''The Zero Hour'' is a 1939 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-g ...

directed by

Sidney Salkow Sidney Salkow (June 16, 1911 – October 18, 2000) was an American film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulf ...

Plot

A kindly theatrical producer mentors a beautiful young girl and helps her to become a big Broadway star. In time the two fall in love and decide to wed. En route to a justice of the peace, tragedy strikes the happy couple and the would-be groom ends up permanently paralyzed. Still, his girl remains devoted to him and the marriage proceeds. Nine years pass and the woman decides she wants to adopt a child. All things seem to be in place for the adoption, but a widower shows up to claim the child. The wife and the widower begin an affair soon after meeting. When the husband finds out, he selflessly executes his final option to ensure his wife's future happiness.

Cast

Frieda Inescort Frieda Inescort (born Frieda Wrightman, 29 June 1901 – 26 February 1976) was a Scottish-born actress best known for creating the role of Sorel Bliss in Noël Coward's play ''Hay Fever'' on Broadway. She also played the shingled lady in Joh ...

'' as Linda Marsh *

Otto Kruger Otto Kruger (September 6, 1885 – September 6, 1974) was an American actor, originally a Broadway matinee idol, who established a niche as a charming villain in films, such as Hitchcock's ''Saboteur''. He also appeared in CBS's ''Perry Mason'' a ...

as Julian Forbes *

Adrienne Ames Adrienne Ames (born Ruth Adrienne McClure; August 3, 1907 – May 31, 1947) was an American film actress. Early in her career she was known as Adrienne Truex. Early years Ames was born in Fort Worth, Texas, one of six children of Samuel Hugh M ...

as Susan * Donald Douglas as Brewster *

Jane Darwell Jane Darwell (born Patti Woodard; October 15, 1879 – August 13, 1967) was an American actress of stage, film, and television. With appearances in more than 100 major movies spanning half a century, Darwell is perhaps best remembered for her p ...

as Sophie * J. M. Kerrigan as Timothy *

Leonard Carey Leonard Carey (25 February 1887 – 11 September 1977) was an English character actor who very often played butlers in Hollywood films of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He was also active in television during the 1950s. He is perhaps best known ...

as Butler *

Sarah Padden Sarah Ann Padden (16 October 1881 – 4 December 1967) was an English-born American theatre and film character actress. She performed on stage in the early 20th century. Her best-known single-act performance was in ''The Clod'', a stage pro ...

as Sister Theodosia *

Ferris Taylor Robert Ferris Taylor (March 25, 1888 – March 7, 1961) was an American film actor and vaudeville performer. Biography Taylor owned a vaudeville company, the Taylor Players. Besides his acting, Taylor sometimes sang in vaudeville programs. ...

as Weber *

Willard Parker Willard Parker (born Worster Van Eps; February 5, 1912 – December 4, 1996) was an American film and television actor. He was a leading man under contract to Columbia Pictures in the 1940s and starred in the TV series '' Tales of the Texas Ran ...

as Lansdowne *

Landers Stevens John Landers Stevens (1877–1940) was an American stage and film actor. A character actor he appeared in prominent screen roles in the early 1920s before switching to smaller supporting parts, often authority figures, in the following decade. H ...

as Doctor *

Ann E. Todd Ann E. Todd (born Ann Todd Phillips, later Ann Basart or Ann Phillips Basart; August 26, 1931 – February 7, 2020) was an American child actress. As an adult, she became a music reference librarian at University of California, Berkeley. Earl ...

as Beth

References

External links

* * 1939 films 1939 drama films 1930s English-language films Adultery in films American black-and-white films Films directed by Sidney Salkow Republic Pictures films American drama films Films produced by Sol C. Siegel Films scored by Paul Sawtell Films with screenplays by Garrett Fort 1930s American films {{1930s-drama-film-stub