Cheating Cheaters (1919) C.K.Y. Film Corp. Distributor: Select Pictures Corp. Presenter: Clara Kimball Young. Director: Allan Dwan. Scenario: Katheryn Stuart. Camera: Arthur Edeson. Gowns: Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon). Cast: Clara Kimball Young, Anna Q. Nilsson, Jack Holt, Frederick Burton, Frank Campeau, Nicholas Dunnaew, Mayme Kelso, Tully Marshall, Edwin Stevens, Jess Singleton, Eleanor Hancock, W.A. Carroll. 5 reels. This film is apparently LOST

This film was remade twice, in 1927 and 1934.

A poster image, courtesy of Donna Hill, featuring Clara with Tully Marshall

Review from Variety, January 24, 1919

This is a whale of a picture. It is there as far as story is concerned, and more than "there" on the cast. There is but one flaw at present, and that is that the cast is not billed as "all Star." It is that, and the wise exhibitor will bill every one of the names, especially in the towns where they know anything about the regular theatre and the spoken drama. To that class of people there are at least a half dozen names in the cast that will mean something and will pull money.

In the regular a billing sent out by the Select, distributing the picture as one of the Clara K. Young starring series, she is played up over everyone else in the cast. They have overlooked something in the names of Anna Q. Nilsson, Frederick Burton, Frank Campeau, Mayme Kelso, Tully Marshall, Edwin Stevens.

When one looks at the story it is easily seen what the reason for the strong cast was. That was the only way that the story could have been put over properly on the screen, and no lone star could have carried it. As a play the cleverness of situation was coupled with clever lines, and that is what made "Cheating Cheaters" a stage success. But it was impossible to get all of the meat of the lines over on the screen, and therefore an exceptionally strong company was needed to deliver. In this case, it may be said that it was the support, more than the star, that carries the picture.

The original form has been but little changed from the manner in which Max Marion wrote it as a play. Kathryn Stuart adapted the story for the screen. The direction was under the supervision of Allan Dawn [sic] and he carried the suspense along quite as far as possible in a picturization. The two separate bands of crooks are held apart for some little time at the opening of the picture, and it is fairly into the fourth reel before there is any indication that the society bunch are not to be the victims of the tough crooks that are masquerading as swells. Naturally there are a few outdoor scenes that it was impossible to have in the stage production, and they add immensely to the value of the delivery of the story.

There are three distinct surprises in the picture, and the audience will be greatly mystified for the most part until the final "switch" is handed them.

The closing has been slightly changed from the play, and this distracts from the comedy value. Instead of herding the crooks off to the office of the detective agency and leaving it until the next morning for the disclosure that Ruth Brockton is really Ferris, the detective, that is shown immediately after the raid is made.

Miss Young handled the role, created by Marjorie Rambeau, in an altogether satisfactory manner, but the splendid work of the company of character actors and actresses in support is also worthy of unstinted praise.

"Cheating Cheaters" is a picture Broadway will howl at, and it is one of the cleverest productions the Select has turned out in a long time.

Reviews from Moving Picture World

"CHEATERS CHEATERS"
Clara Kimball Young and a Strong Cast Make This Select Picture Excellent Entertainment
Reviewed by Edward Weitzel.

When Max Marcin wrote the play "Cheating Cheaters" his one object was to keep the audience guessing. He knew that his story was utterly impossible, but he also knew that no one would care a rap about that so long as the interest was kept on the boil. All his characters were either crooks or detectives and he took good care that the criminals had either a sense of humor or were unconsciously amusing. Working along such unrestricted lines he succeeded in turning out a crook play that has more surprises and more laughs in its three acts than could be found in a dozen of the ordinary variety of thief dramas.

The play has been utilized by Clara Kimball Young for one of her Select pictures. Kathryn Stuart made the scenario and Allan Dwan was the director. The result of their efforts adds an entertaining photoplay to the Select list. The first feature to strike the spectator is the strength of the cast. Aside from the star, who plays Ruth Brockton, the list of names and characters they impersonate reads this way:

Anna Q. Nilsson as Grace Palmer, Jack Holt as Tom Palmer, Frederick Burton as George Brockton, Frank Campeau as Steve Wilson, Nicholas Dunaew as Antonio Verdi, Mayme Kelso as Mrs. Brockton, Tully Marshall as Ira Lazarre, Edwin Stevens as Mr. Palmer, Jess Singleton as Phil, Eleanor Hancock as Mrs. Palmer and W.A. Carroll as Ruth's chauffeur. The exhibition of team work by these experienced and skillfully selected actors is unusually fine and every point is made to score heavily. The production throughout is in keeping with its demand.

