Damaged Goods

During the late 1930s and into the '40s, this film was constantly revived on the roadshow circuit with a spicy ad campaign and a new title: "Forbidden Desires". Surviving publicity material shows plenty of lascivious appeal but mentions nothing about the film being about venereal disease.

Opening titles: "Foreword. This presentation of the Famous French Play 'DAMAGED GOODS' is the producer's sincere effort to co-operate in President Roosevelt's educational campaign to rid America of its greatest menace to health and happiness, a menace that has already taken toll of millions of lives and can only be curbed by bringing its discussion into the open and ceasing to consider it as an unmentionable. We refer to The Great Imitator - Syphilis". "The audience are asked to note that the figures relating to disease which are quoted in the course of this story relate to the United States and not Great Britain".