🎬 Film · English

The Good Bad Girl (1931)

Name: The Good Bad Girl
Director: Roy William Neill
Genre: drama film
Released: 1931
Duration: 67 min
Cast: Robert Ellis, Max Wagner, Edward Cooper, Edmund Breese, Ernie Adams

⏱ 67 min drama film

Plot

1931 film by Roy William Neill

✍️ CinePearl Editorial AI-generated by Groq / Llama 3.3 · CC0 data

Why Watch This

Roy William Neill’s early foray into gritty melodrama offers a raw look at a young woman torn between societal expectations and her own rebellious streak. The film’s snappy dialogue and stark black‑and‑white cinematography give it a timeless, noir‑ish edge that feels surprisingly modern.

Best For

Classic drama enthusiasts, Pre‑Code fans, Noir lovers, Fans of early 1930s cinema, Marie Prevost admirers

The CinePearl Take

Marie Prevost shines as the titular “good‑bad” girl, balancing vulnerability with a fierce defiance that anchors the film’s moral ambiguity. Neill’s direction keeps the pacing brisk, never allowing the courtroom and street‑level scenes to lag. The supporting turn by Mae Clarke adds a sharp counterpoint, highlighting the limited choices women faced in the Depression era. While the plot can feel contrived by modern standards, its thematic focus on reputation versus self‑determination still resonates.

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Cast & Crew

Director: Roy William Neill
Cast: Robert Ellis, Max Wagner, Edward Cooper, Edmund Breese, Ernie Adams, Paul Fix, Eddy Chandler, Wheeler Vivian Oakman, James Hall, Marie Prevost, Mae Clarke
Writer: Jo Swerling

Data sourced from Wikidata (CC0 public domain). Editorial content generated by Groq AI for informational purposes.