My Forbidden Past is a 1951 film directed by Robert Stevenson.
It's a melodrama set in late 19th-century New Orleans. Barbara Beaurevel (Ava Gardner) is a socialite who is engaged in a torrid affair with Dr. Mark Lucas (Robert Mitchum), a doctor and researcher. The Beaurevels are of the Creole upper-crust, so Barbara is reluctant to tell them about her relationship with Mark, who's a Yankee and once worked as a common laborer. When Mark is sent away to South America as part of his research, he invites her to run away with him. However, Barbara's slimy, evil cousin Paul (Melvyn Douglas) intervenes, convincing Barbara to wait until Mark returns and then intercepting a letter from Barbara to Mark, leading Mark to think she rejected him.
Two months later, Mark returns. Barbara is unpleasantly surprised to discover that in the meantime he has gotten married to a gorgeous but rather cold woman named Corinne. Barbara sets out to wreck this marriage by getting Paul to seduce Corinne—which leads to unexpected consequences.
Tropes:
- Dances and Balls: After Barbara inherits a huge sum of money, she stages an elaborate dress ball for Aunt Eula's birthday. This is the scene where she scopes out Corinne and tries to convince Mark to divorce his wife.
- Death by Falling Over: Paul's tryst with Corinne ends with him shoving her, whereupon she falls down, hits her head on a fireplace decoration, and dies.
- Gorgeous Period Dress: It's a movie set in upper-class 1890s New Orleans, so, Ava Gardner in a series of stunning Gilded Age dresses. Janis Carter (Corinne) also wears some fabulous dresses.
- Hey, You!: At the inquest into Corinne's death, Barbara stands up and identifies Paul as the murderer. A cop takes Paul by the arm and says "You're coming with me, Beaurevel." A scornful Paul replies "Not Mister Beaurevel?"
- I Have This Friend: Clay, who wants Barbara, says "I happen to have this friend" who doesn't think Barbara should be pursuing a married man. He offers to pull strings to get Mark a plum research position somewhere up north if he'll leave New Orleans immediately.
- Impoverished Patrician: The Beaurevels are members of the New Orleans upper-crust and live in a big mansion, but the money is gone. Aunt Eula is trying to pair Barbara with Clay Duchesne because he's rich. When Barbara inherits an enormous sum of money Aunt Eula tries to get her to refuse it (it comes from the scandalous Carrie Crandall) but Paul is delighted, telling his mother that now they can have parties and servants again.
- I Never Got Any Letters: Mark's reaction when Barbara cites the letter she sent him, saying that they should wait to get married until he returned from South America. Paul never delivered it, causing Mark to think that Barbara simply dumped him.
- I Never Said It Was Poison: Mr. Toplady, the lawyer, comes to the mansion to inform the family that Barbara has received a bequest. A horrified Aunt Eula denies that the family has any connection with Carrie Crandall, which Mr. Toplady answers by saying he never mentioned that hame. (Carrie Crandall was Barbara's grandmother.)
- Kissing Cousins: Paul comments a couple of times on how sexy Barbara is, and suggests that they get married. While marrying your first cousin was legal at that time, it still serves to portray him as slimy and gross.
- Noodle Incident: Barbara had a grandmother, Carrie Crandall, who was so scandalous that Barbara's starchy old Aunt Eula refuses to even say her name and lives in terror that anyone will realize the family connection. No one mentions exactly why Carrie is so embarrassing, but it's vaguely hinted that she was a High-Class Call Girl.
- Romantic False Lead: Clay Duchesne, a New Orleans rich dude whom Aunt Eula is trying to match up with Barbara. Unfortunately for him, he's the third corner in a Love Triangle with Robert Mitchum so he has no shot.
- Unexpected Inheritance: Barbara receives a whopping $900,000 in 19th century money from her grandmother. This financial independence allows her to defy Aunt Eula and pursue Mark, and it also allows her to pay Paul to seduce Mark's wife.
