Gambling Lady
Encyclopedia
Gambling Lady is a 1934 American
dramatic film
directed by Archie Mayo
, and starring Barbara Stanwyck
and Joel McCrea
.
) raises his daughter Lady Lee (Barbara Stanwyck) to be as honest a gambler as he is. When he gets too much in debt to the underworld syndicate headed by Jim Fallin, he commits suicide rather than be pressured into running a crooked game. Lady initially goes to work for Fallin, then quits and sets out on her own when he tries to "help" her by providing a dishonest dealer.
Longtime admirer and bookie Charlie Lang (Pat O'Brien
) proposes to her, but it is persistent young Garry Madison (Joel McCrea) who wins her heart (despite unknowingly bringing two policemen in disguise to the illegal gambling den where she is playing). She resists marrying him, fearing the reaction of his high society father, but is pleased to learn that she already knows and likes Peter Madison (C. Aubrey Smith), a fellow gambler. However, Peter does disapprove of the union, offering to buy her off. When she rejects his money, but is ready to give up Garry, he realizes he has mistaken her motives. Being a sporting man, he offers to cut cards for his son. He draws a jack, but Lady picks a queen, and the young couple get married.
They are happy at first, but then both feel the pangs of jealousy. When Garry's old girlfriend, Sheila Aiken (Claire Dodd
), returns from Europe, he makes the mistake of greeting her too warmly. Lady challenges her to a game of cards, and wins her jewelry. When Charlie Lang is arrested, Garry refuses his wife's request for $10,000 to bail
him out, so she pawns Sheila's jewels to raise the money. Charlie offers to reimburse her, telling her that he intends to pressure the syndicate into paying for his silence about what he knows. Garry becomes incensed when Lady's involvement with Charlie is reported in the newspapers. He goes out to recover the pawn ticket, now in Charlie's hands. Garry does not return that night.
The next day, two policemen inform Lady that Garry has been arrested for Charlie's murder, having been seen arguing with the dead man and later being found in possession of the pawn ticket. Lady figures out that Charlie spent the night with Sheila, but is unwilling to use that as an alibi. Lady sees Sheila, who is willing to testify, but only if Lady divorces her husband and insists on $250,000 alimony
. Lady agrees to her terms.
Garry is released and the divorce is granted. Both Garry and Peter believe at first that Lady was in it for the money all along, but when Peter sees her tear up the check, he realizes they were wrong. Garry tricks Sheila into admitting the truth, then reconciles with Lady.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dramatic film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Archie Mayo
Archie Mayo
Archie Mayo was a movie director and stage actor who moved to Hollywood in 1915 and began working as a director in 1917....
, and starring Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
and Joel McCrea
Joel McCrea
Joel Albert McCrea was an American actor whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films.-Early life:...
.
Plot
Mike Lee (Robert BarratRobert Barrat
Robert Harriot Barrat was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor.-Career:Born in New York, Barrat's theatrical debut was in a stock company in Springfield, Massachusetts...
) raises his daughter Lady Lee (Barbara Stanwyck) to be as honest a gambler as he is. When he gets too much in debt to the underworld syndicate headed by Jim Fallin, he commits suicide rather than be pressured into running a crooked game. Lady initially goes to work for Fallin, then quits and sets out on her own when he tries to "help" her by providing a dishonest dealer.
Longtime admirer and bookie Charlie Lang (Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (actor)
Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
) proposes to her, but it is persistent young Garry Madison (Joel McCrea) who wins her heart (despite unknowingly bringing two policemen in disguise to the illegal gambling den where she is playing). She resists marrying him, fearing the reaction of his high society father, but is pleased to learn that she already knows and likes Peter Madison (C. Aubrey Smith), a fellow gambler. However, Peter does disapprove of the union, offering to buy her off. When she rejects his money, but is ready to give up Garry, he realizes he has mistaken her motives. Being a sporting man, he offers to cut cards for his son. He draws a jack, but Lady picks a queen, and the young couple get married.
They are happy at first, but then both feel the pangs of jealousy. When Garry's old girlfriend, Sheila Aiken (Claire Dodd
Claire Dodd
Claire Dodd was an American film actress.Born as Dorothy Anne Dodd in Baxter, Iowa, Dodd was born to Walter W. Dodd, a farmer and veterinarian, and Ethel V. Cool Dodd, the daughter of Baxter Postmaster Peter J. Cool. As Dorothy Dodd, she attended school in Baxter...
), returns from Europe, he makes the mistake of greeting her too warmly. Lady challenges her to a game of cards, and wins her jewelry. When Charlie Lang is arrested, Garry refuses his wife's request for $10,000 to bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
him out, so she pawns Sheila's jewels to raise the money. Charlie offers to reimburse her, telling her that he intends to pressure the syndicate into paying for his silence about what he knows. Garry becomes incensed when Lady's involvement with Charlie is reported in the newspapers. He goes out to recover the pawn ticket, now in Charlie's hands. Garry does not return that night.
The next day, two policemen inform Lady that Garry has been arrested for Charlie's murder, having been seen arguing with the dead man and later being found in possession of the pawn ticket. Lady figures out that Charlie spent the night with Sheila, but is unwilling to use that as an alibi. Lady sees Sheila, who is willing to testify, but only if Lady divorces her husband and insists on $250,000 alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
. Lady agrees to her terms.
Garry is released and the divorce is granted. Both Garry and Peter believe at first that Lady was in it for the money all along, but when Peter sees her tear up the check, he realizes they were wrong. Garry tricks Sheila into admitting the truth, then reconciles with Lady.
Cast
- Barbara StanwyckBarbara StanwyckBarbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
as [Jennifer] Lady Lee - Joel McCreaJoel McCreaJoel Albert McCrea was an American actor whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films.-Early life:...
as Garrison "Garry" Madison - Pat O'BrienPat O'Brien (actor)Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
as Charlie Lang - Claire DoddClaire DoddClaire Dodd was an American film actress.Born as Dorothy Anne Dodd in Baxter, Iowa, Dodd was born to Walter W. Dodd, a farmer and veterinarian, and Ethel V. Cool Dodd, the daughter of Baxter Postmaster Peter J. Cool. As Dorothy Dodd, she attended school in Baxter...
as Sheila Aiken - C. Aubrey Smith as Peter Madison
- Robert BarratRobert BarratRobert Harriot Barrat was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor.-Career:Born in New York, Barrat's theatrical debut was in a stock company in Springfield, Massachusetts...
as Mike Lee - Arthur Vinton as Jim Fallin