''M'Liss'' is a 1936 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. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

starring Anne Shirley. The film was directed by George Nicholls, Jr. and based upon a

Bret Harte Bret Harte ( , born Francis Brett Hart, August 25, 1836 – May 5, 1902) was an American short story writer and poet best remembered for short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. In a caree ...

short story. It is a remake of the 1918 film '' M'liss'' starring

Mary Pickford Gladys Louise Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American film actress and producer. A Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood, pioneer in the American film industry with a Hollywood care ...

in the title role.

Plot

M'Liss is an innocent but rambunctious 17-year-old girl who was born and raised in the small town of Smith's Pocket. Her father Washoe Smith, whose briefly productive mining claim was both the source of the town's name and the reason for its existence, is now known among the people as the town drunk. M'Liss has to take care of him and works in a saloon washing glasses. They lose their home when Mayor Morpher demands it as the location of the new school. New school master Stephen Thorne encourages M'Liss to leave the saloon and go to school. Her father is shot and killed while intervening in a saloon brawl. The now orphaned M'Liss is left in the guardianship of her father's friends, gambler Lou Ellis and the town barber Alf Edwards. When the mayor's wife Delia disapproves of M'Liss and tries to have her placed in an orphanage, M'Liss decides to leave Smith's Pocket. Stephen kisses M'Liss to persuade her not to run away. Told that a kiss is tantamount to a proposal of marriage, M'Liss is confused about what marriage is and asks for advice from heart-of-gold saloon girl Rose. The Morphers' ne'er-do-well city cousin, Jack Farlan, drunkenly tries to take advantage of M'Liss but is rescued by Stephen. When he refuses to duel Farlan with pistols, because he is a crack shot and would have the advantage over the intoxicated Farlan, Stephen is accused by the townspeople of cowardice. Late that night Farlan is shot and Stephen is accused, although in fact it was Lou who shot him. Assuming that Farlan will die, the town prepares to

lynch Lynch may refer to: Places Australia * Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica * Lynch Point, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica * Lynch's Crater, Queensland, Australia England * River Lynch, Hertfordshire * The Lynch, an island in the Rive ...

Stephen, but Farlan recovers and Lou admits shooting him. Stephen proposes marriage to M'Liss and her guardians happily give their blessing.

Cast

* Anne Shirley as M'Liss Smith * John Beal as Stephen Thorne *

Guy Kibbee Guy Bridges Kibbee (March 6, 1882 – May 24, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Kibbee was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was editor of the ''El Paso Herald-Post'' newspaper, and Kibbee learned how to set type at age ...

as Washoe Smith *

Douglass Dumbrille Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor who appeared regularly in films from the early 1930s. Life and career Douglass Dumbrille ( ) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young man, he was employed ...

as Lou Ellis *

Moroni Olsen Moroni Olsen (June 27, 1889November 22, 1954) was an American actor. Life and career Olsen was born in Ogden, Utah, to Latter-day Saint parents Edward Arenholt Olsen and Martha ( Hoverholst) Olsen, who named him after the Moroni found in the ...

as Jake * Frank M. Thomas as Alf Edwards *Ray Mayer as Whitey *

Barbara Pepper Barbara Pepper (born Marion Pepper; May 31, 1915 – July 18, 1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress. She is best known as the first Doris Ziffel on the sitcom '' Green Acres''. Early life and career Marion Pepper ...

as Clytie Morpher * William "Billy" Benedict as Archer Morpher *

Arthur Hoyt Arthur Hoyt (March 19, 1874 – January 4, 1953) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 275 films in his 34-year film career, about a third of them silent films. Career Born in Georgetown, Colorado, in 1874, Hoyt ma ...

as Mayor James Morpher *Margaret Armstrong as Mrs. Delia Morpher * James Bush as Jack Farlan * Esther Howard as Rose

References

External links

* * 1936 films American black-and-white films 1936 drama films American drama films Films with screenplays by Dorothy Yost Films directed by George Nicholls Jr. 1930s American films 1930s English-language films Films based on works by Bret Harte English-language drama films {{1930s-drama-film-stub