Dorothy Gish Movies

Tom Tryon plays the title role in this Otto Preminger version of the Henry Morton Robinson novel. In his matriculation from Monsignor to the College of Cardinals, Stephen Fermoyle (Tom Tryon) must undergo several grueling life experiences: standing up to bigots in Georgia, defying Nazis in Austria, and so on. The film boasts cameo appearances by Dorothy Gish, Cecil Kellaway, John Saxon, John Huston, Robert Morse, Burgess Meredith, Raf Vallone, Ossie Davis. Incidentally, Tryon eventually quit acting and became a popular novelist. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Otto Preminger directed this romantic musical (something of a change of pace for the rather serious-minded director) set in Philadephia in 1876. The upcoming Centennial Exposition is the talk of the town, and sisters Julia (Jeanne Crain) and Edith (Linda Darnell) find themselves romantic rivals when they both fall for Philippe (Cornel Wilde), a suave Frenchman in town for the celebration. Their mother Harriet (Dorothy Gish) might offer more advice if she weren't busy looking after her husband Jesse (Walter Brennan), who is busy tinkering with inventions that he's convinced will make him a rich man. Jerome Kern composed the film's'score and co-wrote several songs, including "Up with the Lark," "The Right Romance," and "All Through the Day." It was the last film work he would complete prior to his death in 1945. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This grim and gripping British melodrama was originally released in 1931 under the title Wolves. The scene is a Labrador whaling camp, where everyone is a fugitive from justice, and not a few are murderers. Dorothy Gish plays Leila, an unconscious survivor of a shipwreck who drifts into the camp in a rowboat. She is rescued by the lust-driven whalers, who then draw lots to see who will "win" her. Stacking the deck, a big lout named Job (Charles Laughton) claims Leila as his, but it turns out that he's an honorable sort who wishes only to rescue the girl from the other men. Wolves didn't make it to the U.S. until 1936, by which time its title was changed to Wanted Men and its running time was hacked down to 35 minutes by the censors. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Dorothy Gish's screen vehicles for British director Herbert Wilcox were usually a treat, but her 1927 film Madame Pompadour tended to be weighed down by the ponderous stylistic choices of its producer, Germany's E. A. DuPont. Not surprisingly, Gish plays the title character, the celebrated 18th-century aristocrat-paramour whose clothing and hairstyles determined French fashions for decades. A favorite of King Louis XV (Henri Bosc), Mme. Pompadour has trouble limiting her ardor to any one man, and in this film she falls in love with handsome political prisoner Rene Laval (Antonio Moreno). Adapted by DuPont and Frances Marion from the stage play by Rudolf Schanzer and Ernst Wellisch, Madame Pompadour was an especially lavish and handsome production. Unfortunately, despite its brief 75-minute running time, the film moved at a snail's pace. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

While Lillian Gish achieved stardom with her dramatic emoting, her sister Dorothy made a name for herself as a saucy comedienne. Nell Gwyn was one of several felicitous collaborations between Dorothy Gish and British producer-director Herbert Wilcox. The star is of course cast as the title character, the infamous 17th-century orange vendor who became a star on the London stage -- and the mistress of "merry monarch" King Charles III (Randle Ayrton). Though her fortunes take a downswing towards the end of her life, Nell remains ever faithful to her beloved Charles. Nell Gwyn was based on a novel by Marjorie Bowen, which was also the source for the 1934 remake, which starred Herbert Wilcox's talented protégé (and later wife) Anna Neagle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This mediocre Paramount comedy-drama has one interesting feature -- part of it was shot on-location at New York's El Fey Club, run by the famously brash Texas Guinan. John Bentley (Ernest Torrence) left New York bitter after being jilted by his fiancée; even after becoming a successful manufacturer in Iowa, he refuses to go back. Instead, he installs someone else as the East Coast manager. John's son, Ronald (Rod LaRocque), however, is dazzled by dreams of what New York is supposed to be, and he causes his father so much trouble that he decides to let him visit the big city. What Ronald doesn't know is that his dad has transpired with the manager to cause the young man so much trouble there that he will be glad to go back. It turns out that their plans are unnecessary -- Ronald finds enough trouble himself. Peggy Reed (Helen Lee Worthing), the actress that John and his associate have hired, bails on Ronald soon into the game and Ronald makes the acquaintance of Meg (Dorothy Gish). Unfortunately, Meg has a no-good brother who gets Ronald involved in a robbery. He is captured, but remains silent for Meg's sake. The girl, however, exonerates Ronald himself, and he takes her back to Iowa as his wife. John, meanwhile, finds out that his old flame has grown fat and old, so he decides to give New York another try. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

