Ten Nights in a Bar-Room (1931)

Synopsis of Ten Nights in a Bar-Room

Ten Nights In a Bar-room is as corny and hackneyed as its title, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun to watch. Based on the warhorse cautionary stage play by Edwin Waugh (previously filmed six times during the silent era), the story concerns Joe Morgan (William Farnum), a highly respected business executive and family man who throws his life away by consuming mass quantities of booze. His sweet little daughter Mary Morgan (Patty Lou Lynd) wanders into the saloon, tugs her tosspot father by his tattered sleeve and whines "Daddy, won't you come home with me now?" This proves to be the first step (of 12, perhaps?) towards Morgan's redemption, but first he has a score to settle with Simon Slade (Tom Santschi), the double-dyed villain who dragged him to degragadation. The film's highlight is a knock-down, drag-out fistfight between William Farnum and Tom Santschi, in emulation of their famous battle in 1914's The Spoilers. Ten Nights In a Bar-Room was distributed through the auspices of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, who were blissfully unaware that audiences were more prone to laugh at the antiquated production rather than renounce Demon Rum. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Director(s):

William O'Connor

Writer(s):

Norton S. Parker

Looking for special editions of Ten Nights in a Bar-Room?

See All Versions

Subtitles:

Check All Versions

Closed Captioning:

Check All Versions