''Waterfront Lady'' is a 1935 American film directed by

Joseph Santley Joseph Mansfield Santley (born Joseph Ishmael Mansfield, January 10, 1890 – August 8, 1971) was an American actor, singer, dancer, writer, director, and producer of musical theatre, musical theatre, theatrical plays motion pictures and tel ...

and starring

Ann Rutherford Therese Ann Rutherford (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012) was a Canadian-born American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the An ...

, in her feature film debut (she had previously appeared in the serial '' The Fighting Marines'', also produced by

Mascot Pictures Mascot Pictures Corporation was an American film company of the 1920s and 1930s, best known for producing and distributing film serials and B-westerns. Mascot was formed in 1927 by film producer Nat Levine. In 1935, it merged with several ot ...

), and

Frank Albertson Francis Healey Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American actor who had supporting roles in films such as '' It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and '' Psycho'' (1960). Early life Albertson was a native of Fergus Fall ...

Plot

Jim "Mac" McFee finds running two illegal gambling ships too much, so he promises to make Ronald "Ronny" Hillyer, who manages one of his ships, a partner. Ronny has to fend off the advances of Gloria Vance, his boss's singer girlfriend. When Ronny becomes suspicious of two casino patrons he does not recognize, he suspects lookout Tom Burdon is a traitor and alerts Mac. Mac calls Burdon into his office, but it is too late. The police board the ship. Burdon pulls out a pistol, and in the ensuing struggle is accidentally shot and killed by Mac with Burdon's own weapon. Ronny rushes in and grabs the gun. When the police enter the office, Ronny runs out another door, jumps in the water and swims ashore, covering for his new partner. Ronny steals a sailor's clothes. He then encounters Joan O'Brien and her alcoholic, gambler father, Capt. O'Brien. They tell him that their neighbor, Alex (whose clothes he is wearing), is a fisherman who will be gone for a while. Pretending to be a friend of Alex named Bill, he hides from the police manhunt in Alex's home. As they spend time together, Ronny and Joan begin falling in love. He phones Mac, and they make plans to flee to South America. Capt. O'Brien takes Ronny to a crap game. Ronny tries to discourage him from playing, but O'Brien will not listen, so Ronny gets into the game, and using his skill with the dice, wins everybody's money. Joan's would-be boyfriend Tod finds out and tells Joan. She is at first disappointed in Ronny, but soon realizes that he was protecting her father, putting all his winnings in the book the O'Briens keep their money. He also gives Mrs. Spadaloni the money that her husband Tony lost in the game. Tod suspects Ronny is the man the police are after. When Alex returns, Tod reunites him with his "friend". They find him saying goodbye to Joan. Ronny gets away. Later he phones Mac to tell him where he is hiding out, but Gloria answers and decides to go see him herself without telling Mac. She tries to talk him into running away together, but Ronny is not interested. Mac follows, and realizing that Ronny would never betray him, breaks up with Gloria and tells Ronny he has arranged for a freighter to smuggle him out of the country. He takes the murder weapon, planning to dispose of it. Ronny insists on going to see Joan again. Jess, Mac's right-hand man overhears Gloria informing the police where he is going. Mac and Jess hire some goons and rush over. A fight breaks out when Tod sports Ronny with Joan, and the police capture Ronny and Mac, the latter with the pistol. Ronny keeps on lying for Mac, but Mac confesses to killing Burdon in self-defense. That leaves Ronnie and Joan free to embark on Joan's dream: to open a restaurant.

Cast

as Joan O'Brien *

as Ronny Hillyer * J. Farrell MacDonald as Capt. O'Brien *

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 Gloria Vance * Charles C. Wilson as Jim McFee *

Grant Withers Granville Gustavus Withers (January 17, 1905 – March 27, 1959), known professionally as Grant Withers, was an American film actor. He began working in motion pictures during the last years of the silent era. Withers moved into sound films, ...

as Tod *

Purnell Pratt Purnell Pratt (October 20, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1914 and 1941. He was born in Bethel, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California. Pratt spent more than a year in Fra ...

as Dist. Atty. Shaw *

Jack La Rue Jack La Rue (born Gaspare Biondolillo; May 3, 1902 – January 11, 1984) was an American film and stage actor. Early life and family Gaspare Biondolillo was the son of Sicilian immigrants Luigi Biondolillo (1874–1951) and Giuseppa Biondoli ...

as Tom Burden *

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Bert th ...

as Jess *

Paul Porcasi Paul Porcasi (1 January 1879 – 8 August 1946) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than 140 films from 1917 to 1945. Biography Porcasi sang with the Metropolitan Opera. One of his early non-operatic productions was ''The Country B ...

as Tony Spadaloni * Mary Gordon as Mrs. O'Flaherty *

Mathilde Comont Mathilde Comont (9 September 1886 – 21 June 1938), credited also as Mathilda Caumont, was a French-born American actress, primarily of the silent film, silent era. Biography Comont was born in Bordeaux, she appeared in films in her native ...

as Mrs. Spadaloni *

Robert Emmett O'Connor Robert O'Connor, also known professionally as Robert Emmett O'Connor and Robert E. O'Connor (March 18, 1885 – September 4, 1962) was an Irish-American actor. He had a lengthy career as a stage actor on Broadway and in vaudeville from 190 ...

as Police lieutenant * Clarence Wilson as Truant officer *

Victor Potel Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in more than 430 films in his 38-year career. Career Victor Potel was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1889, and his ...

as Alex *

Wally Albright Wally Albright (born Walton Algernon Albright Jr.; September 3, 1925 - August 7, 1999) was an American actor, water sportsman, and businessman. As a child actor, he was best known for his role in the ''Our Gang'' film series. Career Albright w ...

as Mickey O'Flaherty *

Smiley Burnette Lester Alvin Burnett (March 18, 1911 – February 16, 1967), better known as Smiley Burnette, was an American country music performer and a comedic actor in Western films and on radio and TV, playing sidekick to Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and ...

as Musician *Naomi Judge as Mrs. DeLacy * Norma Taylor as Blonde casino patron

Soundtrack

* "Deep Dark River" (Music and Lyrics by

) * "What I Wouldn't Do" (Music and Lyrics by Smiley Burnette)

Production

Part of the film was shot off the San Pedro harbor in California.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Waterfront Lady 1935 films 1935 crime drama films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films American black-and-white films American crime drama films American films about gambling Films directed by Joseph Santley Films produced by Nat Levine Mascot Pictures films English-language crime drama films