Frank Borzage - Man’s Castle (1933)

Even though its release date in 1933 pre-dated the most rigorous version of Hollywood’s Production Code,Man’s Castle still ran into censorship problems over such material as a man and woman skinny-dipping, and an unmarried pregnancy. Cuts were made to the original print even before the film came out, and still more for a 1938 re-release. Director Frank Borzage was at the height of his career, and Spencer Tracy on the verge of becoming a major star, but the controversy surrounding Man’s Castle seemed to affect its box office appeal, and it faded into obscurity.

Despite all that, the film stands up as a remarkable combination of soaring romance and wrenching depiction of the privation brought about by the Depression. Tracy plays Bill, a lifelong drifter living in a Manhattan shantytown who’s barely surviving from doing odd jobs. By chance, he comes across Trina (Loretta Young), a young woman who hasn’t eaten for two days but isn’t prepared to sell her body as a solution. Bill’s nearly broke himself, but gets her a free meal at an expensive restaurant by embarrassing the manager.

Inevitably, they become a couple, and set up house in a shack in the shantytown, with an alcoholic old woman, an ex-minister, and an unscrupulous vagrant who lusts after Trina for company. Trina is soon completely devoted to Bill, and is intent on building a life with him. He’s wary of commitment and, despite his real feelings for her, tries fending Trina off in various ways, including by sniping at her unfairly and having a fling with an actress. None of this deters her, but matters come to a head when she falls pregnant…