Belle of the Nineties
Belle of the Nineties is a 1934 American Western film directed by Leo McCarey and released by Paramount Pictures. Mae West's fourth motion picture, it was based on her original story It Ain't No Sin, which was also to be the film's title until censors objected. Johnny Mack Brown, Duke Ellington, and Katherine DeMille are also in the cast. The film is noted for being the premiere performance of the jazz standard "My Old Flame", performed by West with the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Plot
Ruby Carter is the beautiful Vaudeville star and headliner at a nightclub in St. Louis in the early 1890s. She is romantically involved with the Tiger Kid, a prizefighter. To get the preoccupied Tiger Kid to focus on his training, his trainer arranges for another boxer to give the impression that she has been unfaithful to him. Heartbroken, the Tiger Kid sends her a breakup letter. Ruby's manager convinces her to take a high-paying contract for a residency at the Sensation House in New Orleans, where the owner, Ace Lamont, installs Ruby in the suite adjacent to his own. She quickly makes a name for herself, drawing numerous fans and suitors, receiving a diamond necklace from one of them. Lamont is also attracted to her but resents her wealthy suitors, as they prevent him from controlling her. Lamont is romantically linked with Molly Brant, whom he continually disregards.
Cast
- Benny Baker
- Brooks Benedict
- Charles Sullivan
- Duke Ellington
- Edward Gargan
- Edward Hearn
- Ellinor Vanderveer
- Frank McGlynn, Sr.
- Frank Mills
- Frank Rice
- Frederick Burton
- Fuzzy Knight
- Harry Woods
- James Donlan
- John Miljan
- Johnny Mack Brown
- Katherine DeMille
- Mae West
- Mike Mazurki
- Roger Pryor
- Sam McDaniel
- Stuart Holmes
- Wade Boteler
- Walter Walker
- Warren Hymer
More details
| author | Mae West |
|---|---|
| contentLocation | New Orleans |
| director | Leo McCarey |
| editor | LeRoy Stone |
| genre | comedy western |
| keywords | 1890s act breakup letter dear john letter diamond necklace draw drug even fire department getting married justice of the peace kerosene kill knock out lamp oil married mask newspaper headline opera glasses prizefighter train vaudeville wait |
| musicBy | Arthur Johnston |
| producer | William LeBaron |
| productionCompany | Paramount Pictures |
| publisher | Paramount Pictures |