Valeska Suratt

originally posted on January 9, 2025

Well it took a winter storm to finally get me to finish up this synopsis! I meant to have this done months ago, but life gets in the way. Typically in these reconstructions I use various magazine and newspaper reviews as source material but that was not the case this time. I found only a few reviews and they were very vague. Fortunately, the Library of Congress has the shooting script for the movie on their digital archive! So I was able to reconstruct the movie using that document. That being said, I do not have many pictures to go along with the reconstruction.

The movie was written by Mary Murillo and directed by Kenean Buel.

Cast:

Zena: Valeska Suratt

Billy Martin: Harry Hilliard

John Martin: Eric Mayne

The Mother: Alice Gale

Billy’s Wife: Claire Whitney

Graham: William Black

Miller: John Mackin

Durrant: Frank Goldsmith

The movie starts off in a gambling house where Durrant is not having much luck on the roulette table. Near him is Zena, who keeps flirting with him and encouraging to spend more of his money. Unbeknownst to Durrant, Zena is secretly working with Graham, who is the owner of the gambling house. Upon losing his money, Zena walks Durrant out of the gambling house. Outside, a previous victim of Zena’s is waiting (referred to as “the Youth”). He confronts Zena with a revolver and states:

“NO – I WILL NOT KILL YOU – FOR THAT WOULD BE THE END — RATHER SHALL I LET YOU LIVE FOR THE DAY WILL COME WHEN YOU WILL BE THE VICTIM — EVEN NOW I SEEN YOU ON YOUR KNEES”

However, the youth decides not to shoot Zena, but rather decides to pull the gun on himself. He shoots himself and falls to the ground. Zena first stares at him in horror but regains her composure and states:

“WHAT, ARE YOU GOING TO LISTEN TO THE JEALOUS RAVINGS OF A BOY?”

Zena takes Durrant’s arm and goes back into the gambling house, seemingly unphased by the ordeal.

The movie then moves to a small town where we are introduced to the Martin family business. John Martin’s factory has just received an order for $1,000,000 worth of ammunition. However the customer is requesting a 10% installment as an act of good faith before proceeding. John Martin calls in his son, Billy Martin. He informs Billy of the deal and states:

“NOW MY BOY I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU YOUR BIG CHANCE—-WE’VE GOT $100,000 TO PUT UP AS SECURITY — AND I AM SENDING YOU TO NEW YORK BOY TO MEET SWADE TO CLINCH THAT CONTRACT FOR US.”

Billy is very enthusiastic about this opportunity to help out the family business.

At the Martin home, John tells his wife about the opportunity and having Billy take the money to New York. She is not excited about the ammunition deal, stating it’s unethical for them to produce shells that kill other people’s sons. She states:

“JOHN I’M WORRIED ABOUT YOUR TURNING THE FACTORY INTO THIS SHELL MAKING BUSINESS — MAKING KNIVES AND FORKS IS A USEFUL THING TO DO – EVERYONE WANTS THEM — AND WE’VE DONE WELL JOHN — WE’VE PUT BY — BUT NOW TO START IN MAKING THINGS TO KILL PEOPLE — JOHN — IT ISN’T HUMAN.”

His wife continues to bring up various points of incidents that occurred to others who dealt with nefarious means to making money but ultimately John does not listen.

Meanwhile Billy is getting ready at his house while his wife and son are happy about the opportunity. He gets his bags packed up and heads out very enthusiastically. His father and mother are watching him leave as well, the father very happy but the mother extremely sad.

The movie jumps to Zena’s apartment, which is filled with exotic and luxurious items. Durrant is outside her door, in a drunken state, trying to get in. Meanwhile in the gambling house, word comes to Graham (from the secretary of Swade, the man who’s company is ordering the ammunition) about Billy Martin arriving to New York with $100,000. Graham informs a fella by the name of Miller of Billy Martin and tells him to follow him once he gets in town.

Billy gets into town and checks into a hotel. He calls Swade’s office and talks to the secretary. Even though Swade is in, she tells Billy that he is out of town and will be back tomorrow afternoon. This greatly disappoints Billy, and Miller notices this as he is spying on him from across the hall.

Back at the gambling house, Graham finds Zena playing with her pet monkey and informs her that he has a job for her.

“I’VE GOT A LIVE ONE FOR YOU TO-NIGHT—”

Zena is greatly interested and wants the details of who this guy is.

Back at the hotel, Billy is there disappointed when Miller knocks on the door. He tells Billy that he works for Swade and that he has been assigned by him to take him around. Billy naively trusts Miller and goes with him.

Miller takes Billy to the gambling house where Zena is waiting. Once he enters the gambling house, Billy is enamored with Zena’s presence. Miller notices this and plays up this situation, asking Billy if he would like to meet her. He agrees and is introduced to Zena, who quickly plays Billy for a fool. She takes him around to the tables, gets him to start playing. She gives him some alcohol, which causes him to gamble more freely. Eventually he has lost most of the money and only then does he realize what had happen. Miller informs Billy that they (Swade’s company) will see him tomorrow, which only adds to the dreadful situation.

