''Smooth as Silk'' is a 1946 American
noir film
Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American '' ...
directed by
Charles Barton and starring
Kent Taylor
Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1907 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more p ...
,
Virginia Grey
Virginia Grey (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and a number of radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s.
Biography
Grey was born on March 22, 1917, in Edendale, Calif ...
, and
Milburn Stone
Hugh Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 – June 12, 1980) was an American actor, best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the CBS Western series ''Gunsmoke''.
Early life
Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas, to Herbert Stone and the forme ...
. The film is also known as ''Notorious Gentleman'' as it is a version of 1935 film ''
A Notorious Gentleman
''A Notorious Gentleman'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Edward Laemmle and written by Leopold Atlas, Rufus King and Robert Tasker. The film stars Charles Bickford, Helen Vinson, Onslow Stevens, Dudley Digges, Sidney Blackmer and Joh ...
''. The film focuses on the murder of a theater producer (John Litel) committed by a lawyer (Kent Taylor), after the lawyer's bride, an actress (Virginia Gray), left him for the producer to win a role in his new musical. Despite the fascinating plot and tense intrigue, this film failed to attract much attention.
Plot
Successful lawyer Mark Fenton (
Kent Taylor
Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1907 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more p ...
) seeks to acquit young playboy Don Elliott (Danny Morton), accused of drunk driving and hitting a pedestrian to death. After completing the case, Mark approaches Don's uncle and trustee—the respected theater producer Stephen Elliott (John Litel)—to give his girlfriend, actress Paula Marlowe (
Virginia Gray) a role in his new theatrical production. Stephen rejects the approach but compensates his refusal with a generous fee. Meanwhile, Paula's younger sister Susan (
Jane Adams) arrives from the province, and Mark invites both sisters to a restaurant. During the dinner, Paula is extremely upset by Stephen's refusal to give her the role. There Mark introduces the sisters to the district attorney and his friend John Kimble (
Milburn Stone
Hugh Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 – June 12, 1980) was an American actor, best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the CBS Western series ''Gunsmoke''.
Early life
Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas, to Herbert Stone and the forme ...
), and to his teacher, the experienced lawyer Fletcher Holiday (
Charles Trowbridge
Charles Silas Richard Trowbridge (January 10, 1882 – October 30, 1967) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1915 and 1958.
Biography
Trowbridge was born in Veracruz, Mexico, where his father served in the ...
). They notice Don Elliott drinking at the bar counter. Mark mentions that Don is a Stephen's nephew and heir of the whole family wealth, which is now managed by his uncle. This fact invites Paula's keen interest. She leaves the company and meets with Don—to arrange a meeting at her home that evening. Paula begins dating Don on a regular basis. This pleases Stephen very mush, because under her influence, Don quits drinking. One evening, Paula turns to Don, requesting to arrange her for the coveted role in the Stephen's play. However, Don refuses to talk about this with his uncle on the grounds that the main character of the play is a vicious and deceitful woman, and such a role does not fit Paula at all.
Admired by Paula's influence on his nephew, Steven decides to invite her to a dinner party. Although Susan sees Paula simply manipulating both men for the role, she, nevertheless, agrees to accompany her sister at the dinner in the Elliots' house. Learning during the dinner that Don will not inherit the family fortune if he marries before he is 30, Paula tells Stephen that Don is not really interested in her but in Susan. Feeling that Stephen likes her, Paula directly asks him for a major role in his new play. After consulting with his butler Walcott (
Harry Cheshire
Harry V. Cheshire (August 16, 1891 – June 16, 1968), originally from Emporia, Kansas, was an American character actor who appeared in over 100 films, mostly playing small roles. He was also a stage actor and performed on a St. Louis radio ...
), Steven immediately approves her ask. After that evening, Paula begins dating Stephen, while staying in touch with Mark but ignoring Don, who again starts to drink because of despair. The premiere of the Stephen's new play with Paula in the title role sees a great success. At a party after the successful premiere, Mark tries to clarify his relationship with Paula, but Stephen publicly announces his engagement with her. After hearing these words, the furious Mark pounces at Stephen with fists, but then, at the request of Paula, leaves the place.
