Child Bride/Child Brides/Child Bride of the Ozarks (1938) American drama film by Harry Revier
Channel: OLDTVMASTERS
Date: 02/08/2021

Child Bride, also known as Child Brides, Child Bride of the Ozarks and Dust to Dust (USA reissue titles), is a 1938 American drama film 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.

The film is set in a remote town in the Ozarks. It 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 ban of onscreen nudity 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.

The film was one of director Revier's last. His previously work included a variety of low-budget, independent features including The Lost City series and Lash of the Penitentes.