The False Madonna

The False Madonna

Year: 1931

Runtime: 70 mins

Language: English

Director: Stuart Walker

Drama

A woman who is a member of a gang of con artists impersonates the mother of a wealthy blind man.

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Timeline & Setting – The False Madonna (1931)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The False Madonna (1931). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Train cabin, Station, Long Island, New York

The action shifts from a rainy night at the station to a private Long Island estate. The station serves as the tense opening where strangers argue and secrets begin. The Long Island estate is where impersonation and complex family dynamics unfold, anchoring the drama.

🚉 Station 🚂 Train journey 🌧️ Rainy night 🏰 Long Island estate

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

Main Characters – The False Madonna (1931)

Meet the key characters of The False Madonna (1931), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Peter Angel (Charles D. Brown)

One of the two couples brought to the station, Peter is part of the tense dispute over who is to blame for being thrown out of the hotel. His participation underscores the group’s fragility and the social pressures of the night.

🧭 Tense 🗣️ Conflict 👥 Couple

Rose (Marjorie Gateson)

Rose is the other member of the couple involved in the hotel incident. She mirrors the group’s unease and contributes to the atmosphere of suspicion and drama aboard the journey and at the estate.

🧭 Tense 🗣️ Conflict 👥 Couple

Footman (Kent Taylor)

A staff member present among the travelers and later at the estate, the footman provides a quiet, observational presence in the unfolding intrigue.

🧭 Servant 🧩 Support 👫 Social roles

Tina (Kay Francis)

An opportunistic impostor who assumes the role of Philipp’s mother to gain control and money. Her initial ruthlessness gradually gives way to genuine care for Philipp, blurring the line between deception and affection.

🧭 Deception 😍 Affection 🧩 Transformation

Bus Driver (Frank Rice)

The driver who ferries the group after the hotel incident, his role is peripheral but essential to moving the plot from the station to the estate.

🚌 Transport 🧩 Supporting

Grant Arnold (Conway Tearle)

Phillip’s guardian, a guardful, calculating figure who fears the implications of the will. He tears up the cheque for Tina and later calls the police, keeping the estate’s balance of power in his hands.

👨‍🦳 Guardian 🧭 Authority 🧩 Protector

Nurse Alice (May Wallace)

A nurse in Philipp’s life, Alice plays a quiet, protective role in caring for the vulnerable boy and maintaining the household’s stability.

👩‍⚕️ Caregiver 🧩 Patient 🏥 Care

Dr. Ed Marcy (William Stage Boyd)

A disbarred physician who tries to leverage Tina for money and escape trouble. He is a menace in the shadows, representing the criminal consequences of the night’s broken trust.

🩺 Rogue 💼 Criminal 🕵️ Suspicion

Butler (Eric Wilton)

A household butler serving the estate, he maintains order and provides a steady, discreet presence amid the unfolding drama.

🏛️ Staff 🗝️ Service 🕊️ Stability

Phillip Bellows (John Breeden)

A blind heir living at the Long Island estate, he is cared for by guardians and becomes emotionally drawn to Tina, who pretends to be his mother.

🎯 Heir 🧸 Vulnerable 👐 Trust

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

Major Themes – The False Madonna (1931)

Explore the central themes of The False Madonna (1931), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Imposture

Tina’s switch to posing as Philipp’s mother drives the plot and explores how disguise can open doors to wealth and safety. The drama questions what people will do to escape their past and secure a better future. As the deception deepens, lines between performance and genuine care blur, forcing characters to confront their own motives. The false identity ultimately tests trust and reshapes relationships.

🤝 Motherhood

Tina experiences a surprising emotional awakening as she tends to Philipp. The fake maternal bond gradually feels real, revealing a capacity for nurture beyond survival. The story uses this relationship to contrast calculated deception with authentic compassion. It suggests that care can emerge even in the most unlikely circumstances.

💰 Wealth

Philipp’s inheritance and the substantial gift Tina is promised become a key driving force. Grant’s guarded attitude shows how wealth can corrupt or complicate loyalty and trust. Marcy’s presence as a disbarred doctor adds a criminal edge to the pursuit of money. The narrative questions the value of money when it distorts relationships.

⚖️ Justice

The law enters the story as Grant reveals he has called the police on Marcy. Marcy’s past as a disbarred physician marks him as a risk to the vulnerable, and his attempts to extort Tina highlight the consequences of unscrupulous choices. The resolution centers on accountability and the protection of Philipp’s interests. The characters’ moral decisions are tested against the leverage of wealth and deception.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

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The False Madonna Summary

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The False Madonna Summary

The False Madonna Timeline

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The False Madonna Timeline

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