''The Lady in Scarlet'' is a 1935 American

comedy drama film Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

directed by

Charles Lamont Charles Lamont (May 5, 1895 – September 11, 1993) was a prolific filmmaker, directing over 200 titles and producing and writing many others. He directed several Abbott and Costello comedies and many Ma and Pa Kettle films. Biography A Calif ...

. It was made by

Chesterfield Motion Pictures Corporation Chesterfield Motion Picture Corporation, generally shortened to Chesterfield Pictures, was an American film production company of the 1920s and 1930s. The company head was George R. Batcheller, and the company worked in tandem with its sister stu ...

Plot

In New York City, Dr. Phillip Boyer purchases an antique clock at the premises of antique dealer Albert J. Sayre and arranges with salesman Arthur Pennyward for the clock to be delivered that afternoon. When Boyer departs, Sayre, who has been secretly watching, accuses his wife of taking a romantic interest in Boyer. About 5.30pm, Mrs. Sayre meets Dr. Boyer at a restaurant. Also present at the restaurant are Private Investigator Oliver Keith and his "girl friday" Ella Carey. When Boyer departs, Mrs. Sayre approaches Keith, asking for his help in finding out why a man has been watching the Sayre house and the reason for her husband's strange behavior. Keith escorts her home and together they find an unlocked front door and the dead body of Sayre in his office. Police are called and establish time of death at "about 5 o'clock." Mrs. Sayre says she went to her hairdressing salon at around 4pm. Sayre's daughter Alice accuses Mrs. Sayre, her stepmother, of murdering her father for inheritance money. Dr. Boyer denies any romantic interest in Mrs. Sayre. Fingerprints provide a lead to rival antique dealer F.W. Dyker. Questioning reveals that Pennyward and Alice married the previous day over Sayre's objections. Boyer's alibi of being at his medical practice till 5.30 is found to be false as he left about 3.30. Pennyward reveals to Keith that Sayre ran a profitable enterprise selling fake antiques through Dyker, but they argued over payments. The family assembles for the reading of the will by attorney Shelby. The estate is shared equally between Sayre's wife and daughter, as Sayre was murdered before signing the new will. Strangely, $100,000 in bonds which Alice knows should be hers upon marriage are not mentioned in the will. When the bonds are found to be missing, Alice accuses Mrs. Sayre of theft. Keith, Ella, and Officer Trainey find the man who has been seen watching the Sayre home. Named Quigley, he reveals he was paid by Sayre to follow Mrs. Sayre and that she and Boyer were together much earlier on the afternoon of the murder than they had admitted. Later that evening, Dr. Boyer is found murdered in his car. Several of the missing bonds are found in Pennyward's satchel and are identified by Shelby as exactly the same type as the missing bonds, despite his remark on the day of the reading of the will that he knew nothing of their type or denomination. Caught in a lie, Shelby is accused by Keith of murdering Sayre when he visited Sayre's home for the signing of the will. Shelby pulls a gun and fires it but is overpowered, with the bullet expected to provide ballistics evidence that he killed Boyer too. Quigley is arrested for blackmailing both Sayre and Boyer. Alice and her stepmother reconcile. Pennyward and Alice go off on their honeymoon. Dyker goes free but with his reputation even more tarnished.

Cast

* Reginald Denny as Oliver Keith *

Patricia Farr Patricia Farr (born Arleine Rutledge Farr; January 15, 1913 – February 23, 1948) was an American film actress who appeared in films of the 1930s and 1940s. Despite being billed as leading lady in at least one (''Lady Luck'') of the films in w ...

as Ella Carey * Jamison Thomas (sic) as Dr. Phillip J. Boyer *

Dorothy Revier Dorothy Revier (born Doris Valerga; April 18, 1904 – November 19, 1993) was an American actress. Early years Born as Doris Valerga in San Francisco on April 18, 1904, Revier was one of five siblings of the famous Valerga performing fami ...

as Mrs. Julia Sayre * James Bush as Arthur Pennyward *

John St. Polis John M. St. Polis (born John Marie Sainpolis; November 24, 1873 – October 8, 1946) was an American actor. Biography St. Polis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Before starting his film career, he made a name for himself on the Broadway ...

as Jerome T. Shelby *

Claudia Dell Claudia Dell (born Claudia Dell Smith; January 10, 1910 – September 5, 1977) was an American showgirl and actress of the stage and movies. Early years Dell was born in San Antonio, Texas on January 10, 1910. She attended school in San ...

as Alice Sayre/Pennyward *

John T. Murray John T. Murray (28 August 1886 – 12 February 1957) was an Australian stage and film actor.Leider p. 316 Biography Born in Melbourne in 1886, Murray was married to actress Vivien Oakland, who he had appeared with on the vaudeville stage.

as Albert J. Sayre *

Lew Kelly Lew Kelly (August 24, 1879 – June 10, 1944) was an American stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1928 and 1944. He was born Louis Kelly in St. Louis, Missouri, and died in Los Angeles, California. Selected f ...

as Inspector Lewis Trainey * Jack Adair as F. W. Dyker

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lady In Scarlet, The 1935 comedy-drama films 1935 films American black-and-white films American comedy-drama films Chesterfield Pictures films Films directed by Charles Lamont 1930s English-language films 1930s American films