And after ya kissed me, I always used to wipe my mouth! Wipe my mouth!
- ConnectionsEdited into Liquid Television: Episode #2.10 (1992)
- SoundtracksHesitation Blues
(1915) (uncredited)
Written by Billy Smythe, Scott Middleton and Art Gillham
Played when Mildred is tearing up the apartment
Featured review
A star is born!
After laboring in Hollywood for nearly four years, playing one nothing role after the other in one forgettabe film after the other, Davis won the role of a lifetime. That of slatternly waitress Mildred Rogers, the 'bitch' heroine of Somerset Maugham's classic story. Davis in BONDAGE is an example of an actress's triumph. Lester Cohen's script, making for a picture that runs in length 83 minutes, is breezy and admittedly fails to capture all of the qualities that made Maugham's book such a compulsive read. But Bette Davis' performance in BONDAGE makes the film every bit as good as the book itself. She is absolutely fascinating. Her role of Mildred is as spiteful and bitchy as they come. Yet Bette plays the part so well that you can't help but root for her. That's not to say that she doesn't overdo it at times. But she is clearly into the role and rightfully so. Having played so many thankless background parts(secretaries, gun molls, etc.), this was her chance to break loose and show critics and audiences alike her full capabilities as an actress, and did she ever! Even keeping in mind all of the memorable Davis movie moments that followed, Mildred Rogers still remains her most stunning achievement. The great British actor Leslie Howard, playing the club-footed medical student who becomes infatuated with Mildred, seems over-powered, and possibly intimidated by his co-star. Oh yes, Davis was not yet a full-fledged star and was supposed to be playing second fiddle to the already distinguished Howard, but with BONDAGE, that situation quickly reversed. Shockingly, Davis didn't receive so much as an Oscar nomination for her brilliant performance, and when she won a year later for the tired melodrama DANGEROUS, everyone(including Bette herself) assumed it was out of sympathy for not receiving her full due for this film.
helpful•70
- verna55
- Nov 27, 2000
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $403,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 23 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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