Editing Bad Girl (1931 film) (section)

===Critical reception===
The ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' praised the film as a modern take on contemporary life, describing it as "so human, so free from pretense and so provocatively real".<ref name=pitts/> According to Borzage biographer Hervé Dumont, the film surprised contemporary critics as it was "stripped of all conventional ingredients—love triangles, jealousy, sex appeal or crimes—but buoyed by the cheerful exuberance that apparently effortlessly metamorphoses a mixture of little nothings into a gem of subtlety and charm".{{sfn|Dumont|2015|p=170}} Dumont notes that Borzage deftly circumvented anything that could be considered provocative and instead brought out the humor and sentimentality of the relationship between the main characters.{{sfn|Dumont|2015|p=167}} Reid calls the result both realistic and romantic.{{sfn|Reid|2011|p=11}} A ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' review credits Borzage as "the dominant force" behind the film, but also commends screenwriter [[Edwin J. Burke]]'s dialogue "as amazingly skillful in satisfying the demand for wisecracks while retaining the quality of naturalness and always keeping in character".<ref name=lat/>

[[James Dunn (actor)|James Dunn]]'s performance was singled out by many reviews as the pivot around which the film revolves. The ''[[The Baltimore Sun|Baltimore Evening Sun]]'' wrote: "Without Dunn, ''Bad Girl'' would be just another movie. With him, it's something that provokes chuckles, tears, laughs, sighs and everything else that a nice little movie hopes to provoke".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48680307/the-evening-sun/ |title=For Film Fans|author=Q.E.D.|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun|Baltimore Evening Sun]]|page=22|date=September 9, 1931| via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' called Dunn's first starring turn "triumphant", asserting that "no performance has lately equaled the impression made by this rather plain young man, who, aside from having a likable personality, scores a major hit by his ability as an actor".<ref name=lat>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49185231/the-los-angeles-times/ |title='Bad Girl' In Notable Debut|first=Norbert|last=Lusk|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=August 23, 1931|page=35| via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' said of Dunn: "Sincere, honest and natural, his performance is flawless".<ref name=pitts>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49184893/pittsburgh-post-gazette/ |title=Frank Borzage Chalks Up Another Hit With 'Bad Girl'|first=Harold W.|last=Cohen|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=September 18, 1931|page=10|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> Rebutting a review that claimed any actor would have succeeded in the "sure-fire part", a ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' reviewer argued:
<blockquote>It was a role so skillfully conceived and executed, so sympathetically played and so warm and sincere that one's natural inclination is to put the actor in this case above the role rather than the role above the actor. ... Mr. Dunn, on the other hand, created a character. It had a definite form. It breathed life. It had depth and feeling. Not for a moment were you conscious of James Dunn. You were conscious only of Eddie Collins.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/48681065/pittsburgh-post-gazette/|title=About James Dunn And His 'Bad Girl'|first=Harold W.|last=Cohen|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=October 17, 1931|page=19|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref></blockquote>

The ''[[Brattleboro Reformer]]'' wrote: "James Dunn, as the sensitive, nervous, conscientious young husband in this, his first, picture gives a performance of astonishing strength. … He presents a new kind of film star and a personality of infectious charm".<ref name=brat>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49184645/the-brattleboro-reformer/|title=Sensational Modern Drama|newspaper=[[Brattleboro Reformer]]|date=February 3, 1932|page=8| via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> The scene in which Dunn as Eddie pleads with Dr. Burgess to take his wife's case was cited by the ''Los Angeles Times'' as "the equal of any of the great moments in past pictures",<ref name=lat/> and by the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' as "probably the most notable work of the season".<ref name=pitts/>

Critics also praised the female performers. The ''Los Angeles Times'' called [[Sally Eilers]]'  role "easily her best performance and it, too, is perfect".<ref name=lat/> The ''Bratteboro Reformer'' commended Eilers' ability to convey a range of moods and emotions while also projecting personal charm.<ref name=brat/> [[Minna Gombell]] was cited for adding "warmth and sympathy" to her characterization of the wisecracking friend.<ref name=lat/>