Fools for Luck

Last updated

Fools for Luck
Poster - Fools for Luck 01.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Charles Reisner
Screenplay byHarry Fried
George Marion Jr.
Sam Mintz
J. Walter Ruben
Produced by Jesse L. Lasky
Adolph Zukor
Starring W.C. Fields
Chester Conklin
Sally Blane
Jack Luden
Mary Alden
Arthur Housman
Robert Dudley
Cinematography William Marshall
Edited byGeorge Nichols Jr.
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • June 11, 1928 (1928-06-11)
Running time
59 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language Silent (English intertitles)

Fools for Luck is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Harry Fried, George Marion Jr., Sam Mintz, and J. Walter Ruben. The film stars W.C. Fields, Chester Conklin, Sally Blane, Jack Luden, Mary Alden, Arthur Housman, and Robert Dudley. The film was released on June 11, 1928, by Paramount Pictures. [1] [2]

Contents

A previous Essanay version starred actor Taylor Holmes in 1917.

This is W.C. Fields last silent film.

Plot

Richard Whitehead, a cunning opportunist, strategically adopts a bumpkin persona upon arriving in Huntersville, where Sam Hunter holds influence. Whitehead initially unsettles Hunter by challenging him in a pool match, a subtle prelude to his larger scheme—selling dubious oil field stocks. To add credibility, he recruits Ray Caldwell, a well-meaning but gullible member of a respected local family, whose connection to Hunter’s daughter, Louise, further entangles Hunter in the plot.

Hunter, however, refuses to be outmaneuvered. While publicly endorsing the stock, he secretly acquires the legitimate deed to the land and initiates a rumor that oil has been discovered. This calculated move lures Whitehead into repurchasing his own fraudulent stock, believing he is regaining control of a valuable asset. The situation escalates when oil is genuinely struck, turning what seemed like an elaborate con into a high-stakes reversal of fortune. In the end, Whitehead, who manipulated others for profit, finds himself bested by Hunter’s own cunning maneuver, highlighting a clever game of deception, power, and unexpected justice.

Cast

References

  1. "Movie Review - Fools for Luck - THE SCREEN - NYTimes.com". nytimes.com. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  2. "Fools for Luck". afi.com. Retrieved February 12, 2015.