Vintage original 8 x 10 in. US single-weight glossy photograph from the 1930's pre-Code drama/romance, THE COMMON LAW, released in 1931 by RKO-Pathé Distributing Corp. and directed by Paul L. Stein, in which young Valerie models for an American painter who tries to make a future in Paris and they fall in love.


The image depicts blonde Valerie West (Constance Bennett) changing her clothes behind a screen while she pokes her head out to talk to John Neville (Joel McCrea). It is in very good- condition.

This is one of four films co-starring Constance Bennett and Joel McCrea, the others being Born to Love (1931), Rockabye (1932) and Bed of Roses (1933). During filming, Bennett was 26 years old and Joel McCrea was 25. Marion Shilling (Stephanie Brown) recalled from her time on set that Bennett had a huge crush on McCrea and spent a lot of time alone with him in her trailer. Nevertheless, five months after production wrapped, she married Henri de la Falaise, the ex-husband of Gloria Swanson. The screenplay was written by John Farrow. Five years later he married actress Maureen O'Sullivan, with whom he had seven children including actress Mia Farrow.