The presence of Richard Barthelmess adds a poetic quality to this romantic melodrama. Tony Gillardi (Barthelmess) is a flower vendor on New York's East Side. His brother, Carlo (Frank Puglia), is the favorite of their mother (Florence Auer), but in reality, he is a weak-willed youth who is under the control of Nick Di Silva (William Powell), a gangster who runs a Chinese theater as a cover for his operations. Di Silva and Carlo rob an Automat, but Tony convinces his brother that the money should be returned. Tony takes the money to the Automat himself, but is arrested for the crime and sent to prison. When he is released, he wants to get Di Silva but is dissuaded by his sweetheart, Molly O'Connor (Dorothy Gish, who is wasted in this role). A fight ensues in the Gillardi home between Carlo, Di Silva, and Tony. Di Silva shoots Mamma Gillardi, and Tony chases him to the theater where they get into a brutal fight. Di Silva falls from a roof to his death. Mamma Gillardi recovers from her wound and Tony and Molly are united. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Henry King directed this Richard Barthelmess vehicle concerning Boy Leyton (Richard Barthelmess), a child raised sternly by his embittered father, Captain Leyton (Tyrone Power). The Captain is a harsh taskmaster who trains Boy to be perfect. When Boy defends the honor of his sweetheart Minnie (Dorothy Gish), a scullery maid in a waterfront flophouse, The Captain is so overcome with joy that he suffers a heart attack. With his dying breath, The Captain tells Boy to avenge his misery by seeking out Boy's mother, who deserted The Captain for another man. Although Boy had planned on marrying Minnie, the wedding plans are put on hold as Boy goes forth to seek out his mother and thrash the man who wrecked his happy home. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Having turned the creaky old stage melodrama Way Down East into a money-spinning film, director D.W. Griffith set about to perform the same magic with the barnstorming theatrical piece The Two Orphans. Adolphe Philippe Dennery's play told the story of two orphaned girls, one blind, who are separated early on and undergo innumerable deprivations before their tearful reunion. Though the play took place in France, it had nothing whatsoever to do with the French Revolution; this didn't stop Griffith from plunking the storyline smack dab in the middle of that late-18th-century maelstrom, allowing him full scope for the spectacular scenes which had brought him worldwide fame. Lillian Gish plays Henriette, the sighted sister, while Dorothy Gish is cast as the visually impaired Louise. Henriette brings Louise to Paris, in search of a surgeon who might be able to restore her sister's sight. Henriette is kidnapped by a lascivious nobleman, leaving Louise to wander helplessly about until she too is "stolen" by a family of beggars. Rescued by kindhearted aristocrat Chevalier de Vaudrey (Joseph Schildkraut), Henriette begins the arduous search for her lost sister. Just before the film's intermission, Henriette hears Louise begging on the streets. Before they can be reunited, Henriette is arrested by minions of the evil nobleman who'd earlier tried to seduce her. Released from the Bastille by the revolutionaries, Henriette resumes her search, only to be arrested again--this time because she has consorted with the aristocracy, and is therefore a candidate for the guillotine. The stage is thus set for a thrilling "race to the rescue" climax, and of course the reuniting of the two orphans. Orphans of the Storm was filmed at Griffith's east coast studio in Mamaroneck, New York, which explains why the exteriors are always so overcast. In an effort to be topical, Griffith took every opportunity possible to equate the French revolution with the recent Bolshevik rebellion in Russia, and to warn his audience of the dangers of mob rule (this from a man who glorified the Ku Klux Klan in Birth of a Nation!) The film opened to excellent reviews and great business; Griffith, who always placed art above commerce, poured virtually every penny of profit into his "smaller" project, Isn't Life Wonderful, which died at the box office. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The plot to this comedy is so dog-eared that only luminaries like star Dorothy Gish and director F. Richard Jones could have made it as lively as it turned out to be. Delsie O'Dell (Gish) is a poor girl who shows up unannounced on the doorstep of her wealthy aunt and uncle, her pet bulldog and parrot in tow. When a seventy-five thousand dollar necklace is stolen, Delsie is determined to track down the guilty parties. She finds them in a deserted, old house that is supposedly haunted, so she sneaks in and plays "ghost" herself, scaring the bejeezus out of the crooks. She gets the necklace back, along with winning the hero (William E. Park). ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Lillian Gish tried her hand at film-directing in this gentle comedy of marital infidelity. Dorothy Gish is Janie, the young and perky bride of Jack (James Rennie). Jack loves Janie, but he can't keep his eye from straying. Janie tries to curtail Jack's flirtatiousness, but Jack wants to have one last fling before he settles down to marital bliss. Finally, when he gives himself up to the ministrations of a flapper, Janie leaves him. Janie discovers that she doesn't need her husband at all and sets herself up in business. When Jack sees that Janie is no longer devoted or dependent on him, Jack has second thoughts and realizes what a wonderful girl Janie is. With hat in hand, Jack comes to see Janie, hoping that she will take him back. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

