Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage (1934) is John Cromwell's adaptation of the Somerset Maugham novel that you can watch online on iFILM — a study of an obsession that refuses to loosen its grip.

Leslie Howard plays Philip Carey, a sensitive medical student with a clubfoot and little faith in himself. He falls for Mildred (Bette Davis), a cold, scheming waitress who treats him with open contempt. The crueler she is, the harder he comes crawling back. Maugham called it the bondage of feeling, and the film lives or dies on that painful pull.

Mildred is the role that made Bette Davis a star. When the Academy left her off the ballot, the outcry was loud enough that voters were allowed to write her name in by hand for the first time. Her performance has no charm and offers no apology — rare for a leading lady of the era. Old picture, but the ache of one-sided love hasn't dated. Stream Of Human Bondage (1934) online on iFILM.