''Now I'll Tell'' is a 1934 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 ...

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 ...

directed by

Edwin J. Burke Edwin J. Burke (August 30, 1889 – September 26, 1944) was an American screenwriter who was most known for writing some of Shirley Temple's earlier films. He won an Academy Award at the 5th Academy Awards in the category of Best Adapted Screen ...

starring

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

Helen Twelvetrees Helen Marie Twelvetrees ( Jurgens; December 25, 1908 – February 13, 1958) was an American actress. She starred in Hollywood films in the sound film era from 1929 to 1939. Many of her roles were of "suffering women". She has a star on the Holly ...

, and

Alice Faye Alice Faye (born Alice Jeanne Leppert; May 5, 1915 – May 9, 1998) was an American actress and singer. A musical star of 20th Century-Fox in the 1930s and 1940s, Faye starred in such films as '' On the Avenue'' (1937) and ''Alexander's Ragtime ...

. It was produced by Fox Film shortly before the company's merger with

Twentieth Century Pictures Twentieth Century Pictures, Inc. was an independent Hollywood motion picture production company created in 1933 by Joseph Schenck (the former president of United Artists) and Darryl F. Zanuck from Warner Bros. Financial backing came from Sche ...

. It marked the final screen appearance of former silent star

Alice Calhoun Alice Beatrice Calhoun (November 21, 1900 – June 3, 1966) was an American silent film actress. Film star Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she made her film debut in an uncredited role in 1918 and went on to appear in another forty-seven films betw ...

Plot

Murray Golden is an unscrupulous New York City gambler and casino operator who wants to live life to the fullest. His philosophy is encapsulated in something he keeps saying: "You're only wrong when you fail." His wife, Virginia, has extracted a promise that he will quit the business once he makes $500,000. However, when he does, he breaks his word. He also starts seeing Peggy Warren behind his wife's back. Murray learns that gangster Al Mossiter has fixed a championship boxing match. He pays one of the fighters to take a dive in the second round, before Mossiter's man goes down in the fifth, and wins a lot of money. (Mossiter's boxer is later murdered.) However, Virginia hears about Peggy and threatens to leave Murray. He manages to convince her that Peggy is the mistress of Freddie, Murray's friend and associate. He also tells her that he has made enough money and is getting into the insurance business. Later, Mossiter learns who double-crossed him and vows to get back everything Murray won from the fight. An associate suggests he kidnap Virginia. When Murray is told about the kidnapping, he races back to the city, but is injured and Peggy is killed in a car crash. Virginia is freed unharmed when the ransom is paid, but she has had enough. She decides to get a divorce. Years later, Murray receives a telegram from Virginia, telling him she is sailing home from Europe and has a "surprise". He is overjoyed, assuming she is coming back to him. However, she tells him that she is going to marry someone else. She asks him for her jewelry. He promises to give it to her in a week, though he is down on his luck and has pawned them. He gets into a poker game with Mossiter and others. After playing for a day and a half, he owes $210,000. Mossiter buys up all of his IOUs and gives him a deadline to come up with the money. Murray shows up at Mossiter's hotel room and declares he is not going to pay. Furthermore, he says he is going to tell the district attorney who killed the boxer. After Mossiter shoots him, Murray reveals he took out a life insurance policy on himself in order to raise the money to get Virginia's jewelry back. He boasts that he has outsmarted his killer (winning a $20 bet they had made). The doctor informs Virginia that Murray is dying, so she lies and tells him she is returning to him.

Cast

as Murray Golden *

as Virginia Golden *

as Peggy Warren * Robert Gleckler as Al Mossiter * Henry O'Neill as Tommy Doran *

Hobart Cavanaugh Hobart Cavanaugh (September 22, 1886 – April 26, 1950 ) was an American character actor in films and on stage. Biography He was born in Virginia City, Nevada on September 22, 1886. Cavanaugh attended the University of California. He worked in ...

as Freddie * G. P. Huntley as Hart * Shirley Temple as Mary Doran * Ronnie Cosby as Tommy Doran Jr. * Ray Cooke as Eddie Traylor *

Frank Marlowe Frank Marlowe (born Frank Marlowe Riggi; January 20, 1904 – March 30, 1964), also known as Frank Riggi and Frank Marlo, was an American character actor from the 1930s until the 1960s. During Marlowe's 30-year career he would appear in ov ...

as George Curtis * Clarence Wilson as Attorney Joe Davis * Barbara Weeks as Wynne * Theodore Newton as Joe *

Vince Barnett Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...

as Peppo *

James Donlan James Donlan (July 23, 1888 – June 7, 1938) was an American actor. Born in San Francisco, California, Donlan appeared in 107 films between 1929 and 1939. He was the father of actress Yolande Donlan. On June 7, 1938, Donlan died, aged 49, from ...

as Honey Smith *

Leon Ames Leon Ames (born Harry L. Wycoff;U.S. Federal Census for 1910 for Fowler, Center Township, Benton County, State of Indiana, access via Ancestry.com January 20, 1902 – October 12, 1993) was an American film and television actor. He is best rememb ...

as Max *

as Mrs. Doran *

Donald Haines Donald Haines (May 9, 1919 – February 20, 1943) was an American child actor who had recurring appearances in the ''Our Gang'' short subjects series from 1930 to 1933. He appeared in ''Our Gang'' during the early sound days along with No ...

as Messenger Boy (uncredited) *

Nelson McDowell Nelson McDowell (August 14, 1870 – November 3, 1947) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 170 films between 1917 and 1945. McDowell was born in Greenville, Missouri. His parents were N. B. McDowell and Anne Hampton. He attend ...

as Bettor (uncredited) *

Jack Mower Jack Mower (September 5, 1890 – January 6, 1965) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 520 films between 1914 and 1965. He was born in Honolulu and died in Hollywood. After studying at Punahou College, in Honolulu, Mower moved ...

as Gangster (uncredited)

Production

Development

The film was directed and written by

and is loosely based on the autobiography of Carolyn Green Rothstein, wife of New York gambler

Arnold Rothstein Arnold Rothstein (January 17, 1882 – November 4, 1928), nicknamed "The Brain", was an American racketeer, crime boss, businessman, and gambler in New York City. Rothstein was widely reputed to have organized corruption in professional athletic ...

. Co-star

was 18 years old. Five year old future child star Shirley Temple (in a smaller role) also appeared in the film.

External links

* *{{tcmdb title, id=85300 1934 films 1934 drama films American black-and-white films American drama films Films based on biographies Films set in 1909 Films set in 1919 Films set in 1928 Films set in New York City Fox Film films Gambling films Arnold Rothstein 1930s American films