''The Road to Singapore'' is a 1931 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

romantic

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 Alfred E. Green and starring

William Powell William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor. A major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the ''The Thin Man (film), Thin Man'' series based on the Nick and Nora Cha ...

and

Doris Kenyon Doris Margaret Kenyon (September 5, 1897 – September 1, 1979) was an American actress of motion pictures and television. Early life She grew up in Syracuse, New York, where her family had a home at 1805 Harrison Street. Her father, Dr. Ja ...

, who play two thirds of a

romantic triangle A love triangle or eternal triangle is a scenario or circumstance, usually depicted as a rivalry, in which two people are pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with one person, or in which one person in a romantic relationship with so ...

, along with

Louis Calhern Carl Henry Vogt (February 19, 1895 – May 12, 1956), known professionally as Louis Calhern, was an American stage and screen actor. Well known to film noir fans for his role as the pivotal villain in 1950's ''The Asphalt Jungle'', he was n ...

. It was produced and distributed by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Di ...

The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Anton Grot Anton Grot (18 January 1884 – 21 March 1974) was a Polish art director long active in Hollywood. He was known for his prolific output with Warner Brothers, contributing, in such films as '' Little Caesar'' (1931), and ''Gold Diggers of 19 ...

. This film is preserved by the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', (-book title) p.153 c.1978 by The American Film Institute

Plot

On an ocean liner from

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

black sheep In the English language, black sheep is an idiom that describes a member of a group who is different from the rest, especially a family member who does not fit in. The term stems from sheep whose fleece is colored black rather than the more comm ...

Hugh Dawltry tries, but fails to become better acquainted with fellow passenger Philippa Crosby. He is pleasantly surprised to find that they are both getting off at Khota. Ashore, she rebuffs his advances again, informing him that she has come to marry Dr. George March, Dawltry's neighbor. Philippa is sorely disappointed by her marriage, however. George is utterly wrapped up in his work, and does not even take her on a

honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds immediately after their wedding, to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase ...

. As time goes by, the neglected, unhappy woman begins to find Dawltry more and more attractive. One night, the drums start playing in the native villages, signalling four days of marriages. Both Phillipa and Dawltry self reflect and find the drums and their thoughts for each other alluring. So does George's 18-year-old sister Rene. Most of the expatriate community shuns him for his involvement in a scandalous, widely publicized divorce. One day, George plans to take a patient with a very rare disease to Colombo. Dawltry takes the opportunity to invite Philippa to dinner. Before that time, Rene invites herself into his bungalow. When she refuses to leave, Dawltry frightens her into fleeing by sweeping her up in his arms and carrying her into his bedroom. George sees her leave and confronts his sister about being at George's house. She said she was there to borrow records. George forces Rene into accompanying him in his trip and when he sees Dawltry, he threatens to return with a gun. Philippa shows up at the appointed time at Dawtry's house. They admit their feelings and Dawltry talks about his past, inviting her to join him on a sailing ship the next day. Meanwhile, the patient dies and George cancels his trip, much to Rene's delight. George seems more concerned about not being photographed with the patient. Returning home, Rene finds Phillipa's invitation and tries to hide it. George demands to see it, takes his pistol, and goes to retrieve his wife. After confronting Dawltry again, in which Dawltry tries to shield her, Phillipa appears. She tells him she is leaving him because he is cold, that any woman can take her place and that he is more concerned over scandal than any concern for her. Phillipa drives off in their car. Dawltry dresses and sets out after her. As he leaves, he tells George it is his last chance, but George is unable to pull the trigger.

Cast

as Hugh Dawltry *

as Philippa Crosby March *

Marian Marsh Marian Marsh (born Violet Ethelred Krauth; October 17, 1913 – November 9, 2006) was a Trinidad-born American film actress and later an environmentalist. Early life Violet Ethelred Krauth was born on October 17, 1913, in Trinidad, British ...

as Rene March *

as Dr. George March *

Alison Skipworth Alison Skipworth (born Alison Mary Elliott Margaret Groom; 25 July 18635 July 1952) was an English stage and screen actress. Early years Skipworth was born in London. She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Ebenezer Groom and Elizabeth Rodgers, an ...

as Mrs. Wey-Smith *

Lumsden Hare Francis Lumsden Hare (17 October 1874 – 28 August 1964) was an Irish-born film and theatre actor. He was also a theatre director and theatrical producer. Early years Hare studied at St. Dunstan's College in London. Career Hare appeared ...

as Mr. Wey-Smith *

Tyrell Davis Tyrell Davis (1902–1970) was a British film actor, Cambridge educated, who appeared on the West End and Broadway stage, as well as in British and American films. Filmography * '' Lucky in Love'' (1929) * ''Mother's Boy'' (1929) * ''His Glor ...

as Nikki * A. E. Anson as Dr. Muir *

Colin Campbell Colin may refer to: * Colin (given name) * Colin (surname) * ''Colin'' (film), a 2008 Cannes film festival zombie movie * Colin (horse) (1905–1932), thoroughbred racehorse * Colin (humpback whale), a humpback whale calf abandoned north of Sydney, ...

as Reginald * Arthur Clayton as Mr. Everard *

Douglas Gerrard Douglas Gerrard (12 August 1891 – 5 June 1950) was an Irish-American actor and film director of the silent and early sound era. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1913 and 1949. He also directed 23 films between 1916 and 1920. H ...

as Simpson * Margarita Martín as Ayah *

Ethel Griffies Ethel Griffies (born Ethel Woods; 26 April 1878 – 9 September 1975) was an English actress of stage, screen, and television. She is remembered for portraying the ornithologist Mrs. Bundy in Alfred Hitchcock's classic '' The Birds'' (1963). Sh ...

as Mrs. Everard *

Harrington Reynolds Harrington Reynolds was an English actor who appeared on stage and in a number of movies. He was best known for ''Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and ...

as Duckworth * Amar N. Sharma as Khan, Dawltry's Servant * Huspin Ansari as Ali, March's Servant *

May Beatty May Beatty (4 June 1880–1 April 1945) was a New Zealand singer and stage and screen actress. She was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 4 June 1880. Biography Beatty began her performing career at age seven, touring with Pollard's Lill ...

as Bridge Player on Ship *

Carrie Daumery Carrie Daumery (25 March 1863 – 1 July 1938) was a Belgian-born American film actress. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1908 and 1937. Personal life Daumery was the sister of violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. She was also the widow of B ...

as Birthday Party Guest

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Road to Singapore American romantic drama films American black-and-white films American films based on plays Films directed by Alfred E. Green Warner Bros. films 1931 romantic drama films 1931 films Seafaring films 1930s American films