MANDALAY

MANDALAY (1934). Director: Michael Curtiz.

Tanya (Kay Francis) is in love with Tony (Ricardo Cortez) but he runs off and sticks her with Nick (Warner Oland), who installs her in his nightclub, where she sings and becomes known as "Spot White." Setting off for Mandalay and a new life, she runs into disgraced doctor Gregory Burton (Lyle Talbot) on shipboard and the two become a team. But then Tony shows up again ... The cast helps put over this mediocre pot-boiler which has a somewhat surprising -- and darkly amusing -- conclusion. Cortez and Francis again make a good team as they did in Transgression and The House on 56th Street.

Verdict: See Glamorous Kay suffer! **1/2.