Paramount's premier comedic supporting actress of the 1930s gets a star turn as an international con artist. Alison Skipworth (who must have been the template for Patricia Routledge) is perfect as a con woman posing as a world-traveling countess. The Countess has had run-ins with the law for 20 years and is familiar with almost every prison in North America. Suffering from a bit of rheumatism since her last imprisonment and apparently seeking a place to hold up for a while, she journeys back to Wisconsin to stay at the spa hotel run by the husband and daughters she abandoned 20 years before. All along the way, she pulls every trick she knows to keep herself in the chips. Husband Elmer Hicks (always funny Richard Bennett), an eccentric with a fetish for inappropriately placed music boxes (including in the toilet), helps her keep her identity under wraps, and the two daughter have no idea she is their mother. There is a lovely bit of subtlety as the Countess professes no concern for the welfare of her kids but works in the background to turn their fortunes around. She schemes to break off the relationship her younger daughter has formed with a smarmy mug (George Raft in a quietly comedic performance). The Countess also cons an even smarmier mug, the bank president whose greed has not allowed his son to marry the Countess's older daughter. The investigator (J. Farrell MacDonald) who has been arresting the Countess for 20 years just happens to show up at the same spa for his health just in time to get tangled in all the schemes. Everyone is perfectly cast. MacDonald is delightful, and it's somehow amusing to see Raft being constantly manhandled (when not being girl-handled). There is both witty dialogue and slapstick humor. The physical comedy is a great contrast to Skipworth's put-on dignity. She is the definition of an old pro. Skipworth and Raft were also happily cast together soon after in the winning comedies Night After Night and the Midnight Club. They, along with Bennett, also scored high marks in the marvelous If I Had a Million.
7 Reviews
Countess, if You Please
boblipton27 June 2005
Alison Skipworth, now best remembered for appearing opposite W. C. Fields -- you do know who Fields was, don't you? -- has a great role in this comedy about a paroled, unregenerate confidence woman who stops at the hotel her abandoned husband runs to shake him down and winds up mothering the daughters she abandoned twenty years before.
Miss Skipworth, whose mien and girth suggest a competitor to MGM's Marie Dressler, is ably assisted in this movie by various silent stars, including Richard Bennet as her husband and J. Farrell Macdonald in a wonderful turn as the light-footed federal officer who has been arresting her for twenty years. Some good acting, some very funny situations and some fairly convincing confidence games makes this an excellent funny movie.
Miss Skipworth, whose mien and girth suggest a competitor to MGM's Marie Dressler, is ably assisted in this movie by various silent stars, including Richard Bennet as her husband and J. Farrell Macdonald in a wonderful turn as the light-footed federal officer who has been arresting her for twenty years. Some good acting, some very funny situations and some fairly convincing confidence games makes this an excellent funny movie.
A star vehicle if there ever was one
gridoon20249 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Alison Skipworth is chiefly remembered today as W.C.Fields' equal sidekick in a couple of comedies they made together, so "Madame Racketeer" offers a rare chance to see her as the sole comic force of a film. She has presence and personality to spare, and the role of a habitual con woman with a heart of gold is perfect for her, but the plot is thin and the writing is lackluster; I only counted one great line, which is "many a famous chambermaid began as an unknown actress!". There is also one great car/train stunt, which may have been lifted from somewhere else. **1/2 out of 4.
Skipworth, Bennett, MacDonald all shine!
F Gwynplaine MacIntyre27 June 2005
SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD. Alison Skipworth is remembered solely for partnering W.C. Fields, and here (in a rare leading role) she plays a distaff version of Fields's confidence trickster. The opening shot shows Skipworth regally presiding at a tea party, then pulls back to reveal that this soiree takes place in a women's prison. (I spotted Elizabeth Patterson among the inmates.) This scene and the last scene of the movie serve as amusing bookends.