Mark hires a
private detective
A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...
to arrange secret surveillance for both Paula and Stephen—and soon receive information on their immediate plans, as well as on a tense conversation between Stephen and Don, during which Don threatened his uncle. Then Mark sneaks into Paula's apartment and steals her bracelet and cigarette butt, and then goes to see Stephen. Threatening him with the weapon, Mark tells Stephen that he will shoot him and frame him for murdering Paula. In despair, Stephen proposes to break his engagement with Paula, but the lawyer still kills him. Leaving the evidence to frame Paula for this murder, Mark imperceptibly goes outside and waits for her arrival. When Paula discovers the Stephen's body, she storms out of the house into the street, where she encounters Mark, who allegedly came to apologize to Stephen for the yesterday's incident. After sending Paula home, Mark calls prosecutor Kimble, stating that he has just shot Stephen Elliott. Arriving at the place of crime, Kimble immediately begins to suspect that Mark tries to cover Paula, especially after he finds the evidence that Mark planted in advance. Kimble detains Paula, and Mark, insisting on his own fault, persuades Holiday to become his lawyer. Meticulous Holiday demands conducting an investigative experiment, the result of which only aggravating suspicions against Paula. Mark begins to fear that Paula may be really convicted. To avoid it, Mark convinces Don that it was he who, being drunk, killed Stephen. After Mark's departure, the depressed Don calls Kimble, confesses to the murder, and says that he is going to commit suicide. When Don mentions that it was Mark who convinced him it his fault, Kimble responds that he knows who is actually the murderer.
Soon, Mark receives a letter from Don, who reports that he confessed to the prosecutor and wanted to commit suicide but he did not have enough strength to do so. Fearing that he could still shoot himself, Don has sent Mark a pistol along with the letter. Mark, taking the received weapon, again comes to the house of the Elliotts, intent on killing Don and disguising the murder as suicide. When Mark shoots the supposedly sleeping Don, Kimble appears along with the police officers who arrest Mark for killing Steven. As it turns out, Kimble specifically arranged this trap for Mark, persuading Don to serve as bait and preloading his pistol with empty cartridges.
Cast
*
Kent Taylor
Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1907 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more p ...
as Mark Fenton
*
Virginia Grey
Virginia Grey (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and a number of radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s.
Biography
Grey was born on March 22, 1917, in Edendale, Calif ...
as Paula Marlowe
*
Jane Adams as Susan Marlowe
*
Milburn Stone
Hugh Milburn Stone (July 5, 1904 – June 12, 1980) was an American actor, best known for his role as "Doc" (Dr. Galen Adams) on the CBS Western series ''Gunsmoke''.
Early life
Stone was born in Burrton, Kansas, to Herbert Stone and the forme ...
as John Kimble
*
John Litel
John Beach Litel (December 30, 1892 – February 3, 1972) was an American film and television actor.
Early life
Litel was born in Albany, Wisconsin. During World War I, he enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery. Ba ...
as Stephen Elliott
*Danny Morton as Don Elliott
*
Charles Trowbridge
Charles Silas Richard Trowbridge (January 10, 1882 – October 30, 1967) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1915 and 1958.
Biography
Trowbridge was born in Veracruz, Mexico, where his father served in the ...
as Fletcher Holliday
*
Theresa Harris
Theresa Harris (December 31, 1906 – October 8, 1985) was an American television and film actress, singer and dancer.
Early life
Harris was born on New Year's Eve 1906 (some sources indicate 1909) in Houston, Texas, to Isaiah and Mable Harris ...
as Louise
*Ralph Brooks as Detective
*
Bert Moorhouse
Bert Moorhouse (sometimes incorrectly billed as Bert Moorehouse) (November 20, 1894 – January 26, 1954) was an American character actor whose career began at the very tail end of the silent era, and lasted through the mid-1950s.
Biography
Bo ...
as Detective
*
Harry Cheshire
Harry V. Cheshire (August 16, 1891 – June 16, 1968), originally from Emporia, Kansas, was an American character actor who appeared in over 100 films, mostly playing small roles. He was also a stage actor and performed on a St. Louis radio ...
as Walcott
Reception
Hal Erickson of
Allmovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne.
History
AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
gave the film three stars out of five and stated "Though running a scant 65 minutes, Smooth as Silk packs a bigger wallop than some of Universal's more ambitious "A" melodramas of the same period."
Home media
''Smooth as Silk'' was released on DVD on January 31, 2017.
References
External links
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*
*
{{Charles Barton
1949 films
1940s English-language films
Universal Pictures films
Films directed by Charles Barton
American black-and-white films
American crime drama films
1949 crime drama films
Film noir
Films with screenplays by Florence Ryerson
1940s American films