Midnight Mary (1933), the sole MGM entry in the collection, works predictable changes on the Depression formula. Anita Loos' story begins with beautiful Mary Martin (19 year-old Loretta Young) awaiting a verdict for a murder; how an innocent teenager turned into a notorious woman provides the subject for an extended flashback. 2.

Homeless and starving, Mary is imprisoned for shoplifting (a bum rap, remember this is an MGM film). Returned to the street, she becomes the paramour of stickup gang leader Leo Darcy (Ricardo Cortez). Mary and fellow good-time girl Bunny (Una Merkel) are accomplices in the robbery of an illegal casino. The crime goes bad but Mary slips away with Tom Mannering Jr. (Franchot Tone), the wealthy son and law partner of a famous attorney, who lives in a swank house just a few blocks away (more MGM glitz fantasy). Although Mary tries to go straight, Leo won't give her up. Various complications lead to Tom's life being threatened, just as he's ready to propose ... Mary knows that she might have to go to the gas chamber, but she picks up a gun to save the innocent Tom.

Midnight Mary veers between Pre-Code frankness and MGM glamour whitewash. Mary and Bunny are kept women, no excuses given, but the script assures us that Mary has "higher" cultural aspirations, that the oily Leo Darcy respects to some degree. Mary's also too noble to tell the truth to Tom Mannering's Prince Charming substitute, and chooses instead to play the "bad girl" to keep him out of danger. Unlike a true Pre-Code in the naturalistic mode, the story contrives a happy ending. Not only does it seem unlikely, it technically makes Midnight Mary less moral -- Mary Martin does engage in a lot of unpunished criminal activity.

Loretta Young is just ravishing, more so than in her later, more famous pictures. She comes off as a more relaxed and natural Joan Crawford type; MGM does her makeup to resemble Crawford. I could be wrong, but I think Young also shows up in a dress we've previously seen Crawford wear. Perhaps Louis B. Mayer wanted to put a scare into the ambitious Crawford, to show her that she could be replaced. Franchot Tone plays his usual smiling gent and Ricardo Cortez is a by-the-numbers baddie; Una Merkel is amusing. Andy Devine plays another wealthy playboy who keeps singing about "Blood on the saddle".

Still typical of MGM (Savant bias intentional), the moment Mary Martin is in the chips, she's suddenly waited on by personal servants -- even in the scummy hideout of a gang of thieves.
-- DVD Savant