Bad Sister

directed by Hobart Henley
Category: "Drama"
Year of Release:1931
Date Added:04/23/2026
Date Watched:04/23/2026
Description:Popular, flirtatious Marianne Madison (Sidney Fox) rejects suitor Wade, a chubby but wealthy banker. She sets her sights on Dick (Conrad Nagel), local doctor, not knowing that her sister Laura (Bette Davis) is in love with him. But when she meets the exciting Val (Humphrey Bogart), she dumps Dick too. Val tells the family that he's scoping the town for a new factory, and he offers Mr. Madison a executive position in exchange for a letter to other businessmen in town saying that Val is a good investment. Mr. Madison refuses to sign it until he checks things out. Val cons Marianne into forging her father's signature, then he "elopes" with her and abandons her in a hotel. She returns to town and tries to get back together with Dick, but he's fallen in love with Laura. Marianne gets home just as the investors confront her father. She confesses, and he promises to pay everything back so long as they don't get Marianne in trouble. She marries Wade, and he forgives her and helps Mr. Madison out of his financial difficulties. Dick marries Laura.
My Rating:6

Reviews for Bad Sister

Review - Bad Sister

Interesting for early Bogart and for being Davis' first movie, although I'm not a fan of her here or anywhere else. The story was predicable, but maybe not so much in 1931 when movies were still new.

Reviewed by Roger on 2026-04-23 15:02:22

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