Zena lead Billy to his room. He is in a daze and eventually falls asleep. Zena arrives at his door the next morning and sees Billy holding a gun. He tells her:

“DON’T WORRY — THAT’S NOT MY WAY — I’VE GOT FIFTEEN THOUSAND LEFT — WITH THAT I MEAN TO GET THE REST BACK.”

He is determined to get the money back. Zena tells him that she can help but he is looking past her. Meanwhile Billy’s mother is worried that something has gone wrong. She asks Billy’s wife if she had heard anything, but there was no news.

Billy is determined to get all the money won back and starts gambling with intention. Unfortunately luck is not on his side. As he starts losing and losing, Zena has a turn of heart and starts showing some pity towards the man. Graham is watching from the side and warns her not to double cross him, as he is worried she will ruin their plan. Eventually Billy loses it all. Zena shows great pity on him and Graham gets furious with her. Miller has to hold him back as to not ruin the plan.

During all this, Billy’s wife and child had boarded a train to head to New York to check on Billy.

Zena takes Billy back to his hotel room and tries to comfort him. However, he is extremely depressed. They hear a knock at the door and hear Billy’s wife’s voice. Zena freaks that they might be seen together and does not want to create any more problems. She quickly hides in a cupboard as Billy’s wife and child enter the room. She tries to get Billy to tell her what has happened but he would not answer. However his son grabs a cup that has alcohol in it and the wife smells it. She immediately demands what he has been up to. Then the son goes up to the cupboard and starts messing with it. However this does not deter Billy’s wife who keeps questioning him. Finally Billy tells her of what has happened. She wants him to return home and tell his father but Billy feels he cannot do that.

During all this, Zena is listening and keeps feeling more and more sorry for the whole situation. Billy finally convinces his wife to return home with their son. Once they leave, Zena comes out. She locks eyes with Billy and then she falls to her knees in front of him, stating her love for him:

“BILLY BILLY — I LOVE YOU AND ONLY YOU.”

She wraps her arms around him and goes in for a kiss.

Zena goes back to her apartment, where Graham is there waiting. Once she enters, he confronts her immediately and an argument and struggle ensues. Zena eventually tells him she is done with all of it, and Graham yells back some choice words but then leaves the apartment.

Billy’s wife had made it back to home and had informed John Martin of what had happened. He tells her not to tell his wife of the ordeal.

Billy arrives at Zena’s apartment. Zena comforts him and cries that she is sorry and does not want anything to separate them. Zena then comes up with a plan. She tells Billy that she wants him to go home tonight and that she will see him in the morning. She insists that he must leave, despite his protests. Once she got him out of the door, she goes to work on how to get his money back.

She gets dressed in one of her nice gowns and heads back to the gambling house. Graham sees her and makes the comment that he knew she would be back. She informs him that she is there to get $100,000. The two quarrel with each other. Zena insists she’s found real love and will be getting the money back.

Meanwhile John Martin is investigating on what happened to his son and is trying to find this woman who led him astray. He spots someone who he recognizes and is informed to go to the Graham’s gambling house.

When they enter the gambling house, Martin’s informant points to Zena and says that is her. So Martin goes up to her. However, she sees Martin and plans to swindle him of his money, to help Billy. John Martin is keen to her tricks, but decides to play along. Zena unaware who this guy is, figures he is just another victim to swindle. She eventually gets John to follow her back to her apartment. Once there, John desperately fights the urge to not kill her, but still continues to play along as she plays the role of vamp. During this, the phone rings and it is Billy who called. Zena picks up the phone but only utters “Hello” before putting down the phone on the receiver. This agitates Billy who tries calling back, but can’t get through.

Billy had not gone home, but was still in town, so he rushed over to Zena’s apartment. He bust open the door to see Zena and his father together. Billy lunges for Zena’s throat. John tries to break his son off of her. His father tries to explain to Billy what kind of woman she really was. Zena tries to tell Billy that she only loved him and that she was doing this to get back his money. A lot of drama entails but it leads Billy to a self realization of the situation and is dragged out by his father from the apartment, while Zena is on her knees begging for him to stay. Once they leave the apartment, the father leads his son away with no words mentioned between the two, but an understanding. Back in her apartment, Zena, distraught, looks into her mirror and yells out:

“YOU DAMNED FOOL!”

The movie ends with Billy going back to his wife and child, and Zena leaving his life at the gambling house, though there is a comment by a side character that says:

“SHE’LL BE BACK IN A WEEK — SHE DONE THIS ON ME ONCE BEFORE BUT SHE CAME BACK ALRIGHT”.

If I find any more pictures relating to the movie, I will be sure to update the post. Hope you enjoyed! -bP

source: https://www.loc.gov/collections/motion-picture-copyright-descriptions/about-this-collection