Although it is strongly suggested that she was accepting money for sexual favors, it is only implied, making it so the producers cannot be penalized for it. In addition, while affairs and alcohol were not favored or accepted by the majority, they were still apart of the community. One cannot conclude that this film would be a direct cause of adultery and alcoholism, as it was a well-known fact that this behavior was existent in American society.
Although alcohol was not a significant part of the movie plot, there were a few scenes that involved drinking amongst the main characters. Alcoholism was a sensitive topic during the 1930's, and it was unfavorable to glamorize it under any circumstances. However, Dennis, Vantine and Barbara are all shown drinking throughout the movie. During this era, a behavior such as drunkenness would be considered to lower the moral standards of its audience, but it went hand-in-hand with the overall "deviant " movie theme. The idea of this film was not create a commonplace movie for the family to enjoy, but to overstep the boundaries and allow the audience to experience behaviors that were considered to be vulgar without the repercussions. While alcohol was not a main component of the film, it was uncommon to depict it, causing an uproar by the religious community.
Vantine was an important component of this risque movie theme, as her character embodied the type of woman that would be exiled from society if she were to be discovered. While she was never completely exposed as a prostitute, the strong indications made it so the audience was well aware of her position. She was flirtatious, and in return she was treated like a piece of property to the men on the plantation. However, when Dennis offered her money, she claimed "you know it wasn't like that, " indicating that the dynamic between them was not mutually agreed upon. In addition, she also said "guess I'm not used to sleeping nights, anyway.