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Strictly Dishonorable (1931 film)
Encyclopedia
Strictly Dishonorable is a 1931 romantic comedy
film directed by John M. Stahl
, starring Paul Lukas
, Sidney Fox
and Lewis Stone
, and featuring George Meeker
and Sidney Toler
. It was written by Gladys Lehman and based on Preston Sturges
' 1929 hit Broadway play of the same name
. Strictly Dishonorable was Sturges' second play on Broadway, and his first to be filmed for the silver screen.
As a film made before the advent of the Production Code
, the film-makers were able to preserve the cheerfully uninhibited sexual innuendo of the Sturges play in their movie version, which he is said to have unofficially endorsed.
) and his fiancee Isabelle Perry (Sidney Fox
) stop into a New York speakeasy owned by Tomasso Antiovi (William Ricciardi) for a drink. There, they meet retired Judge Dempsey (Lewis Stone
), an amiable man who befriends the Southern belle, much to Henry's dismay. Famous opera singer "Tino Caraffa", a charming but notorious playboy whose real name is "Gus" Di Ruvo, (Paul Lukas
) is there as well, and while Henry is gone to move his illegally parked car, Gus and Isabelle, an opera fan, get acquainted. When Henry returns he's incensed to learn that the two of them have been dancing together. He wants Isabelle to leave with him, but she refuses and breaks off their engagement, returning his ring. Henry tries to get the police to help him force Isabelle to leave, by telling them that she has been "kidnapped by villains", but Judge Dempsey sets them straight, getting Henry arrested and taken away.
Gus offers to put Isabelle up for the night, assuring her that his intentions are "strictly dishonorable". The Judge warns Isabelle about Gus, but she is adamant about staying, since she has fallen in love. So, too, has Gus: overwhelmed by Isabelle's sweetness and innocence, he spends the night in Judge Dempsey's apartment.
The next morning, Henry returns and tries to get Isabelle to come back to him. Despite appearances, she assures him that she has not lost her virtue and wants to know if he is still "pure", but he insists that it is "entirely different" for men. She reluctantly agrees to remain engaged to Henry, and he leaves to wait for her outside. Gus arrives and proposes marriage to Isabelle, but she does not believe that he loves her, and she leaves. When Gus and the judge go to get a drink, they find Isabelle there, crying. She confesses that she does love Gus, and the judge goes to tell Henry not to wait.
Cast notes:
.
The film was in production from 30 June to 15 August 1931, and was released on 26 December of that year. The Los Angeles premiere took place at the Carthay Circle Theatre.
. It was written, produced and directed by Melvin Frank
and Norman Panama
and starred Ezio Pinza
and Janet Leigh
. Much of the sexual innuendo of the original was scrubbed from the remake, which was also musicalized.
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film directed by John M. Stahl
John M. Stahl
John Malcolm Stahl was an American film director and producer.Born in New York City, New York, he began working in the city's growing motion picture industry at a young age and directed his first silent film short in 1914. In the early 1920s Stahl signed on with Louis B...
, starring Paul Lukas
Paul Lukas
Paul Lukas was an Austrian-Hungarian-born actor.-Biography:Born Pál Lukács in Budapest, he arrived in Hollywood in 1927 after a successful stage and film career in Hungary, Germany and Austria where he worked with Max Reinhardt. He made his stage debut in Budapest in 1916 and his film debut in 1917...
, Sidney Fox
Sidney Fox
Sidney Fox was an American actress.-Career:Fox was born Sidney Leiffer in New York City in 1907 to a Jewish family. Her parents were wealthy until they went bankrupt and Sidney had to get a job as a teenager. She became a dressmaker, and spent her spare time studying law...
and Lewis Stone
Lewis Stone
Lewis 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...
, and featuring George Meeker
George Meeker
George Meeker was an American character movie and Broadway actor who became more of a legend off-camera than on. Meeker made several movies such as Crime Inc. , and Thief in the Dark and played an uncredited part in All Through the Night .Meeker has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-External...
and Sidney Toler
Sidney Toler
Sidney 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:...
. It was written by Gladys Lehman and based on Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
' 1929 hit Broadway play of the same name
Strictly Dishonorable (play)
Strictly Dishonorable is a romantic comedy play written by Preston Sturges and first produced on Broadway in 1929. It has been adapted for the screen twice, first in 1931, then again in 1951...
. Strictly Dishonorable was Sturges' second play on Broadway, and his first to be filmed for the silver screen.
As a film made before the advent of the Production Code
Production Code
The Motion Picture Production Code was the set of industry moral censorship guidelines that governed the production of the vast majority of United States motion pictures released by major studios from 1930 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the Hays Code, after Hollywood's chief censor of the...
, the film-makers were able to preserve the cheerfully uninhibited sexual innuendo of the Sturges play in their movie version, which he is said to have unofficially endorsed.
Plot
Snubbish, quick-tempered Henry Greene (George MeekerGeorge Meeker
George Meeker was an American character movie and Broadway actor who became more of a legend off-camera than on. Meeker made several movies such as Crime Inc. , and Thief in the Dark and played an uncredited part in All Through the Night .Meeker has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-External...
) and his fiancee Isabelle Perry (Sidney Fox
Sidney Fox
Sidney Fox was an American actress.-Career:Fox was born Sidney Leiffer in New York City in 1907 to a Jewish family. Her parents were wealthy until they went bankrupt and Sidney had to get a job as a teenager. She became a dressmaker, and spent her spare time studying law...
