LONELY WIVES (1931) Edward Everett Horton, Esther Ralston & Laura La Plante | Comedy, Romance | B&W

Lonely Wives is a 1931 American comedy film directed by Russell Mack and produced by E.B. Derr for Pathé Exchange, and was distributed by RKO Pictures after the merger of the two studios; it starred Edward Everett Horton, Esther Ralston, Laura La Plante, and Patsy Ruth Miller. The screenplay was written by Walter DeLeon, based upon a successful German vaudeville act entitled Tanzanwaltz, penned by Pordes Milo, Walter Schütt, and Dr. Eric Urban. The German production had been translated for the American stage by DeLeon and Mark Swan and, under the same title as the film.

SYNOPSIS
A lonely husband whose wife has been away hires a lookalike impersonator to fill his place and fool his mother-in-law while he plays around with a pretty coquette. Confusion prevails when his wife returns that evening.

CAST & CREW
Edward Everett Horton as Richard "Dickie" Smith, and Felix, the Great Zero
Esther Ralston as Madeline Smith
Laura La Plante as Diane O'Dare
Patsy Ruth Miller as Kitty "Minty" Minter
Spencer Charters as Andrews, the Butler
Maude Eburne as Mrs. Mantel
Maurice Black as Taxi Driver

Directed by Russell Mack
Written by Walter DeLeon
Based on Tanzanwaltz 1912 vaudeville act by Pordes Milo, Walter Schütt and Eric Urban
Produced by E.B. Derr
Cinematography Edward Snyder
Edited by Joseph Kane[3]
Music by Francis Gromon
Production company
Pathé Exchange
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date February 22, 193
Running time 85 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
Pathé announced that the film was going into production in mid-November 1930, with Russell Mack at the helm. Shortly after, it was reported that La Plante had been attached to the cast; La Plante was returning to films after a brief seven-month hiatus, during which time speculation arose that her career might be over. Her appearance in this film, and its success, would re-ignite her career. On December 7, it was learned that DeLeon would be adapting the story into a screenplay, and on the 10th the announcement came that Esther Ralston and Patsy Ruth Miller would be added to the list of cast members, along with Edward Everett Horton. Horton and Miller had co-starred the prior year in four films together for Warner Brothers. The following day, December 11, The Film Daily announced that the film had begun production. Included in the cast was Spencer Charters, who had acted with Mack in several Broadway plays.

Pathe announced that the film would be part of its 1931 schedule, and it began to appear on its list of upcoming releases in the trades, but without a specific release date. The release was held up in late January due to the sale of Pathe to RKO Pictures. By the end of the month the go-ahead was given to release the film. Finally on February 16 RKO announced they would be releasing the film the following week. Several days prior to its release, Pathe announced that the marketing campaign for the film would include "tie-ins" with a coterie of manufacturers and retail stores. The campaign would include drug stores and department stores, and have advertising material supplied by manufacturers such as Underwood (typewriters), John H. Woodbury (toiletries), and Jo-Cur Laboratories (beauty products). Lonely Wives was released by RKO on February 22, 1931.

In 1959, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.

It was released on DVD by Roan/Troma Entertainment in 2001.[24]

The English translation of the 1912 German vaudeville act, Tanzanwaltz, entitled Lonely Wives, written by DeLeon and Mark Swan, was produced by A.H. Woods in Stamford, Connecticut on August 11, 1922. The play was scheduled to open in New York in August 1922, starring a well-known female impersonator of that time, Julian Eltinge as its star, but was never produced, apparently because while humorous, it had no value or integrity.

The film was acquired by RKO when they purchased Pathé Exchange in January 1931.

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