Get this premise: Skipworth is an habitual con artist, who has left two infant daughters in the care of her milquetoast husband Elmer. Now, after nearly 20 years, for no particular reason, she decides to go back and see how they're doing. Richard Bennett (grandfather of Morton Downey Jnr) gives a standout performance as her husband. Evalyn Knapp is dull as dishwater in the role of the elder daughter, but Gertrude Messinger is excellent as the Jean Harlowesque kid sister. Irving Bacon, Hollywood's perennial desk clerk, is better than usual in that role here.
There are some impressive slapstick sequences, necessarily featuring a male stunt person doubling for Skipworth. George Raft, as a spiv on the make, is excellent. I could have done without the makeup job on Edward Brady, who seems to be impersonating Andy Clyde in an old Keystone comedy.
The real revelation of this movie, though, is J. Farrell MacDonald as the cop who periodically arrests Skipworth. MacDonald appeared in many films of the '30s and '40s but seldom had much to do. Roles he could have performed admirably often went to Edgar Kennedy (who usually did them justice). Here, in a long sequence, MacDonald sits idly in a chair while a music box tinkles twee melodies nearby. MacDonald's upper body remains motionless while his feet perform a toe dance to the music. It's hilarious and also touching, as we glimpse the inner sensitivity of this gruff cop.
It's a shame that Skipworth got so few chances to play lead roles: she could easily have rivalled Marie Dressler. I can think of several Margaret Dumont roles that would have been better served if Skipworth had been cast in her stead. 'Madame Racketeer' is a delight, including the fast-paced (and well-photographed) climax. This movie rates 9 out of 10.
Get this premise: Skipworth is an habitual con artist, who has left two infant daughters in the care of her milquetoast husband Elmer. Now, after nearly 20 years, for no particular reason, she decides to go back and see how they're doing. Richard Bennett (grandfather of Morton Downey Jnr) gives a standout performance as her husband. Evalyn Knapp is dull as dishwater in the role of the elder daughter, but Gertrude Messinger is excellent as the Jean Harlowesque kid sister. Irving Bacon, Hollywood's perennial desk clerk, is better than usual in that role here.
There are some impressive slapstick sequences, necessarily featuring a male stunt person doubling for Skipworth. George Raft, as a spiv on the make, is excellent. I could have done without the makeup job on Edward Brady, who seems to be impersonating Andy Clyde in an old Keystone comedy.
The real revelation of this movie, though, is J. Farrell MacDonald as the cop who periodically arrests Skipworth. MacDonald appeared in many films of the '30s and '40s but seldom had much to do. Roles he could have performed admirably often went to Edgar Kennedy (who usually did them justice). Here, in a long sequence, MacDonald sits idly in a chair while a music box tinkles twee melodies nearby. MacDonald's upper body remains motionless while his feet perform a toe dance to the music. It's hilarious and also touching, as we glimpse the inner sensitivity of this gruff cop.
It's a shame that Skipworth got so few chances to play lead roles: she could easily have rivalled Marie Dressler. I can think of several Margaret Dumont roles that would have been better served if Skipworth had been cast in her stead. 'Madame Racketeer' is a delight, including the fast-paced (and well-photographed) climax. This movie rates 9 out of 10.
Countess Was Hilarious
view_and_review11 February 2024
Alison Skipworth is a cut up in her own way. She was such a riot in the movie "Night After Night" that I had to see her in another movie.
In "Madame Racketeer" she plays Martha aka Countess von Claudwig, an alias that gave her access to many would-be suckers for her racket. She had the accent, posture, and knowledge to be believable when the fact is she was a criminal. She was such a hopeless criminal she conned the warden the day of her release (LMAO!).
Countess wanted to leave the area, but she needed money to do so. She did a couple of small grifts while on her way to Paradise Springs where she hoped to get the last bit of money she needed. She chose Paradise Springs because that was the location of her husband Elmer Hicks (Richard Bennett).
