The Nut Farm
Cast & Crew
Melville Brown
Wallace Ford
Betty Alden
Florence Roberts
Spencer Charters
Oscar Apfel
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
An Eastern couple, the Bents, decide to visit relatives in California. Bob Bent is attracted by the sunshine and hopes to become a farmer while his wife Helen is lured by the appeal of Hollywood. They stay with Helen's brother, Willie Barton, a seldom-employed assistant director in the movies, and his mother, both supported by Bob. While Bob searches for a farm to purchase, Helen answers the ad for new acting talent of a shady agency run by Hamilton T. Holland. He gives her a phony screen test and lauds her dubious talent in order to fleece her husband's $40,000 life savings. Bob, on the other hand, wants to spend the money on a fifty-acre nut farm. Despite Willie's warning about Holland's reputation, Bob is conned into the scheme by imitation famous actresses hired by Holland. Even Willie's cooperation is secured by making him director of a proposed Sheik style desert melodrama for Helen entitled Scorching Passion . Midway through the shooting, though, Holland reveals to Willie that the budget has run out, compelling production to be finished that very afternoon. After a disastrous premiere, Willie realizes the picture can be recut into a successful comedy. Buying Holland's share for $2100 before he can realize the new value of the property, Willie then prevents Holland from securing Bob's share for $10,000. Willie punches Holland into the backyard pool before announcing he has sold the film to Monarch Pictures for $90,000 and a directorial contract. To celebrate, Willie marries his sweetheart Agatha Sliscomb, an actress and daughter of a near-deaf landlord who has a small share in the production.
Director
Melville Brown
Cast
Wallace Ford
Betty Alden
Florence Roberts
Spencer Charters
Oscar Apfel
Bradley Page
Lorin Raker
Arnold Gray
Joan Gale
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Wallace Ford also played "Willie Barton" on Broadway. According to the film's pressbook, the play ran five months in New York and twenty-two weeks in Chicago.
