''The Return of the Rat'' is a 1929 British silent

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-g ...

directed by

Graham Cutts John Henry Graham Cutts (1884 – 7 February 1958), known as Graham Cutts, was a British film director, one of the leading British directors in the 1920s. His fellow director A. V. Bramble believed that Gainsborough Pictures had been built o ...

and starring Ivor Novello,

Isabel Jeans Isabel Jeans (16 September 1891 – 4 September 1985) was an English stage and film actress known for her roles in several Alfred Hitchcock films and her portrayal of Aunt Alicia in the 1958 musical film '' Gigi''. Early life and career Bo ...

and

Mabel Poulton Mabel Lilian Poulton (29 July 1901 – 21 December 1994) was an English film actress, popular in Britain during the era of silent films. Career Born in Bethnal Green, London, England, Poulton worked as a stenographer and entered films by ...

. It was made by

Gainsborough Pictures Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, north London. Gainsborough Studios was active between 1924 and 1951. The com ...

at their

Islington Studios Islington Studios, often known as Gainsborough Studios, were a British film studio located on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, London between 1919 and 1949. The studi ...

. It was also released with a music-and-effects soundtrack for cinemas wired for sound.

Background

''The Return of the Rat'' is the last of a trilogy of films starring Novello as Pierre Boucheron (The Rat) and Jeans as his sometime lover, sometime nemesis Zélie.

Marie Ault Marie Ault (2 September 1870 – 9 May 1951) was a British character actress of stage and film. Biography Born as Mary Cragg, in Wigan, Lancashire, (now Greater Manchester. England. Ault was a star in many British films of the silent era but is ...

also appears in all three films. Like its predecessor ''

The Triumph of the Rat ''The Triumph of the Rat'' is a 1926 British silent film drama, directed by Graham Cutts for Gainsborough Pictures and starring Ivor Novello, Isabel Jeans and Nina Vanna. Background The film is the second in a trilogy featuring Novello as Pi ...

'', ''The Return of the Rat'' does not take the story up from where the previous film had ended, instead opening with a scenario which does not seem to flow logically from the previous film's conclusion. ''The Triumph of the Rat'' closes with Pierre destitute and on the street, a situation brought about mainly by Zélie's spite and vindictiveness, yet by the start of ''The Return of the Rat'' the couple are married. Contemporary reviewers noted that it seemed implausible in the extreme that the character of Pierre as previously portrayed would have sought charity from the very architect of his downfall, let alone married her. ''The Return of the Rat'' is generally considered the weakest of the trilogy, consisting largely of recycled plot devices and set pieces from the earlier films. Another weakness is cited as the jarring, and to all appearances random, interpolation of a pair of comedy Cockney characters whose presence in the Parisian setting seems highly incongruous and does not appear to serve any particular dramatic purpose in the film. The film's technical values are well-regarded however, with film historian Christine Gledhill citing it as "Cutts at the height of his visual powers".Graham Cutts
Gledhill, Christine. BFI Screen Online. ''Retrieved 21 September 2010''

Plot

Pierre and Zélie are now married, but it is clear that the union has hit trouble. The latest manifestation of Zélie's restless, capricious nature is heavy gambling, to Pierre's disapproval. He nags her about her habit, but is ignored. Having tamed Pierre, Zélie now finds herself bored with him and starts to flirt openly with the wealthy Henri (

Bernard Nedell Bernard Jay Nedell (October 14, 1898 – November 23, 1972) was an American film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1916 and 1972. He was born in New York, New York and died in Hollywood, California. He was married to actress Olive Blak ...

). Her dismissive attitude towards Pierre, coupled with her continual desire to put him down and belittle him, finally causes him to leave her and return once again to his old haunt, the White Coffin Club. The White Coffin is now ruled by Morel (

Gordon Harker William Gordon Harker (7 August 1885 – 2 March 1967) was an English stage and film actor. Harker was one of the sons of Sarah Elizabeth Harker, née Hall, (1856–1927), and Joseph Harker (1855–1927), a much admired set painter for the ...

), and Pierre has to outwit him in order to reassert his dominance. In the process he attracts the devotion of barmaid Lisette (Poulton). Pierre and his followers hatch an elaborate scheme to humiliate Zélie and gain revenge on her for her transgressions. Matters take a sinister turn when Zélie is murdered during a party she is throwing for her society friends to celebrate her new association with Henri. The police believe they have evidence incriminating Pierre for the crime, and once again he finds himself pursued through the back streets of Paris by the forces of the law. Pierre has to use all his wits and cunning to evade the police while finding evidence to prove the real identity of Zélie's killer.

Cast

* Ivor Novello as Pierre Boucheron *

as Zélie de Chaumet *

as Lisette *

as Morel *

as Mère Colline *

as Henri *

Gladys Frazin Gladys Frazin (June 21, 1900 – March 9, 1939) was an American stage and film actress. She appeared in a mixture of American and British films. On Broadway, Frazin played Mimi in ''The Masked Woman'' (1922). Also on stage she featured in Edgar ...

as Yvonne Sasan *

Harry Terry Harry Terry (born 1887, date of death unknown) was an English stage and film actor. He made his stage debut in 1900, and appeared in more than 60 films between 1927 and 1952, including two films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. He was born in Londo ...

as Alf * Scotch Kelly as Bill

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Return Of The Rat, The 1929 films 1929 drama films British silent feature films Films directed by Graham Cutts Gainsborough Pictures films British black-and-white films Films set in Paris Islington Studios films British drama films 1920s British films Silent drama films