
The Past of Mary Holmes
Mary Holmes (MacKellar), once a famous opera star known as Maria di Nardi, now lives in a run-down shanty and suffers from alcoholism. Known for her eccentric behavior, Mary breeds geese, and is thus known in her neighborhood as 'The Goose Woman'. She blames her grown son Geoffrey (Linden) for the deterioration of her voice, and does everything to destroy his life. When Geoffrey, who works as a commercial artist, announces to her that he will marry Joan Hoyt (Arthur), an actress, she becomes torn with jealousy and threatens to reveal to Joan that he is an illegitimate birth.
Top Billed Cast

Helen MacKellar
Mary Holmes

Eric Linden
Geoffrey Holmes

Jean Arthur
Joan Hoyt

Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher
Ben Pratt

Ivan F. Simpson
Jacob Riggs
Featured Crew
Harlan Thompson
Director

Slavko Vorkapich
Director
Rex Beach
Story
Marion Dix
Writer
Edward Doherty
Writer
Bartlett Cormack
Associate Producer

David O. Selznick
Executive Producer

Charles Rosher
Cinematography
Charles L. Kimball
Editor
Fred Schuessler
Casting

Van Nest Polglase
Art Direction

Walter Plunkett
Costume Design