Elmer was the proprietor of a struggling hotel and spa. He was struggling to cover his own bills, yet Countess demanded $1000 from him so that she could leave town. He didn't have it and Countess was going to stay put until he got it.
Her being at the hotel allowed her to get acquainted with her daughters Patsy (Gertrude Messinger) and Alice (Evalyn Knapp). She never let on that she was their mother and they never suspected it. In her own way she did what little she could to help them and she was clever in doing so.
"Madame Racketeer" is funny and a little touching. All the characters were enjoyable with the exception of Alice, the Countess's younger daughter. She was an example of the small town girl who is easily taken advantage of. It was quite pathetic to watch as the felon Jack Houston (George Raft) told Alice all kinds of lies to get her to sneak off with him. It reinforced that small town girls are gullible in the arms of a charming man when I'd say that city girls are just as gullible. The only difference between the two is that small town girls are usually in small towns to avoid big city perils, so when she's duped it hits harder.
Free on Odnoklassniki.
In "Madame Racketeer" she plays Martha aka Countess von Claudwig, an alias that gave her access to many would-be suckers for her racket. She had the accent, posture, and knowledge to be believable when the fact is she was a criminal. She was such a hopeless criminal she conned the warden the day of her release (LMAO!).
Countess wanted to leave the area, but she needed money to do so. She did a couple of small grifts while on her way to Paradise Springs where she hoped to get the last bit of money she needed. She chose Paradise Springs because that was the location of her husband Elmer Hicks (Richard Bennett).
Elmer was the proprietor of a struggling hotel and spa. He was struggling to cover his own bills, yet Countess demanded $1000 from him so that she could leave town. He didn't have it and Countess was going to stay put until he got it.
Her being at the hotel allowed her to get acquainted with her daughters Patsy (Gertrude Messinger) and Alice (Evalyn Knapp). She never let on that she was their mother and they never suspected it. In her own way she did what little she could to help them and she was clever in doing so.
"Madame Racketeer" is funny and a little touching. All the characters were enjoyable with the exception of Alice, the Countess's younger daughter. She was an example of the small town girl who is easily taken advantage of. It was quite pathetic to watch as the felon Jack Houston (George Raft) told Alice all kinds of lies to get her to sneak off with him. It reinforced that small town girls are gullible in the arms of a charming man when I'd say that city girls are just as gullible. The only difference between the two is that small town girls are usually in small towns to avoid big city perils, so when she's duped it hits harder.
Free on Odnoklassniki.
What a Delight!!
kidboots8 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Alison Skipworth is a delight as the "Countess" who, at the film's
start is very happy to leave the establishment she has graced with
her presence for the last five years - Prison!! The gags fly thick and
fast - Countess needs cash so she visits an old paramour and
persuades him that the unbeknownst young man in the outer office
spruiking an invention is somehow their long lost son!! She finds her
way to an out of the way hotel run by her quirky improvident husband
Elmer Hicks (Richard Bennett who, along with everyone else in the
cast, is terrific!!) Her two daughters give her pause for thought - staid
Alice (lovely Evalyn Knapp in a thankless role) is in love with the banker's
son (John Breedon). High stepping Patsy (Gertrude Messinger) has more
interest, she's in love with George Raft posing as a wealthy playboy
Jack Houston but in reality hiding out in the sleepy borough from the
law. He and the Countess size each other up instantly and there is some
nice banter between the pair. Much as I love George Raft, the sting the
Countess sets up for him is delicious - impersonating a federal man to
a flabbergasted federal man (J. Farrell MacDonald)!!
I fell in love with Alison Skipworth when I saw her in "Night After Night", she more than matched Mae West. In this movie she could give Mae lessons in the gentle art of the con!!
I fell in love with Alison Skipworth when I saw her in "Night After Night", she more than matched Mae West. In this movie she could give Mae lessons in the gentle art of the con!!
