Playthings of Desire (1934)

58 mins | Drama | 15 March 1934

Director:

George Melford

Cinematographer:

Mack Stengler

Editor:

Helene Turner

Production Designer:

Robert Stevens

Production Company:

Pinnacle Productions, Inc.
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HISTORY

No reviews for this film were found. The above plot summary and credits were taken from a dialogue continuity submitted on 21 Feb 1934 to the New York State Censor Board. In a FD news item, Jess Caven is listed as a cast member, but his participation in the final film has not been confirmed. A 26 Jul 1933 FD news item called the picture a "Kennedy Sunshine Special," an apparent reference to Aubrey Kennedy, the then owner of the film's production studio. According to modern sources, Kennedy produced the film in mid-1933 at his own studio, which at the time of production was not called Sun Haven but was renamed Sun Haven when T. C. Parker, Jr., a local investor in the film, purchased the facility from Kennedy in Aug 1933. Sun Haven then merged with Beecroft-Florida Studios in Tampa, Florida in Dec 1933. ...

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No reviews for this film were found. The above plot summary and credits were taken from a dialogue continuity submitted on 21 Feb 1934 to the New York State Censor Board. In a FD news item, Jess Caven is listed as a cast member, but his participation in the final film has not been confirmed. A 26 Jul 1933 FD news item called the picture a "Kennedy Sunshine Special," an apparent reference to Aubrey Kennedy, the then owner of the film's production studio. According to modern sources, Kennedy produced the film in mid-1933 at his own studio, which at the time of production was not called Sun Haven but was renamed Sun Haven when T. C. Parker, Jr., a local investor in the film, purchased the facility from Kennedy in Aug 1933. Sun Haven then merged with Beecroft-Florida Studios in Tampa, Florida in Dec 1933.

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Film Daily
25 Jul 1933
p. 2
Film Daily
26 Jul 1933
p. 2
Film Daily
29 Aug 1933
p. 72
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTOR
PRODUCER
Pres
WRITER
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photog
ART DIRECTOR
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
SOUND
Sd eng
T. C. Parker III
Sd eng
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the novel Playthings of Desire by Harry Sinclair Drago (New York, 1934).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
DETAILS
Release Date:
15 March 1934
Premiere Information:
St. Petersburg, FL premiere: 2 Sep 1933
Production Date:
completed 18 Jul 1933 at Sun Haven Studios (St. Petersburg, FL)
Physical Properties:
Sound
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
58
Length(in feet):
4,771
Length(in reels):
6
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

After he becomes engaged to New York stage actress Gloria Dawn, former playboy Jim Malvern gives Renee Grant, a recent lover, $25,000 to "disappear." Although she accepts the money, Renee resents being bought off by Jim and shares her displeasure with her current boyfriend, gambler Wheeler Johnson. Later, Jim and Gloria honeymoon at Jim's Florida estate and are visited by a group of his New York friends. Among the friends is Anne Cabot, a socialite with whom Jim had a scandalous affair. Anne still loves Jim and flirts openly with him in front of Gloria. Hurt by Jim's attentions to Anne, Gloria spends time with Jack Halliday, their handsome next-door neighbor. Back in New York, Wheeler tells Renee that he is going to Florida to exact revenge on Jim, ignoring her pleas to let the matter drop. Tensions between Gloria and Jim then come to a head when Jack, having spent the day canoeing with Gloria, decides to declare his love for the actress. After Jack accuses Jim of neglecting his wife and Gloria announces she is seeking a divorce, Jack and Jim start to fight. Later, Jim apologizes to Gloria and begs her to stay with him, but is rebuffed. Then, while both Gloria and Anne are readying to leave, a gunshot is heard and Jim is discovered fatally wounded. Before he dies, Jim implicates Jack to the police. As the police are about to arrest Jack, Renee shows up and explains that she came to Florida to warn Jim about the revenge-hungry Wheeler. Wheeler's half-eaten body is discovered in an alligator-infested swamp, with his recently ...

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After he becomes engaged to New York stage actress Gloria Dawn, former playboy Jim Malvern gives Renee Grant, a recent lover, $25,000 to "disappear." Although she accepts the money, Renee resents being bought off by Jim and shares her displeasure with her current boyfriend, gambler Wheeler Johnson. Later, Jim and Gloria honeymoon at Jim's Florida estate and are visited by a group of his New York friends. Among the friends is Anne Cabot, a socialite with whom Jim had a scandalous affair. Anne still loves Jim and flirts openly with him in front of Gloria. Hurt by Jim's attentions to Anne, Gloria spends time with Jack Halliday, their handsome next-door neighbor. Back in New York, Wheeler tells Renee that he is going to Florida to exact revenge on Jim, ignoring her pleas to let the matter drop. Tensions between Gloria and Jim then come to a head when Jack, having spent the day canoeing with Gloria, decides to declare his love for the actress. After Jack accuses Jim of neglecting his wife and Gloria announces she is seeking a divorce, Jack and Jim start to fight. Later, Jim apologizes to Gloria and begs her to stay with him, but is rebuffed. Then, while both Gloria and Anne are readying to leave, a gunshot is heard and Jim is discovered fatally wounded. Before he dies, Jim implicates Jack to the police. As the police are about to arrest Jack, Renee shows up and explains that she came to Florida to warn Jim about the revenge-hungry Wheeler. Wheeler's half-eaten body is discovered in an alligator-infested swamp, with his recently discharged gun lying nearby. Cleared of all suspicion, Jack is free to pursue a romance with Gloria.

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

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