The Prodigal (1931 film)

The Prodigal is a 1931 Pre-Code early talkie film starring Lawrence Tibbett, Esther Ralston, Roland Young and Hedda Hopper. The film was extremely provocative in its time in that it viewed adultery in a non-judgmental, even positive light.

The Prodigal
Lobby card featuring Lawrence Tibbett and Esther Ralston
Directed by	Harry A. Pollard
Screenplay by	Bess Meredyth Wells Root
Based on	The Southerner short story by Bess Meredyth Wells Root
Produced by	Paul Bern
Starring	Lawrence Tibbett Esther Ralston Roland Young Cliff Edwards Purnell Pratt Hedda Hopper Stepin Fetchit
Cinematography	Harold Rosson
Edited by	Margaret Booth
Music by	Herbert Stothart
Production company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	February 21, 1931 (1931-02-21)
Running time	76 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Cast

• Lawrence Tibbett as Jeffrey Farraday
• Esther Ralston as Antonia Farraday
• Roland Young as Doc aka Somerset Greenman
• Cliff Edwards as Snipe, a Tramp
• Purnell Pratt as Rodman Farraday
• Hedda Hopper as Christine
• Emma Dunn as Mrs. Cynthia Farraday
• Stepin Fetchit as Hokey
• Louis John Bartels as George
• Theodore von Eltz as Carter Jerome
• Wally Albright as Peter
• Susanne Ransom as Elsbeth
• Gertrude Howard as Naomi
• John Larkin as Andrew Jackson Jones

See also

• Pre-Code sex films

Sources

• Doherty, Thomas Patrick. Pre-Code Hollywood: Sex, Immorality, and Insurrection in American Cinema 1930-1934. New York: Columbia University Press 1999. ISBN 0-231-11094-4

External links

• The Prodigal at the TCM Movie Database
• The Prodigal at IMDb
• The Prodigal at AllMovie
• The Prodigal at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
• Lawrence Tibbett sings "The Peanut Vendor" from The Prodigal on YouTube, excerpt