Mary Stevens, M.D.

Mary Stevens, M.D. is a 1933 American drama film directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring H.B. Warner and Bette Davis. The movie revolves around the story of Dr. Mary Stevens, a brilliant and determined woman who decides to defy societal norms and have a child without being married. The film opens with Dr. Mary Stevens working as a surgeon in a New York City hospital. Mary is a fiercely independent and ambitious individual who has achieved success in her field despite being a woman. However, she has yet to receive the recognition she deserves, largely due to the sexism and misogyny prevalent in the medical profession during that time. One of the most prominent challenges Mary faces is her complicated relationship with her father, Dr. Henry Stevens, who is also a doctor. Although he claims to support her career, he is disappointed that she has not followed a more traditional path. This tension between them creates a sense of disconnection and drives Mary to question her relationship with her father. When a friend, Marion, gets married and confides in Mary about the pressures of marriage, Mary jokingly suggests they both have children out of wedlock, knowing it will impossible for a respectable woman to do so back then. Feeling stifled by societal expectations, Mary begins to explore this option for herself, realizing that the fear of being stigmatized or ostracized might not be as significant as the desire to have a child. In due course, it becomes clear that Mary has no intention to marry, and intends to raise her child as a single mother, all of which would have been highly unconventional at the time. The movie portray's Mary's personal life a juxtaposition of the normal, middle-aged woman depicted in the period. Upon accepting a proposal of marriage from a successful man. Her proposed suitor's intentions are motivated by his perception of social status, as married males get a higher status in society. The individual is asked why he proposed to Mary in the future as it appears their union only occurred because marriage is a convenient way to improve one's class. Upon finding out she's not pregnant, Mary discovers this to be because of certain actions committed by her partner. So their future union will be put to rest due to her being left unmarried at the end.