Alias French Gertie (1930)

66 mins | Melodrama | 20 April 1930

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HISTORY

It is possible that Bayard Veiller's play was never produced. It previously served as the basis of the 1925 R-C Pictures film Smooth as Silk, directed by Ralph Ince and starring Evelyn Brent and Bruce Gordon (see entry).
       Alias French Gertie was the first film in which actress Bebe Daniels and actor Ben Lyon appeared together. The couple married shortly after the release of the film and remained together until her death in 1971. In the late 1930s, they moved to England, where they became popular radio personalities, particularly with their long-running series Life with the Lyons. ...

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It is possible that Bayard Veiller's play was never produced. It previously served as the basis of the 1925 R-C Pictures film Smooth as Silk, directed by Ralph Ince and starring Evelyn Brent and Bruce Gordon (see entry).
       Alias French Gertie was the first film in which actress Bebe Daniels and actor Ben Lyon appeared together. The couple married shortly after the release of the film and remained together until her death in 1971. In the late 1930s, they moved to England, where they became popular radio personalities, particularly with their long-running series Life with the Lyons.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Film Daily
13 Apr 1930
---
New York Times
14 Apr 1930
p. 24
Variety
16 Apr 1930
p. 49
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTOR
PRODUCER
Assoc prod
WRITERS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
SOUND
Rec eng
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the play The Chatterbox by Bayard Veiller (c1948).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
DETAILS
Release Date:
20 April 1930
Premiere Information:
New York opening: 11 Apr 1930
Production Date:

Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
RKO Productions, Inc.
20 April 1930
LP1273
Physical Properties:
Sound
RCA Photophone
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
66
Length(in feet):
6,416
Length(in reels):
7
Country:
United States
Language:
English
SYNOPSIS

Marie, posing as a French maid, is about to enter her employer's safe when light-fingered Jimmy Hartigan surprises her and lifts the jewels. He is about to divide the spoils with her at gunpoint when the police arrive; and hiding Marie, he takes the rap. After his release from prison, he and Marie, now known as Gertie the Gun, form a partnership. In a grand apartment she cultivates society friends, including the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Matson, while Jimmy robs banks. At last she induces him to go straight and invest their savings in Mr. Matson's concern, but Jimmy is doublecrossed and determines to return to safecracking. He goes to her former employer's home to steal the jewels, but she wounds him. Kelcey, a detective tipped off by Marie, bids them to go free and ...

More Less

Marie, posing as a French maid, is about to enter her employer's safe when light-fingered Jimmy Hartigan surprises her and lifts the jewels. He is about to divide the spoils with her at gunpoint when the police arrive; and hiding Marie, he takes the rap. After his release from prison, he and Marie, now known as Gertie the Gun, form a partnership. In a grand apartment she cultivates society friends, including the elderly Mr. and Mrs. Matson, while Jimmy robs banks. At last she induces him to go straight and invest their savings in Mr. Matson's concern, but Jimmy is doublecrossed and determines to return to safecracking. He goes to her former employer's home to steal the jewels, but she wounds him. Kelcey, a detective tipped off by Marie, bids them to go free and reform.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.