Starting off with a scene in the luxurious home of the Palmers, it is shown that a gang of crooks have established themselves next door in order to rob their neighbors of their valuable jewels. Ruth Brockton, a beautiful member of the gang, has captivated the heart of young Tom Palmer, and the two households become quite friendly. Before the Brocktons can rob the Palmers they learn that their neighbors are crooks also, who intended to work the same game on them. Just as the two gangs agree to join forces, the police break in and put them all under arrest.

It then turns out that Ruth is a celebrated detective who has become one of the Brocktons in order to trap them. Her romance with young Palmer is real, however, and she reforms him with the understanding that he is to receive her hand and heart as his reward. This sop to sentiment does not hurt anybody and it fits in with the general nature of the play. Photography by Arthur Edeson.

Publicity Points.
"Cheating Cheaters" is a combination of surprises and laughs, and the Select production guarantees the delivery of every thrill and all the fun. Nothing more humorous than the toughest crook in the gang trying to impersonate a dignified and properly trained butler when their polished neighbors pay the Brockton gang a visit has ever been thrown on the screen.

The identity of a famous detective, known as Ferris, is one of the points of the story that helps to sustain the interest. The surprise finish it gives to the story is cleverly handled.

"CHEATING CHEATERS"
Clara Kimball Young and Her Own Company Present a Screen Version of Max Marcin's Great Stage Success

Cast:

The Story: "Cheating Cheaters" is one of the most unusual plays ever produced on either stage or screen. In it Miss Young has the role of a clever secret service operative, who apparently is a member of a famous band of crooks. As the leader of one band, she plans to rob the home of the supposedly wealthy Palmers, but at the last minute she learns that the Palmers are also crooks, and are themselves planning to rob the Brocktons, the name which the first band has taken. There is a general mix-up of families, crooks and secret service people, but in the end things are smoothed out, and the seed of an unuusual romance takes root.

Feature Clara Kimball Young is the star, Anna Q. Nilsson, Jack Holt, Nicholas Dunnaew and Edwin Stevens.

Program and Advertising Phrases: Clara Kimball Young Brings Her Latest and Greatest Comedy Success to the Screen.
Famous Stage Comedy of Great Popularity Brought to the Screen.
Amazing Revelations in the Operation of Rival Bands of Crooks.
Famous Star Supported by the Best Company Ever Seen in Pictures.
Star of Screen Star of a Company of Dramatic Stars in Great Hit.

Stunt Suggestions: Miss Young is your chief appeal. Work that to the limit. Advertise this widely as a story by Max Marcin, which ran for a season in New York following his "House of Glass." Call attention to the strong supporting cast. Ring the changes on the title such as, "if a cheater cheats a cheater, is the cheater the person who cheats or the cheater cheated or both? How can a cheater cheat a cheater if the cheated is also a cheater? See the play at (house and date) and figure it out for yourself."

Advertising Aids: Two one-sheets, two three-sheets, one six-sheet, one 24-sheet. Window cards, 14x21. Heralds. Lobby display photographs, 8x10, 11x14, 22x28. Slides. Cuts, two one-column, two two-column, one three-column, one one-half column cut of star, and one one-column and one two-column cuts of star.
Released in January.

Review from the New York Times, January 27, 1919

Max Marcin's "Cheating Cheaters," familiar on Broadway through its stage run, has been turned into a photoplay for Clara Kimball Young, under the direction of Allan Dwan, and is on the program of the Rivoli this week. The story of the syndicate of crooks who set out to rob another equally respectable company which was also bent on robbing them is too well known to need narration. As a photoplay the production is marked by well-acted comedy. Of course, there is the lovers' clinch at the end. Miss Young, though not one of the comic characters, makes the others more amusing than they would be without her, and on her own part, is both attractive and expressive.

Tully Marshall as the lawless lawyer gives an interpretation that needs no textual or other aids. It stands out as a work of pantomimic art and, incidentally, so strongly suggests Uriah Heep that it makes one wish to see Mr. Marshall in the role of Dicken's character. Mayme Kelso and Frank Campeau contribute generously to the amusement of the play.

Last revised August 26, 2012