A GIRL OF THE LIMBERLOST (1934) Louise Dresser, Marian Marsh & Ralph Morgan | Drama, Romance | B&W

A Girl of the Limberlost is a 1934 American drama film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Louise Dresser, Ralph Morgan and Marian Marsh, and was released on October 15, 1934. This is the second film adaption of Gene Stratton-Porter's 1909 novel of the same name. The first film adaptation had been released in 1924, and a third was released in 1945.

SYNOPSIS
Elnora Comstock is the badly abused daughter of Katherine Comstock, who blames her because her father was drowned while on the way home the night she was born. She finds her comfort with Margaret and Westley Sinton, a childless neighboring couple, who help her with her school costs, as does the wealthy Mrs. Parker, who takes an interest in the talented young girl. She meets and falls in love with Phillip Ammon, the nephew of Dr. Ammon, but learns that he is already engaged. The money that Elnora has saved for her college education is stolen, and when Mrs. Comstock goes to retrieve it from a suspect, she also learns of the duplicity of her husband, who had been courting a neighboring woman on the night he drowned. She begs forgiveness of Elnora, and the romance of Elnora and Phillip also begins to flourish.

CAST & CREW
Louise Dresser as Katherine Comstock
Ralph Morgan as Wesley Sinton
Marian Marsh as Elnora Comstock
Henry B. Walthall as Dr. Ammon
Eddie Nugent as Phillip Ammon
Gigi Parrish as Edith Carr
Helen Jerome Eddy as Margaret Sinton
Betty Blythe as Mrs. Parke
Barbara Bedford as Elvira Carney
Robert Ellis as Frank Comstock
Tommy Bupp as Billy

Directed by Christy Cabanne
Screenplay by Adele Comandini
Based on the novel, A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter
Produced by William T. Lackey
Cinematography Ira Morgan
Edited by Carl Pierson
Production company Monogram Pictures
Release date October 15, 1934 (US)
Running time 78 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
The Hollywood Reporter announced in late June 1934 that actress Marian Marsh, who played Elnora Comstock, had signed for the “Limberlost” leading role,[3] and two days later they announced that Henry B. Walthall had signed for the film. Their announcement also included that Eddie Nugent, Gigi Parrish, Barbra Bedford, and Betty Blythe were signed for the film and that W.T. Lackey was to produce the film.

The Film Daily reported in mid-July that during the removal of Monogram headquarters from the General Service Studios to the Pathe Studios in Culver City, the production of “Girl of the Limberlost” had been at Talisman Studios. In early August they reported that the film was currently in the cutting room.

Diana Carey, who played an uncredited role as one of the high school students, described the rushed production schedule for the film:

"On a feature-length version of The Girl of Limberlost in which I played a role, no actor was ever idle nor did a camera ever get cold. We were shooting at five-thirty in the morning, and while one scene was being filmed another crew was setting up for the next. Actors rushed from one set-up to another without rest, and with barely time for rehearsal... Lunch was bolted down between takes. We sprinted through that feature-length juvenile masterpiece in five days flat, something of a record even in my book.”

The world premiere of the film was set for the week of September 15, 1934 at the Broadway Portland. After its release, the film was met with a warm reception being described by a review in The Film Daily as a “wholesome drama of backwoods [that] has the heart appeal and human touches for the crowds.” The film was also awarded the Best Picture of the Month Medal by Parents’ Magazine

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