The Flirting Widow

The Flirting Widow

Theatrical poster
Directed by William A. Seiter
Produced by William A. Seiter
Screenplay by John F. Goodrich
Story by A.E.W. Mason
Starring Dorothy Mackaill
Basil Rathbone
Leila Hyams
William Austin
Claude Gillingwater
Music by Alois Reiser
Cinematography Sidney Hickox
Edited by John F. Goodrich
Production
company
Distributed by First National Pictures
Release dates
  • May 11, 1930 (1930-05-11)
Running time
 72 minutes
Country United States
Language English

The Flirting Widow is a 1930 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and produced and released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. The film stars Dorothy Mackaill, Basil Rathbone, Leila Hyams and Claude Gillingwater.[1]

It is based on a story, entitled Green Stockings, by A.E.W. Mason. The film was remade in 1933 as Her Imaginary Lover at the Teddington Studios, the British branch of Warner Brothers-First National Productions.[2]

Synopsis

William Faraday refuses to let his youngest daughter, Evelyn, get married before her older sister, Celia, finds a husband. Faraday is afraid that people will call Celia an old maid. Celia, who has no interest in getting married, attempts to fool her father by pretending to be engaged. After a short vacation away from home she makes the announcement to her family and informs everyone that he has gone to Arabia but that they will be married upon his return to England. When her father receives this news, he finally consents to Evelyn's marriage. At Evelyn's insistence, Celia writes a love letter to her fiancé.

After finishing her letter, Celia attempts to throw it away when no one is looking. A servant, however, finding the letter, posts it. The letter is received by a real Colonel Smith, who happens to actually be in Arabia. He is amused by the love letter. After Evelyn's marriage, Celia publishes an obituary in the paper for her Colonel Smith. The real Smith reads the obituary and decides to pay a visit to Celia, pretending to be a close friend of the deceased "Colonel Smith", pretending to bring some mementos. When he gives them to Celia, she is uncomfortable. Eventually, Smith reveals his identity and in the course of time he and Celia fall in love.

Cast

Preservation

The film survives intact and has been broadcast on both television and cable. It is also preserved in the Library of Congress collection.[3]

References

  1. ↑ The Flirting Widow details, ftvdb.bfi.org.uk; accessed September 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films:The Flirting Widow details, afi.com; accessed September 23, 2015.
  3. ↑ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress, p. 59, c. 1978, The American Film Institute.
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