Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Cromwell. The screenplay by Lester Cohen is based on the 1915 novel of the same title by W. Somerset Maugham. The film was remade in 1946 and again in 1964. Sensitive, club-footed artist Philip Carey is an Englishman who has been studying painting in Paris for four years. His art teacher tells him his work lacks promise, so he returns to London to become a medical doctor, but his moo... more

Of Human Bondage is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Cromwell. The screenplay by Lester Cohen is based on the 1915 novel of the same title by W. Somerset Maugham. The film was remade in 1946 and again in 1964. Sensitive, club-footed artist Philip Carey is an Englishman who has been studying painting in Paris for four years. His art teacher tells him his work lacks promise, so he returns to London to become a medical doctor, but his moodiness and chronic self-doubt make it difficult for him to keep up in his schoolwork. Philip falls passionately in love with vulgar, illiterate tearoom waitress Mildred Rogers, even though she is disdainful of his club-foot and his obvious interest in her. Although he is attracted to the anemic and pale-faced woman, she is manipulative and cruel toward him when he asks her out. Her constant response to his romantic invitations is "I don't mind," an expression so disinterested that it infuriates him - which only causes her to use it all the... less