Lady of the Night

Handsome David Page is loved by two very different women: Molly, an overpainted and undereducated floozy. And Florence, a refined graduate of a finishing school. Since both lovelorn ladies are played by Norma Shearer, melodrama fans know they're in for double the romantic heartache. Shearer was on the cusp of stardom when she took these showy dual roles. She makes both women strong characters, but it's her Molly who stands out: blowzy, crude, aching with love and longing for class. And if Shearer seems to have developed a formidable set of shoulders in some scenes where she interacts with herself, there's a reason. Her over-the-shoulder double was played by a young -- and unknown -- Joan Crawford.

• drama