''Escort Girl'' is a 1941 American film directed by Edward E. Kaye; it is also known as ''Scarlet Virgin''.

Plot summary

Ruth Ashley (

Betty Compson Betty Compson (born Eleanor Luicime Compson; March 19, 1897 – April 18, 1974) was an American actress and film producer who got her start during Hollywood's silent era. She is best known for her performances in ''The Docks of New York'' and ...

) is a former escort girl who now owns the Hollywood Escort Bureau in Los Angeles together with Gregory Stone (

Wheeler Oakman Wheeler Oakman (born Vivian Eichelberger; February 21, 1890 – March 19, 1949) was an American film actor. Early years Oakman was born as Vivian Eichelberger in Washington, D.C., and educated in that city's schools. He grew up in Fairfax, Virg ...

). Ruth is co-owner of the Café Martinique, where the escorts go with their dates to watch striptease and drink champagne. The escort bureau is managed by Breeze Nolan (Guy Kingsford) who provides customers with both male and female escorts. Ruth has a daughter, June (Margaret Marquis), who is ignorant of her mother's occupation. June believes that her mother works in real estate. Ruth had sent her daughter to a private school in the eastern U.S. Eventually June is engaged to Drake Hamilton (

Robert Kellard Robert Kellard, aka Robert Stevens (April 23, 1915 – January 13, 1981), was an American actor who appeared in over 60 films between 1937 and 1951. Early years Kellard was born Robert Dorsey Kellard April 23, 1915, in Los Angeles, California. H ...

), and when Drake travels to Los Angeles for work, June decides to accompany him to meet her mother. At the same time, Ruth and her partner learn that the district attorney is planning to put an end to illegal escort services. Since her daughter is coming to town, Ruth is concerned that the truth will come out about her business. She grows more worried when she discovers that Drake is in Los Angeles to assist the district attorney in stopping all escort operations. In the line of duty Drake pretends to be a prospective client and calls the bureau to book a girl for the evening. His plan is to lay a trap for the bureau owners. But Stone learns from a snitch that Drake is investigating, and instead of sending a regular girl, he sends June to Drake's hotel room at the specified time. Drake ends up believing that June works as an escort girl and breaks their engagement. June is devastated and blames Stone for what happened. She threatens to go to the DA. To stop her and exculpate himself, Stone reveals that Ruth is his partner. He tries to hire June as an escort girl after plying her with drinks. Since Nolan is the face of the escort business, Drake finds him and beats him up, heartbroken because of what he thought about June. Drake learns that Stone is the owner. When Ruth arrives at Stone's apartment, June is still there. June renounces her mother and leaves. Ruth learns what happened and tells Stone to reveal the truth to Drake, threatening to shoot him. Drake arrives, walking in on Ruth holding Stone at gunpoint. He tries to overpower her, and as they struggle for the gun, Ruth is accidentally shot and fatally wounded. As the struggle continues between Stone and Drake, Stone falls out a window and breaks his neck. With her last words, Ruth tells Drake the truth, and he promises to take care of June. Ruth dies, and Drake and June reconcile happily.

Cast

as Ruth Ashley *

Margaret Marquis Margaret Alice Marquis (August 19, 1919 – January 19, 1993) was a Canadian-American film actress. Marquis was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leon Marquis. Personal life On November 1, 1937, Marquis married Universal Studios publicist David c. ...

as June Ashley *

as Drake Hamilton *

as Gregory Stone * Guy Kingsford as Breeze Nolan *

Gay Seabrook Gay Seabrook (born Gladys Johnson; April 1, 1901 – April 18, 1970) was a film, Broadway and radio actress. Early years Seabrook was the daughter of Rufus Johnson, a newspaper circulation manager. Career In the mid 1920s, Seabrook portrayed M ...

as Maizie * Isabelle LaMal as Snuggles *

Arthur Housman Arthur Housman (October 10, 1889 – April 8, 1942) was an American actor in films during both the silent film era and the Golden Age of Hollywood. Career Arthur Housman was one of the first screen comedians known to the public by name, and on ...

as Al, the Drunk *

Rick Vallin Rick Vallin (born Eric Efron; September 24, 1919 – August 31, 1977) was an actor who appeared in more than 150 films between 1938 and 1966. Early years Born in Feodosia, in the Crimea, Russia, Vallin came to the United States at age there ...

as Jack *

Cyd Charisse Cyd Charisse (born Tula Ellice Finklea; March 8, 1922 – June 17, 2008) was an American actress and dancer. After recovering from polio as a child and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s. Her roles usually featured her abilit ...

as a Flamenco Dancer (Uncredited)

External links

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Escort Girl 1941 films American black-and-white films 1941 crime films American crime films 1940s American films