Summary
This 1936 drama, "What Becomes of the Children?", tracks the spiraling lives of Freddie and Marion, two neglected children of a wealthy Boston tycoon. Their parents, too absorbed in their own worlds—a burgeoning railroad empire for the father, endless social engagements for the mother—leave the kids to fend for themselves, leading to a series of escalating misfortunes. From a childhood accident to adult rebellion, prison time, and even a murder trial, the film throws everything it has at the siblings, all while exploring what happens when family ties fray under the weight of parental indifference.
Synopsis
While Boston tycoon John Worthington dreams of building his "Great American Railway," his family life is disintegrating around him. His wife Edith spends all her time on social endeavors, leaving the rearing of their two small children, Freddie and Marion, to their nanny, Gertrude. The neglected Worthington children seek their parents attention and affection, as they witness the normal family life of next-door neighbor Thomas Scott, John's lawyer and closest friend. When Freddie and Marion bring home an abandoned dog, the two are sent to bed early. With both their parents away for the evening, the two sneak out of bed to play hide and seek. Marion, searching for Freddie, falls down the dumbwaiter and is seriously injured. The two parents rush home, and each blames the other for the child's injury. Edith, claiming that John is neglecting her as well as the children, files for divorce. Following their parents, divorce, Freddie and Marion are split up, with Freddie living with John while Marion leaves with Edith. Years later, John has fulfilled his dream of a great railroad empire, but is faced with two dilemmas: his workers are threatening to strike and Freddie has been thrown out of yet another college. John manages to break his workers' union, but Freddie tells his father that he would rather be disinherited than become a mirror of his father. With the help of his girl friend, blues singer Gale Adams, Freddie gets a job as a singing piano player in a small family restaurant. Meanwhile, Marion has led a similarly rebellious life. After Edith informs her that she is going off on a European vacation, Marion disowns her mother, goes to a wild cocktail party, and impulsively marries Roy Daniels. When Daniels is arrested on their wedding night for jewel theft, Marion is arrested as an accessory and spends one year in prison. Released from prison, Marion is unable to find work and contemplates suicide when she is evicted from her apartment. Her next-door neighbor, Elsie, takes her out to dinner, to the restaurant where Freddie works. When Roy enters the restaurant, Elsie, one of his jilted lovers, re-introduces him to his wife. Marion refuses to have anything to do with Roy, and when the thief tries to get rough with her, Freddie comes to her aid. Later, Marion tries to commit suicide by slipping pills into her drink, but Freddie stops her, and the two discover they are brother and sister. They go back to Marion's apartment, but their happy reunion is interrupted by the reappearance of Roy. When Roy and Freddie fight, a gun goes off and Roy is killed. Both Marion and Freddie are placed on trial for murder, and their two parents are reconciled in light of this family tragedy. Gale, convinced that Marion and Freddie are innocent, goes to Elsie and pretends to blackmail her, stating that she saw Elsie shoot Roy. Elsie then admits that Roy's partner, Shelby, was the real murderer. With their names cleared, the Worthingtons all return to their old home. Finally a happy family, Marion and Freddie ask their parents to take them to the zoo, something they had always been too busy before to do.
Review Excerpt
"Right, so, What Becomes of the Children? from 1936. Is it worth watching today? Honestly, probably only if you’re really into old, over-the-top melodramas or studying film history. If you like a story that just keeps piling on the misery, you might find it strangely compelling. But if you prefer subtlety, or anything resembling real-world logic, you’ll likely want to skip it. This one’s a wild ride through a very specific kind of old Hollywood excess.The film kicks off with the Worthington famil..."