Accused (1936)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Thornton Freeland

Writers:

Zoe Akins (screenplay)
Zoe Akins (story)

Release Date:

17 December 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Tony Seymour and his partner, Gaby Ramarios are a dance team who perform an Apache specialty number...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Murder | Backstage

Cast

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Tony Seymour
Dolores del Rio	...	Gaby Seymour
Florence Desmond	...	Yvette Delange
Basil Sydney	...	Eugene Roget
Googie Withers	...	Ninette Duval
J.H. Roberts	...	President of Court (as John Roberts)
Cecil Humphreys	...	Prosecuting Counsel
Esme Percy	...	Morel
Edward Rigby	...	Alphonse de la Riveire
Moore Marriott	...	Dubec (as George Moore Marriott)
Cyril Raymond	...	Guy Henry
Roland Culver	...	Henry Capelle

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:A

Filming Locations:

Worton Hall Studios, Isleworth, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Criterion Film Productions Ltd.

Don't mess with Dolores del Rio's dancing partner.

Tony Seymour (Douglas Fairbanks Jr., or Jnr. since this was a Brit production) and his partner, Gaby Ramarios (Dolores del Rio)are a dance team who perform an Apache specialty number, which ends with Tony, via a steel waistcoat with a scabbard arrangement, getting a knife plunked into his back but he is unharmed. Gaby is an expert knife thrower who, it is reported, can hit the slot 99 times out of a hundred. Show biz stuff that leaves open the once-in-a-hundred possibility. There is no mention of how many dance partners she may have had prior to Jnr.

They are auditioning for parts in "La Nouvelle Revue" which is to open in three weeks at the Alhambra of Paris. The star is Yvette Delange (Florence Desmond), described as "a beautiful woman who could not hide with the most perfect makeup the ravages of time." She also does not like rehearsals, but perks up at the sight of Tony, and tells him she thought his dance was ripping. Alphonse de la Riviere (Edward Rigby), once a great star but now just an assistant to the producer, Morel (Esme Percy), winces when he hears this. (Don't let his wince influence decisions regarding later developments as it may just be a red herring.) Later, Yvette sends Alphonse to fetch Tony to her dressing room for dancing compliments. Tony says "Ripping" and he'll be right along as soon as he can find and fetch Gaby. Alphonse winces some more and informs Tony that he is the chosen target for Yvette's compliments and Gaby is not invited. Tony, always open to receiving compliments and willing to overlook the ravages of time, hustles off for some tea and compliments.

Gaby is not amused. In fact, she is plumb put out. She isn't one to put up with her dance partner receiving compliments behind a closed dressing-room door.

Yes, of course, Yvette, the beautiful but time-ravaged ,trouble-making star of the show is soon found quite dead, and the reason she is dead is because she has been stabbed with a knife belonging to Gaby. And before one can spell Gaol, that's where she is, charged with murder.

Tony's mission now is to clear Gaby and find the real killer, although he is the only one who doesn't think Gaby did the deed. Well, one other knows also who did the deed, but isn't talking. So Tony has to sift through the usual suspects. The latter include Morel, Alphonse, Dubec the concierge (George Moore Marriott)and possibly Ninette Duval (Googie Withers), a member of the chorus who is often thirsty but can't afford to buy her own drinks, and also thinks Tony is 'ripping." She is also the only one who knows that Tony and Gaby are married.