Heroes for Sale (1933)

Heroes for Sale (1933) is a Depression-era film directed by William Wellman, starring Richard Barthelmess, Aline MacMahon, and Loretta Young, and released by Warner Bros. A veteran of World War I, Thomas Holmes, struggles to make his way in civilian life in almost every way imaginable. In the opening scene of the movie, Tom and his friend are on a mission to gather intelligence by capturing a German soldier. Tom's friend, in terror, refuses to leave the shell hole. Tom volunteers to go alone. He captures a German, but is wounded and captured himself. His friend returns the safety of American lines with the captured German soldier and is rewarded for his supposed heroism. During Tom's captivity, German doctors treat his pain with opiates. He becomes addicted. He returns after the war and his cowardly friend offers him a job at his father's bank out of shame.