Child Bride
Child Bride, also known as Child Brides, Child Bride of the Ozarks and Dust to Dust (US reissue titles), is a 1938 American drama film written and directed by Harry Revier, and produced by Raymond L. Friedgen. It was promoted as educational in an attempt to draw attention to the lack of laws banning child marriage in many states.
| Child Bride | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Harry Revier |
| Written by | Harry Revier |
| Produced by | Raymond L. Friedgen |
| Starring | Shirley Mills Angelo Rossitto Warner Richmond |
| Cinematography | Marcel Le Picard |
| Edited by | Helene Turner |
| Music by | Felix Mills |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Astor Pictures |
Release date | January 1938 |
Running time | 62 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $24,000 (est.) |
Set in a remote town in the Ozarks, the film was very controversial at the time—both for its theme and because of a topless and nude swimming scene by then-12 year old Shirley Mills. The film bypassed the onscreen nudity ban under the Hays Code by being produced and distributed independently of the studio system, and by claiming to be educational. Although the film was banned in many areas, its controversial nature gave it a certain infamy and it played on the so-called exploitation circuit for many years.
Child Bride was one of Revier's last. His previous work included a variety of low-budget, independent features including The Lost City series and Lash of the Penitentes.