The story to this farce comedy (one of several that starred Dorothy Gish with Elmer Clifton as director) was written by Harry Carr, who was an editorial writer at the Los Angles Times. Susy Farady Jones (Gish) is a rambunctious young lady, and her millionaire father, Bradford "Skinflint" Jones (George Fawcett), gives her a trolley line just to keep her out of trouble. Susy has a number of suitors, but the one she really loves is Scoop McCreedy, a newspaper reporter (Richard Barthelmess). When McCreedy tries to ask for Susy's hand, however, her father calls him a fortune hunter and kicks him out of the house. After that, McCreedy avoids Susy -- it's all in vain, however, as she proceeds to chase after him. Finally he agrees to marry her if she promises not to touch any of her father's money. She agrees, but doesn't bother telling him she already has a few million of her own as a result of the trolley line. The couple moves to a small town where McCreedy becomes editor for the local paper. Susy's trolley doesn't stop at the town, and a group of businessmen demand that this be changed. Two of the men are ex-suitors of Susy's and they arrive at her home with her lawyer. In a panic, Susy does everything she can to hide the men from her jealous husband. He eventually discovers that she's not hiding a lover, but a few million dollars -- but he begrudgingly forgives her money. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi

Dorothy Gish stars as a superstitious young miss in this silly farce comedy. Frances Wadsworth (Gish) keeps her eyes on the stars, her hands on the cards, and a rabbit's foot in her pocket. She encourages her friend to elope because "Venus is on the ascendant" and then discovers that there is a light-haired young man in her own future. The man, Malcolm Dale (Ralph Graves), is the best man at her friend's wedding, but Frances balks when he proposes to her on Friday the 13th. The news is even worse when Frances also divines the presence of a dark-haired rival for her blond man's affections. The young lady is Sally Smith (Emily Chichester), daughter of Rockaway Smith (George Fawcett), a Western millionaire who Dale is forced to squire around town. But Frances is reunited with Dale when she spends the night at her friend's home. Burglars break in, as does Dale. The crooks blackjack the lovers into unconsciousness, and it apparently knocks some sense into them because when they come to, they reconcile. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi