Going Straight (1916)

A man and his wife both have criminal pasts, but have quit crime and are now respectable citizens. One day a member of their old gang shows up and threatens to expose them if they don't ... See full summary »

Directors:

Chester M. Franklin (as C.M. Franklin), Sidney Franklin (as S.A. Franklin)

Writer:

Bernard McConville

Stars:

Norma Talmadge, Ralph Lewis, Ninon Fovieri

Cast

Cast overview:
Norma Talmadge	...	Grace Remington
Ralph Lewis	...	John Remington
Ninon Fovieri	...	Remingtons' Child
Francis Carpenter	...	Remingtons' Child
Fern Collier	...	Remingtons' Child
Ruth Handforth	...	Maid
Eugene Pallette	...	Jimmy Briggs
Georgie Stone	...	Ragged Waif
Kate Toncray	...	Mrs. Van Dyke
'Baby' Carmen De Rue	...	Mrs. Van Dyke's Child
Violet Radcliffe	...	Mrs. Van Dyke's Child

Storyline

A man and his wife both have criminal pasts, but have quit crime and are now respectable citizens. One day a member of their old gang shows up and threatens to expose them if they don't help him pull a heist.

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Plot Keywords:

safecracking | flashback | rehabilitation | blackmail | 

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Taglines:

Have we killed him?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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User Reviews

Leaving a life of crime behind is easier said than done

This story of a family trying to escape its criminal past is highlighted by a fine, expressive performance by Norma Talmadge. Ralph Lewis is solid in his performance of a locksmith, turned safe cracker, turned ex-convict turned successful businessman. But if you have never seen Eugene Palette in a film of this vintage, you will be most surprised by his performance as a career criminal. Palette is slim and trim, and only his eyes are recognizable to fans of his later films. His performance as the career criminal who tries to drag the family back into a life of crime is riveting. The actor usually known for his genial performances as a doting father racks up theft, assault, blackmail, breaking and entering, Faginism, attempted rape, attempted murder and the near murder of a child along the way. There are several good fight scenes, including a brawl and shootout between a criminal gang and the police that would do credit to a small war. This is a fine film for its vintage and well-worth watching for Talmadge's and Palette's performances alone.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

None English

Release Date:

4 June 1916 (USA)

Also Known As:

Playmates

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fine Arts Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1