A most proper conwoman
jarrodmcdonald-117 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
In this precode comedy-drama from Paramount, Alison Skipworth plays a most proper con-woman who presides over tea parties with other female inmates in prison. When she gets released on parole, she continues to act properly by setting out to fleece as many men as possible. Skipworth was primarily a character actress at Paramount in the 1930s, but in this film she is the star.
The actress is having a field day with the material. Her character gyps a warden on her way out of prison. Then she shakes down a former lover, before hopping a train to Wisconsin where she has unfinished business with another man (Richard Bennett). Nipping at her heels is a smart copper (J. Farrell MacDonald) who's arrested her several times already, and before all is said and done, he will probably get the chance to slap the cuffs on her again.
Despite these criminal exploits, we get the sense that madame cares deeply about the man in Wisconsin and his two daughters (Evalyn Knapp and Gertrude Messinger)...since they are also her daughters, and she's come to do right by them, The girls think their mother's dead, but that doesn't stop Skipworth who knows they need some maternal guidance.
What makes the film so enjoyable is the character study that Miss Skipworth renders. She plays the role in such a way that we ultimately pity and even daresay, admire her. We have in front of us a woman who's made many mistakes in her life, but uses her ingenuity and skill at conning others to set things right for her daughters.
Without revealing her true identity to them, she nudges one towards a respectable marriage with a banker's son; and nudges the other one away from a disastrous relationship with a hoodlum (George Raft).
Scenes between Skipworth and Raft are fun. They're two grifters on the prowl, looking for an easy mark. But Raft doesn't realize Skipworth is going to take him for a sucker...not once, but twice. This was Raft's first picture at Paramount after already being typecast as a gangster in SCARFACE. He'd stay at the studio for the rest of the decade before moving over to Warner Brothers, where he'd play other shady dudes.
The end of the film has Skipworth trying to flee the law. While on the lam, she thwarts Raft's scheme to run off with the youngest daughter. She fulfills her motherly duties, and after she's been apprehended for fraud, she must return to prison since she's violated the terms of her parole. The story ends where it began, with her back in the hoosegow serving more tea. We are left with a sense that things are now back to 'normal' for her.
The actress is having a field day with the material. Her character gyps a warden on her way out of prison. Then she shakes down a former lover, before hopping a train to Wisconsin where she has unfinished business with another man (Richard Bennett). Nipping at her heels is a smart copper (J. Farrell MacDonald) who's arrested her several times already, and before all is said and done, he will probably get the chance to slap the cuffs on her again.
Despite these criminal exploits, we get the sense that madame cares deeply about the man in Wisconsin and his two daughters (Evalyn Knapp and Gertrude Messinger)...since they are also her daughters, and she's come to do right by them, The girls think their mother's dead, but that doesn't stop Skipworth who knows they need some maternal guidance.
What makes the film so enjoyable is the character study that Miss Skipworth renders. She plays the role in such a way that we ultimately pity and even daresay, admire her. We have in front of us a woman who's made many mistakes in her life, but uses her ingenuity and skill at conning others to set things right for her daughters.
Without revealing her true identity to them, she nudges one towards a respectable marriage with a banker's son; and nudges the other one away from a disastrous relationship with a hoodlum (George Raft).
Scenes between Skipworth and Raft are fun. They're two grifters on the prowl, looking for an easy mark. But Raft doesn't realize Skipworth is going to take him for a sucker...not once, but twice. This was Raft's first picture at Paramount after already being typecast as a gangster in SCARFACE. He'd stay at the studio for the rest of the decade before moving over to Warner Brothers, where he'd play other shady dudes.
The end of the film has Skipworth trying to flee the law. While on the lam, she thwarts Raft's scheme to run off with the youngest daughter. She fulfills her motherly duties, and after she's been apprehended for fraud, she must return to prison since she's violated the terms of her parole. The story ends where it began, with her back in the hoosegow serving more tea. We are left with a sense that things are now back to 'normal' for her.
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