MILL CREEK LEGENDS OF HORROR: Easy Virtue (1928)

Based on the 1924 play by Noël Coward, this Alfred Hitchcock-directed movie opens with Larita Filton (Isabel Jeans) testifying at her divorce trial as she leaves her husband, Aubrey (Franklin Dyall). The scandal of it all is that Claude Robson (Eric Bransby Williams), an artist, is in love with Larita and a mistaken moment leads to him being shot. She leaves town, goes to Europe and instantly marries John Whittaker (Robin Irvine) after he hits her in the eye with a tennis ball.

Of course, his mother (Violet Farebrother) hates her, as she wanted him to marry Sarah (Enid Stamp Taylor). She does everything she can to turn the entire family — and her son — against Larita, who finally just gives in and allows her husband to divorce her.

At the end, as photographer take her picture outside of court, she says, “Shoot! There’s nothing left to kill.” Hitchcock said it was the worst thing he ever wrote. Sadly, this was a financial failure.

You can watch this on YouTube.

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