Ep 47: Mae Clarke in Waterloo Bridge (1931)

Soldiers are equipped with helmets, rifles, and uniforms to fight in the trenches in James Whale's picture set during WWI in London. Sass mouth dames such as Mae Clarke's Myra have lipstick, a cloche hat, and an ermine stole to survive the blackouts and shortages. Myra keeps her chin up when a string of bad breaks wear a groove into her tiny attic flat. When she meets an innocent recruit, does she dare hope for a fresh start? Mae Clarke's life story is more dramatic than the plots of her pictures. After the crushing demand of dual studio contracts left her physically and emotionally shattered, she was confined to an asylum against her will, and financially ruined by shady doctors. Mae was a ride or die performer who deserves a greater legacy.