''Old Lady 31'' is a 1920 American silent comedy-drama film produced and distributed by

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a Film, motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at le ...

and directed by John Ince. It is based on a novel by Louise Forsslund that was turned into a play by

Rachel Crothers Rachel Crothers (December 12, 1870 – July 5, 1958) was an American playwright and theater director known for her well-crafted plays that often dealt with feminist themes. Among theater historians, she is generally recognized as "the most succe ...

. The film starred actress

Emma Dunn Emma Dunn (26 February 1875 – 14 December 1966) was an English actress. After starting her acting career on stage in London, she became known for her works in numerous films and Broadway productions. Career Emma Dunn appeared onstage in ...

reprising her 1916 stage success for the screen. The film was remade in 1940 as '' The Captain Is a Lady''.

Plot

Based upon a summary of the plot in a review in a film publication, Angie (Dunn) and Abe (Harmon) have been married for many years when bad investments force them to sell their homestead. Angie is to go to the old ladies' home while Abe is to go to live on the poor farm. When the twenty-nine inmates of the old ladies' home see how hard it is for the couple to part, they agree to take Abe in, and he is listed on their roster as "Old Lady 31." There are several comic situations as Abe wins his way into the hearts of his female companions. When some apparently worthless mining stock is found to have some value, the couple are able to return to their home.

Cast

as Angie *Henry Harmon as Captain Abe Rose * Clara Knott as Blossy *

Carrie Clark Ward Carrie Clark Ward (January 9, 1862 – February 6, 1926) was an American actress of the silent era. Biography Ward was born in Virginia City, Nevada, in 1862. In 1885 Clark acted in a company at the San Francisco Bush Street Theatre. War ...

as Abigail *Sadie Gordon as Nancy *

Winifred Westover Winifred Westover, birth name Winifred Heide, (November 9, 1899 – March 19, 1978) was an actress of the 1910s and 1920s. Her career included films made in Hollywood, Sweden and New York.Bill Hart Is Married Here, ''The Los Angeles Times'' ...

as Mary *

Antrim Short Mark Antrim Short (July 11, 1900 – November 24, 1972) was an American stage and film actor, casting director and talent agent. As a juvenile he enjoyed some success on the Broadway stage, notably appearing as a boy with Mrs. Fiske and Holbrook ...

as John *

Lawrence Underwood Lawrence Underwood (1871 – February 2, 1939) was an American stage and screen actor, writer, and director. He played in many movies, including '' Old Lady 31'', '' The Phantom Buster'' and '' King of the Royal Mounted''. Selected filmography * ...

as Captain Samuel Darby *Graham Pettie as Mke *

Martha Mattox Martha Mattox (born Eleanor Perry Mellen; June 19, 1879 – May 2, 1933) was an American silent film actress most notable for her portrayal of Mammy Pleasant in the 1927 film '' The Cat and the Canary''. She also played a role in ''Torrent' ...

as Sarah Jane *

Mai Wells Mai Wells (14 April 1863 – 1 August 1941), also billed as May Wells and Mae Wells, was an American actress whose career spanned eight decades. A prolific actress of the silent era, she worked with Charlie Chaplin, made at least two films wit ...

as Mrs. Homans *

Ruby Lafayette Ruby Lafayette (July 22, 1844 – April 3, 1935) was an American film actress, known for ''Sue of the South'' (1919), ''Big Bob'' (1921) and ''The Man Trap'' (1917). She was married to John T. Curran. At age 82, Lafayette nearly died from inju ...

as Granny

References

External links

Internet Movie DatabasePeriod film poster
1920 films American silent feature films American films based on plays Films directed by John Ince Lost American comedy-drama films 1920 comedy-drama films 1920s English-language films American black-and-white films Metro Pictures films 1920s American films 1920 lost films Silent American comedy-drama films English-language comedy-drama films {{silent-comedy-drama-film-stub