''Rebellious Daughters'' is a 1938 American

crime drama film In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...

. It was the first feature film directed by

Jean Yarbrough Jean Yarbrough (August 22, 1901 – August 2, 1975) was an American film director. Biography Jean Yarbrough was born in Marianna, Arkansas on August 22, 1901. He attended the University of the South located in Sewanee, Tennessee. In 1922 ...

, and starred

Marjorie Reynolds Marjorie Reynolds (née Goodspeed; August 12, 1917 – February 1, 1997) was an American film/television actress and dancer, who appeared in more than 50 films, including the 1942 musical ''Holiday Inn'', in which she and Bing Crosby introdu ...

. The film's producer was Ben Judell of Progressive Pictures, known for low-budget

exploitation film An exploitation film is a film that tries to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, or lurid content. Exploitation films are generally low-quality "B movies", though some set trends, attract critical attention, become hi ...

s with provocative titles; other films released by Progressive the same year included ''Delinquent Parents'' and ''

Slander House ''Slander House'' is a 1938 American film directed by Charles Lamont. The film's producer was Ben Judell of Progressive Pictures, known for low-budget exploitation films with provocative titles; other films released by Progressive the same year ...

''.Peter Rollins, ''Why We Fought: America's Wars in Film and History'' (

University Press of Kentucky The University Press of Kentucky (UPK) is the scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and was organized in 1969 as successor to the University of Kentucky Press. The university had sponsored scholarly publication since 1943. In 194 ...

, 2008), , p. 236
Excerpts available
at

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Plot summary

It is the night before the birthday of single child Barbara Webster (

Verna Hillie Verna or Virna may refer to: People * Verna Aardema (1911–2000), American author of children's books * Verna Bloom (1939–2019), American actress * Virna De Angeli (born 1976), Italian former sprinter * Virna Dias (born 1971), Brazilian retire ...

). Her spoiled and unaffectionate mother tells her she will not be in town and she does not want her daughter to go with her where she's invited. Barbara, called also Babe, is quite disappointed about the coldness of her mother and relies on her father. Unfortunately, her mother tells her, he will be out of town as well. Barbara is left alone with her sadness about her parents not caring for her. That is what makes her call a friend Eddie to organize something for the evening. Eddie then asks Babe if she could "dig up a live one for" for his friend, Bill Evans, who is there with him. She answers, only the dead have to be dug up, and she will see if she can find something "dainty but dumb". She calls an old friend, Claire Elliott. She would love to get out, but her father is rather severe and doesn't want her to go to night clubs. Babe nonetheless goes personally to talk with father Elliott and manages to persuade him. In the night club the two gentlemen leave the girls for some minutes to go and say hello to old friends. Meantime a woman, Flo Russell, comes to their table and tells them she works for Mr. Gilman, who owns an exclusive gown salon in New York and would be glad to have them as models in his shop. The boys come back with the intention to go to another party. Claire is forced to go with the group. On the way they are caught by police and Claires father has to bring them home. He makes her a speech and forbids her to exit home. With Babe they decide to leave home and go to New York to work for Gilman. They are hired by Gilman but they soon discover that he has another racket going on in his shop: blackmailing rich customers photographing them in suspicious situations. The story evolves ...

Cast

as Claire Elliott *

as Barbara Webster (Babe) *

Sheila Bromley Sheila Bromley (born Sheila LeGay; October 31, 1911 – July 23, 2003), (The reference work ''Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2003'' gave her birth date as October 31, 1907). sometimes billed as Sheila LeGay, Sheila Manners, Sheila Manno ...

as Flo Russell *

George Douglas (actor) George Douglas (born George Lamar Hesselberg; August 7, 1903 – June 11, 1983) was an American actor. He was born as the younger brother of the actor Melvyn Douglas. Their mother was Lena Priscilla (née Shackelford) and their father Edouard ...

as Joe Gilman *

Dennis Moore (actor) Dennis Moore (born Dennis Meadows; January 26, 1908 – March 1, 1964) was an actor who specialized in Western films and film serials. Early years Moore was born Dennis Meadows in Fort Worth, Texas, and attended schools in El Paso. He was a ...

as Jimmie Adams (Reporter) *

Oscar O'Shea Oscar O'Shea (8 October 1881 – 6 April 1960) was a Canadian-American character actor with over 100 film appearances from 1937 to 1953. Early years O'Shea was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Acting O'Shea was a comic actor who earne ...

as Dad Elliott *

Irene Franklin Irene Franklin (June 13, 1885 - June 16, 1941) was an American actress on stage and screen, vaudeville comedian, and singer. Biography Irene Franklin was born in Saint Louis, Missouri, in 1885. While many sources have suggested her birth year as ...

as Ma Delacy * Nick Lukats as Jerry Girard * Monte Blue as Charlie, alias Clint Houston *

Lita Chevret Lita Chevret (May 27, 1908 – May 23, 2001) was an American actress who began her career at the genesis of sound films. She appeared in over 60 films between 1929 and 1940, although in most of those she had small or non-billed parts. Life Chev ...

as Kelly alias Rita Houston *

Vivien Oakland Vivien Oakland (born Vivian Ruth Andersen; May 20, 1895 – August 1, 1958), was an American actress best known for her work in comedies in Hollywood in the 1920s and 1930s, most notably with the Hal Roach Studios. Oakland appeared in 157 films ...

as Mrs. Webster *

Dick Hogan Dixon Howard "Dick" Hogan (November 27, 1917 – August 18, 1995) was an American actor of the 1930s and 1940s. During his 12-year career he appeared in over three dozen films, in roles which varied from unnamed bellhops to featured and starring ...

as Bill Evans

References

External links

* * *
''Rebellious Daughters''
at

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*{{Internet Archive film, id=RebelliousDaughters1938EXPLOITATION 1938 films 1938 drama films American drama films American black-and-white films Films directed by Jean Yarbrough 1930s American films