''Lightnin is a 1930 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by Henry King and written by S. N. Behrman and

Sonya Levien Sonya Levien (born Sara Opesken; 25 December 1888 – 19 March 1960) was a Russian-born American screenwriter. She became one of the highest earning female screenwriters in Hollywood in the 1930s and would help a number of directors and film ...

. The film stars Will Rogers,

Louise Dresser Louise Dresser (born Louise Josephine Kerlin; October 5, 1878 – April 24, 1965) was an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the many films in which she played the wife of Will Rogers, including '' State Fair'' and ...

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he bec ...

, Helen Cohan, Jason Robards Sr. and Luke Cosgrave. The film was released on December 7, 1930, by

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

. It is a remake of the 1925 silent film, which was directed by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

, which itself was based on the 1918 play.

Plot

Lightnin' has a young man come to his hotel to find his wife who is seeking a divorce. He talks to the two who obviously are in love, but they get in a tiff and the young man says he is leaving. Lightnin' whispers to wife to call him back, and then he has a sit down heart to heart talk and the couple leave with their marriage saved.

Cast

* Will Rogers as Lightnin' Bill Jones *

as Mrs. Mary Jones *

as John Marvin * Helen Cohan as Milly Jones * Jason Robards Sr. as Raymond Thomas *Luke Cosgrave as Zeb * J. M. Kerrigan as Judge Lemuel Townsend *Ruth Warren as Mrs. Margaret Davis *

Sharon Lynn Sharon Lynn (born D'Auvergne Sharon Lindsay, April 9, 1901 – May 26, 1963) was an American actress and singer. She began playing in silent films but enjoyed her biggest success in the early sound years of motion pictures before fading away i ...

as Mrs. Lower *

Joyce Compton Olivia Joyce Compton (January 27, 1907 – October 13, 1997) was an American actress. Biography Compton was born in Lexington, Kentucky, the daughter of Henry and Golden Compton. (Despite frequent reports to the contrary, her name was not ...

as Betty *

Rex Bell Rex Bell (born George Francis Beldam; October 16, 1903 – July 4, 1962) was an American actor and politician. Bell primarily appeared in Western films during his career. He also appeared in the 1930 movie '' True to the Navy'', starring Clar ...

as Larry *

Goodee Montgomery Goodee Montgomery (born Virginia Lawhead; 1906–1978) was an American actress and musician. She was the niece of the actor David C. Montgomery. She also performed in vaudeville. Montgomery was born Virginia Lawhead in St. Joseph, Missouri. Her f ...

as Mrs. Brooks *

Phil Tead Phillips Tead (September 29, 1893 – June 9, 1974) was an American character actor in film and television, sometimes billed as Phil Tead. Biography Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1893, among his many roles, Tead might be best reme ...

as Monte Winslow *Walter Percival as Everett Hammond *

Charlotte Walker __NOTOC__ Charlotte Ganahl Walker (December 20, 1876March 23, 1958) was a Broadway theater actress. Early life Charlotte Ganahl Walker was born on December 20, 1876, in Galveston, Texas to Edwin A. Walker (1849–1889) and Charlisa (De ...

as Mrs. Thatcher

References

External links

* * 1930 films 1930s English-language films Fox Film films American comedy films 1930 comedy films Films directed by Henry King American black-and-white films 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub