The Return of Carol Deane
Encyclopedia
The Return of Carol Deane is a 1938
British melodrama, directed by Arthur B. Woods
and starring Bebe Daniels
. The film is adapted from the story The House on 56th Street by Joseph Santley
and spans the time period from the 1910s to the 1930s.
Carol goes on trial for murder and Lord Robert is summoned as a character witness, but is killed in action before the trial begins. Carol is found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and is sentenced to a lengthy term of imprisonment. Her son grows up knowing nothing of his mother or her crime, and on her release in the late 1920s Carol relocates to New York. She meets Englishman Francis Scott-Vaughan (Wyndham Goldie) and becomes involved in his shady gambling businesses. Ten years later the pair return to England to set up a similar establishment in London. On the opening evening she recognises one of the punters as her son (Peter Coke
), now married and whose photographs she has seen in newspapers. He has the air of a compulsive gambler, and Carol engineers proceedings to prevent him from losing large sums of money in wagers. She takes him under her wing and helps him repair his relationship with his wife, who had been aghast to discover his gambling habits. Carol never reveals that she is his mother, and soon contact between them is lost again.
1938 in film
The year 1938 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*January — MGM announces that Judy Garland would be cast in the role of "Dorothy" in the upcoming Wizard of Oz motion picture. Ray Bolger is cast as the "Tinman" and Buddy Ebsen is cast as the "Scarecrow". At Bolger's insistence,...
British melodrama, directed by Arthur B. Woods
Arthur B. Woods
Arthur Bickerstaffe Woods was an English film director with 27 credits between 1933 and 1940. Woods' films were mainly quota quickies but were diverse in style, from light comedy and musicals to dark crime thrillers. His most acclaimed film is 1938's They Drive by Night...
and starring Bebe Daniels
Bebe Daniels
Bebe Daniels was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent movie era as a child actress, became a star in musicals like 42nd Street, and later gained further fame on radio and television in Britain...
. The film is adapted from the story The House on 56th Street by Joseph Santley
Joseph Santley
Joseph Santley was an American actor, singer, dancer, writer, director, and producer of musical theatrical plays and motion pictures....
and spans the time period from the 1910s to the 1930s.
Plot
In the London of 1912, Carol Deane (Daniels) becomes famous for a portrait of her painted by artist Mark Poynton (Arthur Margetson), who is infatuated with her. Carol however marries Lord Robert Brenning (Michael Drake), much to the chagrin of Poynton. She gives birth to a son then with the outbreak of World War I, Lord Robert goes off to fight on the Western Front while Carol becomes a nurse. Poynton is admitted as a patient to Carol's hospital, and tells her he is still in love with her. Carol tries to make light of his persistence, but after being released Poynton calls her to insist that she come to see him, threatening that if she does not, he will make her the subject of a public scandal. Carol goes to visit Poynton, who pulls a gun on her, demanding that she return to live with him. There is a struggle, during which Carol accidentally shoots Poynton dead.Carol goes on trial for murder and Lord Robert is summoned as a character witness, but is killed in action before the trial begins. Carol is found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, and is sentenced to a lengthy term of imprisonment. Her son grows up knowing nothing of his mother or her crime, and on her release in the late 1920s Carol relocates to New York. She meets Englishman Francis Scott-Vaughan (Wyndham Goldie) and becomes involved in his shady gambling businesses. Ten years later the pair return to England to set up a similar establishment in London. On the opening evening she recognises one of the punters as her son (Peter Coke
Peter Coke
-Personal life:Peter John Coke was born in Southsea on 3 April 1913. His father was a commander in the Navy, who took his family to Kenya to run a linen plantation, however, this venture failed and he began to run a coffee plantation...
), now married and whose photographs she has seen in newspapers. He has the air of a compulsive gambler, and Carol engineers proceedings to prevent him from losing large sums of money in wagers. She takes him under her wing and helps him repair his relationship with his wife, who had been aghast to discover his gambling habits. Carol never reveals that she is his mother, and soon contact between them is lost again.
Cast
- Bebe DanielsBebe DanielsBebe Daniels was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent movie era as a child actress, became a star in musicals like 42nd Street, and later gained further fame on radio and television in Britain...
as Carol Deane - Arthur Margetson as Mark Poynton
- Peter CokePeter Coke-Personal life:Peter John Coke was born in Southsea on 3 April 1913. His father was a commander in the Navy, who took his family to Kenya to run a linen plantation, however, this venture failed and he began to run a coffee plantation...
as Lord David Brenning - Michael Drake as Lord Robert Brenning
- Zena DareZena DareZena Dare was an English singer and actress who was famous for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and other musical theatre and comedic plays in the first half of the 20th century, and for her role as Mrs...
as Lady Brenning - Chili BouchierChili BouchierChili Bouchier , later known as Dorothy Bouchier, was a British film actress who achieved success during the silent film era, and went on to many screen appearances with the advent of sound films, before progressing to theatre later in her career.She made her first appearance as a child dancer at a...
as Anne Dempster - David BurnsDavid Burns (actor)David Burns was an American Broadway theatre and motion picture actor and singer.Burns was born on Mott Street in the Manhattan Chinatown of New York City. He made his Broadway debut in Face the Music in 1932, Cole Porter's Nymph Errant was his London debut, and he appeared in many comedies and...
as Nick Wellington - Aubrey MallalieuAubrey MallalieuAubrey Mallalieu was an English actor with a prolific career in supporting roles in films in the 1930s and 1940s....
as Lamont - Wyndham Goldie as Francis Scott-Vaughan
- Lesley Brook as Diana