The Old Maid (1939) revolves around secret babies, a forbidden love triangle that lasts even after death, and family betrayal… and therefore is the perfect film for soap opera fans to watch!
Though this film is more than 85 years old, The Old Maid remains highly watchable. However, for what it’s worth, one does have to be a fan of soapy storylines and major melodrama. For those who have loved to watch daytime soapy antics — the fake deaths, the questionable paternity storylines, the family members who are out to destroy each other — this movie will be recognized as the delight that it is.
The Old Maid (1939): A Soapy Old Melodrama Set in Post-Civil War America
Starring Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, and George Brent, this 1939 romantic Victorian-era drama follows two sisters in post-Civil War America. The film opens on the wedding day of Delia Lovell (Hopkins). Drama soon occurs when Delia’s ex-fiancé, Clem Spender (Brent), arrives home after being gone for years. Though Delia promised she’d wait for him, she hasn’t heard from him in years and is now set to marry into the Ralston family.
Rather quickly in The Old Maid, we learn that though Delia is very close with her cousin, Charlotte Lovell (Davis), there’s one thing Charlotte is keeping from her: she’s also in love with Clem. Charlotte goes to tell Clem the truth, that Delia is marrying another. He’s understandably upset about the whole thing, but Delia goes through with the wedding… and Charlotte goes out of her way to help console Clem. Do you see where this is going yet?
Fast forward a few years, and Delia has a few children of her own. Charlotte, meanwhile, secretly became pregnant with Clem’s baby and had her daughter, Tina, out west. No one, save their family doctor, was aware of Charlotte’s pregnancy. Poor Clem went off to continue to fight in the Civil War, only to be killed. Charlotte, meanwhile, is running an orphanage and secretly raising one of those “orphans”, Tina.
Without giving too much away, drama only escalates from there, especially when Delia learns the truth about who little Tina’s parents are. Throughout it all, Delia thinks of Clem, the man who got away… and got her cousin pregnant. Delia can give Tina a mother and a home away from scandal… but what will become of Charlotte? Why, she’ll become an old maid.
Why Soap Opera Fans Will Love The Old Maid‘s Lead Female Characters
The plot points of this classic 1939 melodrama are very soapy, as you likely have already been able to tell. Throughout it all, however, is the story of Charlotte and Delia. The cousins truly were the best of friends, even if they were both in love with Clem. The question of whether they truly love each other — or whether Clem remains between them forever — is up for debate.
However, for soap fans who love complex female characters like All My Children‘s Erica Kane, or even (in a completely different direction) General Hospital‘s Ava Jerome, there is much to admire in Bette Davis’s and Miriam Hopkins’s performances.
All old movie lovers know what a powerhouse Davis is. Davis is, perhaps more than any other Old Hollywood actress save possibly Irene Dunne and Greer Garson, an actress who excelled in old weepies and melodramas. In The Old Maid, we get to see Davis play Charlotte from a young, unmarried woman madly in love with her cousin’s ex to an elderly “old maid” who is watching the younger generations be married off. Whether she’s playing a naive, happy young girl or a stern spinster, Davis shines throughout it all.
Hopkins, meanwhile, plays the film’s villain — if you can call her that. As every soap fan knows, sometimes the villains aren’t truly evil at all. Though Hopkins’s Delia makes many villainous moves throughout the film, Delia is not a one-dimensional character. Hopkins gives her complexity, particularly later on in the film when she is playing an older matriarch of her family.
Delia is an antagonist to Charlotte, yes. But by the time the film fades to black, you’re left with the understanding that there is true love between the cousins, despite all of the drama.
An Old Movie With Very Soapy Themes
The main plot of The Old Maid is the fact that Tina is Charlotte’s secret child with Clem… a secret that lasts for decades. Tina herself doesn’t even realize that Charlotte is her biological mother! But let’s not give too much away.
This plot point is very soapy. Even the reviewers of 1939 thought so (and some in a not-so-positive way, as we are spinning it!). Though the term “soap opera” originated in the 1930s, the phrase wouldn’t be well used until later. In The New York Times‘ review of the film in 1939, Frank S. Nugent claimed of the film, “In the rudest terminology, it is a tear-jerker.” Despite his criticism of the film — and many reviewers felt it was very melodramatic — even Nugent couldn’t deny that it was going to be a very popular film. Indeed, it was.
While those like Nugent might not find the joy and entertainment in watching a melodrama like The Old Maid, for those who do enjoy family sagas with soapy elements, this film remains a must-watch.
Though this is an old film, it isn’t as dated as other movies sometimes are. Yes, the film had to very strictly follow the Hays Code, so certain elements one might like to see in their soapy entertainment will not be seen here. For example, a happy ending for Miss Charlotte Lovell, a woman who had a baby out of marriage, was simply not going to be possible under the stern guidance of the Hays Code. However, that doesn’t necessarily take away from the film. After all, daytime soap operas are filled with mothers sacrificing their lives for their children to devastating consequences. One can simply add Charlotte Lovell to the list.
Watch The Old Maid (1939) for Soapy Entertainment
If you’re already a fan of old movies, you definitely should check out this engrossing family drama. If you’re new to old films yet love soap operas, why not check this movie out? You never know. It could become a favorite!
For soap fans who love secret children, forbidden romance, complex female villains, a secret that lasts decades, and a mother who is willing to lose herself for the benefit of her child, this is the film for you.
The Old Maid is currently available to stream on HBO Max. For more soapy old movie recommendations, as well as the latest news on current daytime soap operas, return to Soapy Tea daily!
