Madame X (1929 film)
Encyclopedia
Madame X is a 1929 drama film
directed by Lionel Barrymore
, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. Ruth Chatterton
was nominated for Best Actress
for her performance as a fallen woman.
Twenty years later, she has become the mistress of Laroque. When he finds out that her husband is now the Attorney General, Laroque decides to blackmail him. Desperate to shield her son from her disgrace, she shoots and kills her lover.
By chance, the lawyer assigned to her turns out to be her own son, on his first case. He is puzzled and frustrated when she refuses to defend herself in court. During the trial, her husband shows up
in support of his son. When she sees that he recognizes her and is about to speak out, she makes an impassioned plea, not for mercy but for understanding of what drove her to murder. As she had intended, the hidden message silences Louis. When Jacqueline faints from the strain, she is carried into a private chamber. There, she kisses her still-unaware son and dies.
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 Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. Ruth Chatterton
Ruth Chatterton
Ruth Chatterton was an American actress, novelist, and early aviatrix.- Early life :Chatterton was born in New York City, on Christmas Eve 1892, to Walter Smith and Lillian Reed Chatterton...
was nominated for Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for her performance as a fallen woman.
Plot
Jacqueline Floriot (Ruth Chatterton) is thrown out into the street without any money by her jealous husband Louis (Lewis Stone) when he discovers she has been carrying on an affair. She is not even allowed to see their four-year-old son. She sinks into depravity.Twenty years later, she has become the mistress of Laroque. When he finds out that her husband is now the Attorney General, Laroque decides to blackmail him. Desperate to shield her son from her disgrace, she shoots and kills her lover.
By chance, the lawyer assigned to her turns out to be her own son, on his first case. He is puzzled and frustrated when she refuses to defend herself in court. During the trial, her husband shows up
in support of his son. When she sees that he recognizes her and is about to speak out, she makes an impassioned plea, not for mercy but for understanding of what drove her to murder. As she had intended, the hidden message silences Louis. When Jacqueline faints from the strain, she is carried into a private chamber. There, she kisses her still-unaware son and dies.
Cast
- Ruth ChattertonRuth ChattertonRuth Chatterton was an American actress, novelist, and early aviatrix.- Early life :Chatterton was born in New York City, on Christmas Eve 1892, to Walter Smith and Lillian Reed Chatterton...
- Jacqueline Floriot - Lewis StoneLewis StoneLewis Shepard Stone was an American actor.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, son of Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball. Stone's hair grew gray by the time he was twenty. He fought in the Spanish-American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting...
- Louis Floriot - Raymond HackettRaymond HackettRaymond Hackett was a stage and screen actor. He had been a child actor on the Broadway stage and was the brother of Albert Hackett. He was born in New York City the son of Maurice Hackett and Florence Hackett . His mother was later a silent screen actress. Hackett's first wife was Myra Hampton,...
- Raymond Floriot - Holmes HerbertHolmes HerbertHolmes Herbert was an English character actor who appeared in Hollywood films from 1915 to 1952.Born as 'Horace Jenner', Holmes Herbert emigrated to the United States in 1912. He was the first son of Ned Herbert , who worked as and actor/comedian in the English Theatre...
- Noel - Eugenie BessererEugenie BessererEugenie Besserer was an actress born in Watertown, New York of French Canadian parents, who starred in silent films and features of the early sound motion picture era, beginning in 1910.- Orphan in Canada:...
- Rose, Floriot's Servant - John P. Edington - Doctor
- Mitchell LewisMitchell LewisMitchell Lewis was an American film actor. He appeared in 200 films between 1914 and 1956. His best known role is Captain of the Winkie Guards in The Wizard of Oz, but he was uncredited. His lines were "She's dead...
- Colonel Hanby - Ullrich Haupt - Laroque (as Ullric Haupt)
- Sidney TolerSidney TolerSidney Hooper Toler was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. Of primarily Scottish ancestry, he was the second non-Asian actor to play the role of Charlie Chan.-Early life and career:...
- Dr. Merivel - Richard CarleRichard CarleRichard Carle was an American film actor. He appeared in 132 films between 1915 and 1941.He was born as Charles Nicholas Carleto in Somerville, Massachusetts...
- Perissard - Carroll Nye - Darrell, a Naval Officer
- Claude KingClaude King (actor)Claude King was an English-born American character actor. With his distinctive wavy hair King appeared on both stage and screen. Began his stage career in his native UK before emigrating to the US. In 1919 he appeared on Broadway in support of Ethel Barrymore in the play Declassee...
- Valmorin, the Prosecutor (as Claud King) - Chappell Dossett - Judge
- Henry ArmettaHenry ArmettaHenry Armetta was an Italian movie character actor who appeared in at least 150 films, starting in silents as early as 1915 to a movie released in 1946, after his death.-Biography:...
- Hotel Owner (uncredited) - Agostino Borgato - Porter (uncredited)
- Carrie Daumery - Dining Room Guest (uncredited)
- Edith FellowsEdith FellowsEdith Marilyn Fellows was an American actress who began her professional career at age 6.-Personal life:When she was a year old, she and her father and grandmother moved to Charlotte, North Carolina...
- Child at Puppet Show (uncredited) - Mary Gordon - Nursemaid (uncredited)
- Sydney Jarvis - Undetermined Role (uncredited)
- Dickie Moore - Boy Watching the Puppets (uncredited)
- Douglas Scott - Raymond, as a Small Boy (uncredited)
- SojinSojinSōjin Kamiyama or just Sōjin was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in over 70 films between 1917 and 1954...
- Oriental Doctor (uncredited)