Motherhood takes it on the chin in this family comedy from Warner Bros. that served as an early showcase for some rising stars while also giving veteran character actress Marjorie Rambeau a chance to steal scenes effortlessly. Silent star Irene Rich is a widow raising three sons who turn out to be massive disappointments. None of them can hold down a job or sustain a relationship, but when Rich has the chance for happiness with a wealthy suitor, they all object for fear she won't be there to take care of them. When each tries to lie his way out of the draft, Rich's aunt, Rambeau, decides to take matters into her own hands. The sons are an interesting trio. The eldest, an aspiring trumpet player, is played by Warner's juvenile Wayne Morris, who would become a decorated hero during World War II. Tom Brown, the youngest, had been a child star, most notably as Anne Shirley's rival in Anne of the Green Gables (1934). The middle son, aspiring actor Kenneth, was played by William T. Orr, who would give up his acting career to move into production after marrying studio head Jack L. Warner's stepdaughter. As the neighbor who loves Kenneth, Warner's showcased young Susan Peters, who would soon fly the coop for MGM, where she would be marked for stardom before a hunting accident cost her the use of her legs.

By Frank Miller