1937's Confession was a huge hit for Kay Francis, who would soon find Warner Brothers trying to drive her and her big money contract out of the studio with bad scripts. I love when these studios have amnesia about the money a star has made for them.
Confession is a Madame X-type of film, with Francis as a tired, blond cabaret performer a la Dietrich on trial for killing a composer/conductor (Basil Rathbone). She refuses to say anything in her defense, but eventually, she tells her story. In flashback, we see the character of Vera as a young opera singer who gives up her career for love.
The studio treatment of "Confession" was similar to the treatment given "Algiers" - Warners bought up all the prints of "Mazurka," the European version of this film, and kept it from being seen outside of Germany. Walter Wanger tried to buy up all the prints of "Pepe le Moko" when he made Algiers - fortunately, in that case, the ploy didn't work.
The cast is good, with Francis doing a great job as Vera. Rathbone is appropriately dashing and slimy as Michael. Jane Bryan (who married Rexall Drugs and retired) gives an odd performance. Her character, Lisa, keeps saying that she doesn't want to see Michael, yet does - that's understandable, but when she's with him, she acts miserable and like she doesn't want to be there. Not that I blame her, but why go out with him in the first place? She doesn't exhibit, for me anyway, the sexual desire and excitement that would make her nervousness and discomfort believable.
Very good film, recommended, especially for a stunning Kay Francis performance.
