In preparing my earlier Doris list I was struck by the number of films
that showed her being in abusive relationships: (warning - some SPOILERS
for old Doris Day films)
1) Young Man with a Horn (1950) - Doris
plays a singer who falls for a self centered musician (Kirk Douglas) who
leaves her for a lesbian who is experimenting with being straight
(Lauren Bacall) then takes Day back when he's broke and drunk
2) Tea for Two (1950) - Doris plays a socialite whose freeloading producer boyfriend (Billy de Wolfe) is cheating on her while using her money to produce a show
3) Storm Warning (1951) - Doris is a pregnant newly wed whose husband
is an alcoholic and member of the KKK who tries to rape Doris' sister,
and winds up being responsible for her death
4) The Winning Team
(1952) - Doris plays the wife of some famous baseball player (Ronald
Reagan) who got PTSD and a drinking problem in WW1
5) Young at Heart (1954) - Doris elopes with a depressed man (Frank Sinatra) who tries to kill himself to "set her free"
6) Love Me or Leave Me (1955) - Doris plays a singer who marries and
abusive, violent gangster (Jimmy Cagney) out of gratitude for what he
did for her career
7) The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) - Doris plays
a woman who had to give up a successful singing career to marry James
Stewart
8) Julie (1956) - Doris is a stewardess whose husband (Louis Jourdan) tries to kill her
9) Midnight Lace (1960) - Doris' husband tries to drive her insane and then kill her
10) Send Me No Flowers (1964) - Rock Hudson doesn't tell wife Doris he thinks he is dying
11) Ballad of Josie (1967) - Doris has an abusive husband who she accidentally kills
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