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HISTORY

According to the SAB, Lipman and Wright's original story was called "The Duchess", which was also the pre-release title of the film. A HR news item notes that Jeanne Perkins, a "Paramount student player," received her first screen role in this film. Connie Lupino was Ida Lupino's mother. The pressbook indicates some scenes were filmed at Coronado Island, CA, where Groucho Marx and Charlie Ruggles were filmed in background scenes at the beach. ...

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According to the SAB, Lipman and Wright's original story was called "The Duchess", which was also the pre-release title of the film. A HR news item notes that Jeanne Perkins, a "Paramount student player," received her first screen role in this film. Connie Lupino was Ida Lupino's mother. The pressbook indicates some scenes were filmed at Coronado Island, CA, where Groucho Marx and Charlie Ruggles were filmed in background scenes at the beach.

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Daily Variety
29 Jul 1936
p. 3
Film Daily
20 Aug 1936
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
20 Apr 1936
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
22 Apr 1936
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
15 May 1936
p. 2
Hollywood Reporter
29 Jul 1936
p. 4
Motion Picture Daily
31 Jul 1936
p. 10
Motion Picture Herald
27 Jun 1936
p. 52
Motion Picture Herald
8 Aug 1936
p. 39, 42
New York Times
20 Aug 1936
p. 14
Variety
26 Aug 1936
p. 20
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCERS
Exec prod
PHOTOGRAPHY
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
SET DECORATOR
Int dec
COSTUMES
Cost des by
MUSIC
Mus dir
SOUND
Sd rec
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
The Duchess
Release Date:
24 July 1936
Production Date:
began 20 Apr 1936
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Paramount Productions, Inc.
24 July 1936
LP6531
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Noiseless Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
68
Length(in feet):
6,515
Length(in reels):
8
Country:
United States
PCA No:
2320
Passed by NBR:
Yes
SYNOPSIS

Johnny Lamb runs a covert casino at a Miami farm, where Lucille Sutton asks him to take her jewelry in exchange for a bet, as she hopes for a windfall with which to pay her mortgage. Knowing she cannot win, Johnny refuses to accept her jewelry, and after beating up gambler Slick Doran and his compatriots for holding up his dealers, Johnny takes Lucille home. He is so impressed with her mansion that he goes into partnership with her, opening a sophisticated casino in her house, despite resistance from his friends Bicarbonate, Honeysuckle and Saratoga, who believe she is a snob who will ruin him. They are so convinced of Johnny's ultimate ruination, that they hire con artists Gertie Malloy and Dictionary McKinney to impersonate socialite Nancy Carstairs, and her uncle Col. Evelyn Carstairs, to seduce Johnny and then dump him, hoping this will rid him of Lucille. Ensnared by Gertie, Johnny asks Lucille to help him to improve his manners to impress his new girl friend. Lucille complies, although she has fallen in love with Johnny herself. Lucille discovers Gertie's ruse soon enough, however, and Gertie and Dictionary plan to get out of town quickly by pretending Gertie has fallen ill and needs to go to a warmer climate. Convinced that the "Carstairs" are down on their luck, Johnny plans to loan them fifteen thousand dollars. Saratoga, Bicarbonate and Honeysuckle mistakenly believe the money is for Lucille and confront her, but she is tired of their insinuating behavior and warns them to watch out for Gertie, rather than her. When Johnny discovers that a family heirloom of the "Carstairs" is worthless, he realizes he ...

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Johnny Lamb runs a covert casino at a Miami farm, where Lucille Sutton asks him to take her jewelry in exchange for a bet, as she hopes for a windfall with which to pay her mortgage. Knowing she cannot win, Johnny refuses to accept her jewelry, and after beating up gambler Slick Doran and his compatriots for holding up his dealers, Johnny takes Lucille home. He is so impressed with her mansion that he goes into partnership with her, opening a sophisticated casino in her house, despite resistance from his friends Bicarbonate, Honeysuckle and Saratoga, who believe she is a snob who will ruin him. They are so convinced of Johnny's ultimate ruination, that they hire con artists Gertie Malloy and Dictionary McKinney to impersonate socialite Nancy Carstairs, and her uncle Col. Evelyn Carstairs, to seduce Johnny and then dump him, hoping this will rid him of Lucille. Ensnared by Gertie, Johnny asks Lucille to help him to improve his manners to impress his new girl friend. Lucille complies, although she has fallen in love with Johnny herself. Lucille discovers Gertie's ruse soon enough, however, and Gertie and Dictionary plan to get out of town quickly by pretending Gertie has fallen ill and needs to go to a warmer climate. Convinced that the "Carstairs" are down on their luck, Johnny plans to loan them fifteen thousand dollars. Saratoga, Bicarbonate and Honeysuckle mistakenly believe the money is for Lucille and confront her, but she is tired of their insinuating behavior and warns them to watch out for Gertie, rather than her. When Johnny discovers that a family heirloom of the "Carstairs" is worthless, he realizes he has been tricked and exposes Gertie and Dictionary as frauds, after which he hears of his friends' deal with them. Johnny fires Saratoga, Bicarbonate and Honeysuckle, believing they framed him for his money. Lucille's unrequited feelings for Johnny prompt her to ask him for her final check that night. Johnny, however, has had a change of heart and now wishes to operate a legal, daytime business. Within earshot of Johnny, Saratoga, Honeysuckle and Bicarbonate apologize to Lucille for their mistrust, and after Johnny and Lucille accept their apologies, and Lucille leaves. Johnny suddenly realizes that he loves Lucille and goes after her.

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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.