MovieChat Forums > Under Eighteen (1932) Discussion > Euphemisms in this movie: Abortion or '...

Euphemisms in this movie: Abortion or 'Divorce'

posted 17 years ago by mitchflorida
4 replies | jump to latest

It is appareent that Marge is really desparate to collect $200 for her sister to have an abortion, not to hire a lawyer. This was a taboo subject in that era (almost like it is now). There is no greeat emergency for people to divorce, they simply can move out of the apartment and seperate. Clearly Marge is looking to get her sister an abortion, when she goes to an office building and clearly looks up a doctor to perform the procedure.

Pretty spicy stuff.

[–] Alix1929 17 years ago

Hmmm...I have seen this movie dozens of times, and I think Sophie does consider an abortion because Alf won't support her and "Snookems," but I think when the two girls go into the big office building, they're looking for a lawyer.

By this time Sophie was disgusted with Alf's reluctance to work, and was ready to get rid of him. Margie knew all about who to go to for a divorce, through her associations with women at Francois' shop.

[–] HarlowMGM 17 years ago

Yes, I brought it up in my review to the film here at IMDB, and I think they WANT you to think Soph is considering having an abortion but then they drop it and don't suggest she has had it. And then with the cornball ending of her getting back together with that bum, it wouldn't make sense to have had the character have a abortion so presumably she was still pregnant at the end.

[–] MelCooley 17 years ago

That's an interesting take on the movie! But since this was a pre-code film, wouldn't a more obvious, yet "discreet" word or phrase have been used to indicate an abortion? There are a lot of subtle phrases in the movie (like when Marge gets off the penthouse elevator and the elevator operator says, "Watch your step...") and it's so fun to watch.

[–] Itsamoomoo 12 years ago

I caught the implication of abortion but it's made very clearly that the reason Margie is so desperate for the two hundred so that she can avoid the six month delay the attorney pointed out.