Three on a Match (1932) **1/2

Release Date: October 29, 1932

Running time: 63 minutes

Cast: Joan Blondell, Warren William, Ann Dvorak, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart

Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy

Three on a Match is, at its very essence, a morality tale. It is the story of three women from the same school who grew up very differently with the choices they make later in life leading to some very dark places. A prominent theme in the film is consequences. We see this early on with Mary (Joan Blondell) who, in her adolescence, spent time in reform school and had a bad reputation. She eventually finds a semblance of stability as a showgirl. Ruth (Bette Davis), who was valedictorian, grows up to be a stenographer, a steady job that offers her little satisfaction and is a far cry from where she thought she would end up. Vivian (Ann Dvorak) is the most successful having married a successful lawyer, Robert Kirkwood (Warren Williams), and has a young child, Robert Jr. (Buster Phillips), but longs for more excitement in her life. 

A chance meeting between the three women leads to a scene where the three women, reminiscing and smoking, lighting their three cigarettes on a single match. This leads to a discussion about the old superstition that this act is unlucky and that the last one of the three to light up, Vivian, will be the first to die.

Vivian’s unhappiness with her life doesn’t go unnoticed by her husband who handles it better than he should. He offers to take her on a vacation but she insists she wants to travel only with Robert Jr. the arrangements are made for her to travel on an ocean cruiser but Mary shows up with two men who are attending a party on the ship prior to departure. One of the men, gambler Michael Loftus, flirts with Vivian and she decides to run away with him, taking Robert Jr. with her. 

Mary is appalled with how Vivian’s decisions are leading to child neglect as Vivian prioritizes her own personal enjoyment above everything else, yet when Mary tries to talk to her on the child’s behalf, Vivian is dismissive and offended. Mary, in turn, feels responsible for the situation and tracks down the boys father who has been frantically searching for his missing wife and child. Meanwhile Michael has gotten in some heavy debt to mobsters and is being pressured to pay back the money or else face permanent consequences. The only source of money that he can figure is from that of Robert Jr.’s father. 

A lot happens in such a short film and yet it manages to flesh out most of the characters. Ruth is the only real exception who mostly stays in the background getting little to do until the final moments. Mary and Vivian get the brunt of the story showing opposite sides of the coin who swap fates because of their decisions as adults. Humphrey Bogart has a small role as Harve, a gangster who is putting the screws on Michael to insure he pays up. 

The ending of the film is both tragic and predictable. To say it was foreshadowed would be an understatement. Even though this is a pre-code film it is laced with the type of message prevalent in the Hayes era when wrong-doing had to be met with consequences to get a passing grade for theatrical release. The film is fun to watch, even as we get frustrated watching Vivian descend into neglect and debauchery. Ultimately, if you can get past the obviousness of the script and the heavy-handedness of the message, you will find much to enjoy here.