Ruggles of Red Gap

Overview

Previously filmed in 1918 and 1923, Harry Leon Wilson's novel achieved movie classic status when it was remade by Leo McCarey in 1935. The story opens in Paris, circa 1908. Ruggles, beautifully underplayed by Charles Laughton, is the ultra-obedient manservant to the bibulous Earl of Burnstead (Roland Young). During one of the Earl's nocturnal forays, nouveau riche American cattle baron Egbert Floud (Charles Ruggles) wins Ruggles in a poker game. Terrified at the prospect of being bundled off to the Wild West, Ruggles' resolve is weakened somewhat when he and the raucous but ingratiating Egbert spend a wild night on the town. (The besotted butler's periodic exclamations of "Whoopee!" are priceless.) Back in the frontier "boom town" of Red Gap, a misunderstanding obliges Egbert's social-climbing wife Effie (Mary Boland) to pass off Ruggles as an aristocratic British army officer, immediately arousing the suspicions of priggish social arbiter Charles Belknap-Jackson (Lucien Littlefield). The longer he spends in America, the more Ruggles grows to like the concept of democracy and self-determination. Of the film's many highlights, two are standouts: the scene in which Ruggles silences a rowdy saloon crowd with his recitation of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the droll, semi-improvised vignette in which dancehall girl Nell Kenner (Leila Hyams) teaches the Earl of Burnstead how to play the drums. Ruggles of Red Gap was filmed for a fourth time in 1950 as the Bob Hope-Lucille Ball musical Fancy Pants.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/02/2014
UPC:	0025192052156
Original Release:	1935
Source:	UNIVERSAL
Language:	English
Time:	1:31:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Charles Ruggles	Egbert Floud,Egbert Floud
Charles Laughton	Ruggles
Mary Boland	Effie Floud
ZaSu Pitts	Mrs. Judson
Roland Young	George Van Bassingwell
Leila Hyams	Nell Kenner
Maude Eburne	Ma Pettingill
Lucien Littlefield	Charles Belknap-Jackson
Leota Lorraine	Mrs. Belknap-Jackson
James Burke	Jeff Tuttle
Dell Henderson	Sam
Baby Ricardo Lord Cezon	Baby Judson
Brenda Fowler	Judy Ballard
Augusta Anderson	Mrs. Wallaby
Sarah Edwards	Mrs. Myron Carey
Clarence Wilson	Jake Henshaw,Jake Henshaw
Rafael Storm	Clothing Salesman
Frank Rice	Hank
Victor Potel	Curly
George Burton	Buck Squires
William Welsh	Eddie
Lee Kohlmar	Red Gap Jailer
Harry Bernard	Bartender
Alice Ardell	Lisette
Rolfe Sedan	Barber
Jack Norton	Barfly
Jim Welch	Man in Saloon
Willie Fung	Chinese Servant
Libby Taylor	Servant
Armand Kaliz	Clothing Salesman
Harry Bowen	Photographer
Henry Roquemore	Frank Patron
Heinie Conklin	Waiter
Edward Le Saint	Patron
Charles Fallon	Waiter in Paris Cafe
Genaro Spagnoli	Frank the Cabman
Albert Petit	Waiter at Carousel
Ernie Adams	Dishwasher,Dishwasher
Frank O'Connor	Station Agent
Ralph Rainger	Composer
Sam Coslow	Composer

Technical Credits

Harlan Thompson

Humphrey Pearson

Walter de Leon

Harry Leon Wilson

Leo McCarey	Director
Harlan Thompson	Screenwriter
Humphrey Pearson	Screenwriter
Walter de Leon	Screenwriter
Arthur Hornblow Jr.	Producer
Harry Leon Wilson	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Depression-era comedies don't get much better than this Leo McCarey effort , tailor-made to Charles Laughton's unique brand of deadpan, constipated charm. Ruggles of Red Gap sets up its central conceit at a leisurely pace, installing the title character in his Old West, nouveau riche setting with plenty of time for warm-hearted jabs at the recalcitrant socialite Egbert (played to perfection by the coincidentally named Charlie Ruggles) and his level-headed wife, Effie (Mary Boland). Even love interest ZaSu Pitts has a bumper crop of one-liners and turns of phrase (although her chemistry with the asexual Laughton is dubious at best). The movie gains momentum as the script fortifies Ruggles' backbone for the climactic, crowd-pleasing comeuppance of the picture's true snobs, shoehorns in a couple of high-spirited songs for good measure, and even manages to jerk some genuine tears along the way.

All Movie Guide - Michael Hastings