''Bluff'' is a 1924 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Sam Wood Samuel Grosvenor Wood (July 10, 1883 – September 22, 1949) was an American film director and producer who is best known for having directed such Hollywood hits as ''A Night at the Opera (film), A Night at the Opera'', ''A Day at the Races (fi ...

and written by

Willis Goldbeck Willis Goldbeck (October 24, 1898 – September 17, 1979) was an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He wrote for 40 films between 1923 and 1962. He also directed ten films between 1942 and 1951. Willis graduated from Worcest ...

, Josephine Quirk, and

Rita Weiman Rita Weiman (1885–1954) was a playwright, journalist, author, and screenwriter. Biography Beginnings Rita was born in Philadelphia in 1885 and raised in a Quaker community. She later recounted that she felt lucky her parents supported her ...

. The film stars

Agnes Ayres Agnes Ayres (born Agnes Henkel; April 4, 1896 – December 25, 1940) was an American actress who rose to fame during the silent film era. She was known for her role as Lady Diana Mayo in '' The Sheik'' opposite Rudolph Valentino. Career Ayres b ...

Antonio Moreno Antonio Garrido Monteagudo (September 26, 1887 – February 15, 1967), better known as Antonio Moreno or Tony Moreno, was a Spanish-born American actor and film director of the silent film era and through the 1950s. Early life and silent fi ...

, Fred J. Butler,

Clarence Burton Clarence Forrest Burton (May 10, 1882 – December 2, 1933) was an American silent film actor. Biography Burton was born in Fort Lyon, in Benton County, Missouri and started in show business at the age of 5, playing stock and musical comedy ...

, Pauline Paquette, and Jack Gardner. The film was released on May 12, 1924, by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

Plot

As described in a film magazine review, Betty Hallowell is an unsuccessful fashion designer as the New York City modistes spurn her work as being that of a nobody. Her brother Jack is crippled in an accident involving political boss Mitchell's automobile. The latter swears vengeance on Betty when she refuses the slim compromise he offers. Broke, Betty realizes that you must bluff in order to win prestige in Gotham, so she impersonates Nina Loring, a missing international beauty, and the New York City modistes flock to buy her designs. However, the real Nina is wanted for embezzlement. Mitchell's secretary is about to have Betty arrested. She is saved by Robert Fitzmaurice, a young lawyer, who threatens to expose Mitchell's crookedness and, by bluffing, causes him to back down. As a result, Robert wins Betty's affection.

Cast

Preservation

The film has survived and is preserved in a nitrate print in the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

collection and another print is listed as being held by

UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Also a nonprofit exhibition venue, the archiv ...

.The Library of Congress American Feature Film Survival Catalog: ''Bluff''
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References

External links

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Advertising for the film outside a theatre
at silenthollywood.com 1924 films 1920s English-language films Silent American drama films 1924 drama films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Sam Wood American black-and-white films American silent feature films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub