Virtue

Directed by Edward Buzzell, Virtue follows a prostitute (Carole Lombard’s Mae) as she attempts to go straight by marrying a cynical taxi driver named Jimmy Doyle (Pat O’Brien). It’s interesting to note that Virtue, despite its brisk 69 minute runtime, suffers from an oddly meandering sensibility that’s especially prominent during its sluggish first half, and yet there’s little doubt that the picture remains surprisingly watchable throughout due mostly to the dynamic, compelling efforts of its various performers – with, in particular, Lombard’s stirring turn as the increasingly sympathetic central character playing a key role in carrying the proceedings through its less-than-gripping stretches. The movie admittedly does improve once it progresses into a second half laced with appreciatively salacious and melodramatic happenings and twists, which does, in the end, cement Virtue‘s place as a forgettable yet decent enough endeavor that benefits substantially from Lombard’s terrific efforts.

**1/2 out of ****