The Gay Sisters
Encyclopedia
The Gay Sisters is a 1942 American drama film
directed by Irving Rapper
, and starring Barbara Stanwyck
, George Brent
, Geraldine Fitzgerald
, Donald Crisp
, Gig Young
and Nancy Coleman
. The Warner Bros.
motion picture was based on a novel by Stephen Longstreet
.
, and their army officer father, Penn Gaylord, is killed in France
, they must manage their Fifth Avenue mansion
by themselves—never realizing their half billion dollar inheritance because of legal system gimmickry. Fiona (Barbara Stanwyck) is the eldest of the three children, and the daughter whom Penn referred to as "my son" and "the head of the household" upon his departure for the European front. Fiona tells the family servants that she will henceforth be known as "Miss Gaylord" rather than "Miss Fiona".
Fiona and her two sisters grow up, and Fiona marries her antagonist, Charles Barclay (George Brent), in a last ditch effort to finalize the probate of Penn's will, which had been tied up in court for some 25 years. Barclay had campaigned to keep the will from being settled, just so he could force the three sisters to sell him their mansion for the purpose of leveling it and profitably developing the real estate. His motive appears to be nothing more than greed. This was the case, even though Barclay used as his purported reason for tying up the will, Penn's wartime bequeathal (in a French will) of 10% of the Gaylord estate to a French orphanage. Fiona has no objection to the approximately 50 million dollar change in the original American will on behalf of those less fortunate, but she is adamently opposed to the real estate development. She makes this known at a court proceeding when she and her sisters walk out on the latest round of delaying tactics. Fiona's unwavering opposition is based on her father's last instructions to her before his departure to Europe and subsequent death in combat. He tells his daughter that their loyalty to the family home is "almost as much" as their loyalty to God. For some 175 years prior to World War II
, the Gaylord creed had always been, "Never sell the land!"
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Irving Rapper
Irving Rapper
Irving Rapper was a British film director. His most successful body of work is 10 films he made while under contract with Warner Brothers....
, and starring Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
, George Brent
George Brent
George Brent was an Irish film and television actor in American cinema.-Early life:He was born George Brendan Nolan in Raharabeg, County Roscommon on the opposite bank of the River Shannon from the town of Shannonbridge, County Offaly, Ireland, the son of a British Army officer.During the Irish...
, Geraldine Fitzgerald
Geraldine Fitzgerald
Geraldine Fitzgerald, Lady Lindsay-Hogg was an Irish-American actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
, Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp was an English film actor. He was also an early motion picture producer, director and screenwriter...
, Gig Young
Gig Young
Gig Young was an American film, stage, and television actor. Known mainly for second leads and supporting roles, Young won an Academy Award for his performance as a dance-marathon emcee in the 1969 film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.-Early life and career:Born Byron Elsworth Barr in St...
and Nancy Coleman
Nancy Coleman
Nancy Coleman was an American film, television and radio actress. After working on radio and appearing on the Broadway stage, Nancy Coleman was brought to Hollywood to work for Warner Bros. studios...
. The Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
motion picture was based on a novel by Stephen Longstreet
Stephen Longstreet
Stephen Longstreet was an American author.Born Chauncey Weiner on April 18th, 1907, known as Stephen Longstreet from 1939.Died February 20th, 2002....
.
Plot
Fiona, Evelyn, and Susanna are the Gaylord sisters. There are no brothers. When their mother dies on the sunken RMS LusitaniaRMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
, and their army officer father, Penn Gaylord, is killed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, they must manage their Fifth Avenue mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
by themselves—never realizing their half billion dollar inheritance because of legal system gimmickry. Fiona (Barbara Stanwyck) is the eldest of the three children, and the daughter whom Penn referred to as "my son" and "the head of the household" upon his departure for the European front. Fiona tells the family servants that she will henceforth be known as "Miss Gaylord" rather than "Miss Fiona".
Fiona and her two sisters grow up, and Fiona marries her antagonist, Charles Barclay (George Brent), in a last ditch effort to finalize the probate of Penn's will, which had been tied up in court for some 25 years. Barclay had campaigned to keep the will from being settled, just so he could force the three sisters to sell him their mansion for the purpose of leveling it and profitably developing the real estate. His motive appears to be nothing more than greed. This was the case, even though Barclay used as his purported reason for tying up the will, Penn's wartime bequeathal (in a French will) of 10% of the Gaylord estate to a French orphanage. Fiona has no objection to the approximately 50 million dollar change in the original American will on behalf of those less fortunate, but she is adamently opposed to the real estate development. She makes this known at a court proceeding when she and her sisters walk out on the latest round of delaying tactics. Fiona's unwavering opposition is based on her father's last instructions to her before his departure to Europe and subsequent death in combat. He tells his daughter that their loyalty to the family home is "almost as much" as their loyalty to God. For some 175 years prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Gaylord creed had always been, "Never sell the land!"
Cast
- Barbara StanwyckBarbara StanwyckBarbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
as Fiona Gaylord - George BrentGeorge BrentGeorge Brent was an Irish film and television actor in American cinema.-Early life:He was born George Brendan Nolan in Raharabeg, County Roscommon on the opposite bank of the River Shannon from the town of Shannonbridge, County Offaly, Ireland, the son of a British Army officer.During the Irish...
as Charles Barclay - Geraldine FitzgeraldGeraldine FitzgeraldGeraldine Fitzgerald, Lady Lindsay-Hogg was an Irish-American actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
as Evelyn Gaylord - Donald CrispDonald CrispDonald Crisp was an English film actor. He was also an early motion picture producer, director and screenwriter...
as Ralph Pedloch - Gig YoungGig YoungGig Young was an American film, stage, and television actor. Known mainly for second leads and supporting roles, Young won an Academy Award for his performance as a dance-marathon emcee in the 1969 film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.-Early life and career:Born Byron Elsworth Barr in St...
as Gig Young. His studio decided that Byron Barr should use his character's name professionally. - Nancy ColemanNancy ColemanNancy Coleman was an American film, television and radio actress. After working on radio and appearing on the Broadway stage, Nancy Coleman was brought to Hollywood to work for Warner Bros. studios...
as Susanna "Susie" Gaylord - Gene LockhartGene LockhartEugene "Gene" Lockhart was a Canadian character actor, singer, and playwright. He also wrote the lyrics to a number of popular songs.-Early life:...
as Mr. Herschell Gibbon - Larry Simms as Austin, aka "Butch"
- Donald WoodsDonald Woods (actor)Donald Woods was a Canadian-born American film and television actor whose career spanned six decades....
as Penn Sutherland Gaylord - Grant MitchellGrant Mitchell (actor)Grant Mitchell was an American stage actor on Broadway and character actor in many Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s...
as Gilbert Wheeler - William T. Orr as Dick Tone
- Anne Revere as Miss Ida Orner
- Helen Thimig as Saskia, the Gaylord maid
- George Lessey as Judge Barrows
- Charles WaldronCharles WaldronCharles Waldron , sometimes credited as Charles Waldron Sr., Chas. Waldron Sr., Charles D. Waldron or Mr. Waldron, was an American film and theatre actor.-Film:...
as Mr. Van Rennseler (as Charles D. Waldron) - Frank Reicher as Dr. Thomas Bigelow
- David Clyde as Benson, Penn's servant
- Mary Thomas as Fiona Gaylord as a girl of eight