''The False Madonna'' is a 1931 American

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 Stuart Walker, and written by

May Edginton May Edginton (originally Helen Marion Edginton, 20 December 1883 – 17 June 1957) was an English writer who had over 50 popular novels published in London. She also wrote plays, collaborating with Rudolf Besier on two of them.Virginia Blain, Pat ...

Ray Harris Ray Harris (September 7, 1927 – November 13, 2003)'. ''The Independent''. November 27, 2003. was an American rockabilly musician and songwriter. He formed a band with Wayne Powers, and wrote the songs "Come On, Little Mama" and "Greenback Do ...

, and Arthur Kober. The film stars

Kay Francis Kay Francis (born Katharine Edwina Gibbs; January 13, 1905 – August 26, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. After a brief period on Broadway in the late 1920s, she moved to film and achieved her greatest success between 1930 an ...

, William "Stage" Boyd,

Conway Tearle Conway Tearle (born Frederick Conway Levy, May 17, 1878 – October 1, 1938) was an American stage actor who went on to perform in silent and early sound films. Early life Tearle was born on May 17, 1878, in New York City, the son of the ...

, John Breeden,

Marjorie Gateson Marjorie Augusta Gateson (January 17, 1891 – April 17, 1977) was an American stage and film actress. Biography Gateson was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Augusta and Daniel Gateson. Her maternal grandfather and brother were clergymen; So ...

, and

Charles D. Brown Charles D. Brown (July 1, 1887 – November 25, 1948) was an American stage and film actor. Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Brown wrote and directed a single short film in 1914. As an actor, he appeared in more than 100 films, stretching fro ...

. The film was released on December 5, 1931, by Paramount Pictures.

Plot

In a heavy rainy night 2 couples -Dr. Ed Marcy, Tina, Rose and Peter Angel - are brought to the station by a hotel bus. Alone in the cabin, they argue with the one of them, who cheated at cards and whom to blame, that they were thrown out of the hotel. Sometime later the train conductor calls on Dr. Ed Marcy because a woman is seriously ill. Marcy refuses first, saying he didn't practice since long, but as the train conductor insists he goes to the cabin of the lady. He finds out, that she was going to see her son Philipp Bellows in New York, whom she hadn't seen for fourteen years and who inherited $10,000,000 from her estranged ex-husband. The woman dies in the train and Marcy takes her photographs and a necklace and convinces Tina to impersonate Philipps mother. Tina who has been longing an opportunity to quit the gang accepts. She meets Philipp at his Long Island New York estate, where he lives with his guardianship Grant Arnold and the nurse Alice. She soon finds out that he is blind due to an airplane crash two years before. He doesn't realize that she is an impostor and asks her to stay. She gets acquainted to Philipp and develops motherly feelings for Philipp and in general she's touched and moved by the affection of Philipp. Philipp on his part is worried about leaving her something when he dies, knowing that through his will only an aunt will inherit. So he asks Grant to give her a cheque about $50.000 so that she can live better, but Grant tears up the cheque, as he knows about her. But he doesn't say anything to Philipp, as he knows how sick he is, and he'll soon have to die. So he warns Tina to avoid Philipp too much stress. Meantime Marcy is coming to the house to oblige Tina to do something, but in that night Philipp dies. As Marcy appears the next day demanding money, Grant tells Marcy that he has called the police, and informs him that he found out that Marcy was disbarred from practicing medicine and is wanted by the police. Marcy escapes and Tina is relieved to have that part of her life over, now that she has learned the joy of giving. Grant offers her a home with him and she accepts with an embrace.

Cast

as Tina * William "Stage" Boyd as Dr. Ed Marcy *

as Grant Arnold *John Breeden as Phillip Bellows *

as Rose *

as Peter Angel Rest of cast listed alphabetically: * Frank Rice... Bus Driver (uncredited) *

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 pr ...

... Footman (uncredited) *

May Wallace May Wallace (August 23, 1877 – December 11, 1938) was an American film actress. Biography Wallace was born in 1877 in Russiaville, Indiana. As a film actress, she often played supporting roles for producer Hal Roach in his Laurel and ...

... Nurse Alice (uncredited) * Eric Wilton ... Butler (uncredited)

References

External links

* * http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=6484 {{DEFAULTSORT:False Madonna 1931 films American drama films 1931 drama films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Stuart Walker American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films