) stop into a New York speakeasy owned by Tomasso Antiovi (William Ricciardi) for a drink. There, they meet retired Judge Dempsey (Lewis Stone
Lewis Stone
Lewis 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...
), an amiable man who befriends the Southern belle, much to Henry's dismay. Famous opera singer "Tino Caraffa", a charming but notorious playboy whose real name is "Gus" Di Ruvo, (Paul Lukas
Paul Lukas
Paul Lukas was an Austrian-Hungarian-born actor.-Biography:Born Pál Lukács in Budapest, he arrived in Hollywood in 1927 after a successful stage and film career in Hungary, Germany and Austria where he worked with Max Reinhardt. He made his stage debut in Budapest in 1916 and his film debut in 1917...
) is there as well, and while Henry is gone to move his illegally parked car, Gus and Isabelle, an opera fan, get acquainted. When Henry returns he's incensed to learn that the two of them have been dancing together. He wants Isabelle to leave with him, but she refuses and breaks off their engagement, returning his ring. Henry tries to get the police to help him force Isabelle to leave, by telling them that she has been "kidnapped by villains", but Judge Dempsey sets them straight, getting Henry arrested and taken away.
Gus offers to put Isabelle up for the night, assuring her that his intentions are "strictly dishonorable". The Judge warns Isabelle about Gus, but she is adamant about staying, since she has fallen in love. So, too, has Gus: overwhelmed by Isabelle's sweetness and innocence, he spends the night in Judge Dempsey's apartment.
The next morning, Henry returns and tries to get Isabelle to come back to him. Despite appearances, she assures him that she has not lost her virtue and wants to know if he is still "pure", but he insists that it is "entirely different" for men. She reluctantly agrees to remain engaged to Henry, and he leaves to wait for her outside. Gus arrives and proposes marriage to Isabelle, but she does not believe that he loves her, and she leaves. When Gus and the judge go to get a drink, they find Isabelle there, crying. She confesses that she does love Gus, and the judge goes to tell Henry not to wait.
Cast
- Paul LukasPaul LukasPaul Lukas was an Austrian-Hungarian-born actor.-Biography:Born Pál Lukács in Budapest, he arrived in Hollywood in 1927 after a successful stage and film career in Hungary, Germany and Austria where he worked with Max Reinhardt. He made his stage debut in Budapest in 1916 and his film debut in 1917...
as Count Gus Di Ruvo - Sidney FoxSidney FoxSidney Fox was an American actress.-Career:Fox was born Sidney Leiffer in New York City in 1907 to a Jewish family. Her parents were wealthy until they went bankrupt and Sidney had to get a job as a teenager. She became a dressmaker, and spent her spare time studying law...
as Isabelle Perry - 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...
as Judge Dempsey - George MeekerGeorge MeekerGeorge Meeker was an American character movie and Broadway actor who became more of a legend off-camera than on. Meeker made several movies such as Crime Inc. , and Thief in the Dark and played an uncredited part in All Through the Night .Meeker has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-External...
as Henry Greene - William Ricciardi as Tomasso Antiovi
- 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:...
as Patrolman Mulligan - Carlo Schipa as Waiter
- Samuel Bonello as Waiter
- Joe Torillo as Cook
- Joseph W. GirardJoseph W. GirardJoseph W. Girard was an American film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1911 and 1944.He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:...
as Officer - Aldo Franchetti as Arguing Customer
Cast notes:
- "Dempsey" was the maiden name of Preston Sturges' mother.
- William Ricciardi is the only actor who also appeared in the Broadway production of Strictly Dishonorable.
- Natalie Moorhead played the role of "Lilli", one of Gus's lovers, but her scenes were deleted.
- Sidney Toler went on to achieve fame playing Charlie ChanCharlie ChanCharlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
.
Production
Universal paid Preston Sturges the record sum of $125,000 for the rights to Strictly Dishonorable, equal only to RKO's purchase of the rights to CimarronCimarron
Cimarron is the title of a novel published by popular historical fiction author Edna Ferber in 1929. The book was adapted into a critically acclaimed film in 1931 through RKO Pictures. In 1960, the story was again adapted for the screen to meager success by MGM...
.
The film was in production from 30 June to 15 August 1931, and was released on 26 December of that year. The Los Angeles premiere took place at the Carthay Circle Theatre.
Other versions
Sturges' play was filmed again in 1951, and released by MGM under the same title, Strictly DishonorableStrictly Dishonorable (1951 film)
Strictly Dishonorable is a 1951 romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, and starring Ezio Pinza and Janet Leigh...
. It was written, produced and directed by Melvin Frank
Melvin Frank
Melvin Frank was an American screenwriter, film producer and film director. He collaborated with a former schoolfriend, Norman Panama to form a writing partnership which endured for 3 decades...
and Norman Panama
Norman Panama
Norman Panama was an American screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois. He collaborated with a former schoolfriend, Melvin Frank to form a writing partnership which endured for three decades...
and starred Ezio Pinza
Ezio Pinza
Ezio Pinza was an Italian basso opera singer with a rich, smooth and sonorous voice. He spent 22 seasons at New York's Metropolitan Opera, appearing in more than 750 performances of 50 operas...
and Janet Leigh
Janet Leigh
Janet Leigh , born Jeanette Helen Morrison, was an American actress. She was the wife of actor Tony Curtis from June 1951 to September 1962 and the mother of Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis....
. Much of the sexual innuendo of the original was scrubbed from the remake, which was also musicalized.