A Successful Calamity

1h 12min

Comedy

Drama

Henry Wilton is an elderly millionaire saddled with his selfish young second wife Emmy 'Sweetie' Wilton and a pair of spoiled grown children, Peggy and Eddie. To test his family's mettle, Henry pretends to have gone broke. Just as he suspected they would, his children rally to their father's side and change their ways: Peggy forsakes the fortune hunter George Struthers for the nice young man she's really in love with, the polo coach Larry Rivers, while Eddie applies for a demanding job and performs admirably. Only Sweetie seems to desert Henry.

Production Companies

The Vitaphone Corporation

Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast

George Arliss

George Arliss

Henry Wilton
Mary Astor

Mary Astor

Emmy 'Sweetie' Wilton
Evalyn Knapp

Evalyn Knapp

Peggy Wilton
William Janney

William Janney

Eddie Wilton
David Torrence

David Torrence

Partington
Hardie Albright

Hardie Albright

George Struthers
Randolph Scott

Randolph Scott

Larry Rivers
Hale Hamilton

Hale Hamilton

John Belde
Fortunio Bonanova

Fortunio Bonanova

Pietro Rafaelo
Oscar Apfel

Oscar Apfel

President of the United States
Leon Ames

Leon Ames

Barney Davis
Elspeth Dudgeon

Elspeth Dudgeon

Musicale Guest (uncredited)
Allan Lane

Allan Lane

Polo Player (uncredited)
Claire McDowell

Claire McDowell

Struthers' Secretary (uncredited)
Murray Kinnell

Murray Kinnell

Alfred Curtis - The Broker
Harold Minjir

Harold Minjir

Watson - Eddie's Valet (as Harold Minjur)
Barbara Leonard

Barbara Leonard

Pauline - The French Maid
Eula Guy

Eula Guy

Jane - the Cook's Helper
Virginia Hammond

Virginia Hammond

Mrs. Langstreet
Richard Tucker

Richard Tucker

Lawrence - Partington's Partner
Charles Coleman

Charles Coleman

Emmy's Musicale Butler
Jack Rutherford

Jack Rutherford

Wilton's Chauffeur (as John Rutherford)
Helena Phillips Evans

Helena Phillips Evans

Lily - the Wilton's Cook (as Helena Phillips)
Bill Elliott

Bill Elliott

Polo Player (uncredited)
Charles E. Evans

Charles E. Evans

Furniture Mover (uncredited)
Lew Harvey

Lew Harvey

Photographer at Train (uncredited)
Fred Howard

Fred Howard

Reporter at Train (uncredited)
Lillian Lawrence

Lillian Lawrence

Musicale Guest (uncredited)
Kate Drain Lawson

Kate Drain Lawson

Musicale Guest (uncredited)
Nola Luxford

Nola Luxford

Mary (uncredited)
Buddy Roosevelt

Buddy Roosevelt

Polo Player With Drinks (uncredited)
Ellinor Vanderveer

Ellinor Vanderveer

Musicale Guest (uncredited)
Florence Wix

Florence Wix

Musicale Guest (uncredited)

Release date

17th Sep 1932

Status

Released

Spoken languages

English