"Nana" (1934)

A sumptuous adaptation of Emile Zola's novel. Touted as "the next Garbo", Russian actress Anna Sten makes her American film debut as a dirt poor guttersnipe who uses her feminine wiles on any man she meets to rise and become the toast of Belle Epoche Paris. She ends up in a tragic love triangle torn between two military officer brothers (Lionel Atwill and Phillips Holmes). Of interest is that this story of such a strong female character was directed by one of old Hollywoods few female directors, Dorothy Arzner who does a fine job of helming the handsome production. Sten even gets to sing a Dietrich-esque original song by Rodgers and Hart (!)