The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940)

Directed by Edward F. Cline, The Villain Still Pursued Her is a gleeful parody of 19th-century stage melodramas, most notably lampooning the temperance play The Drunkard by William H. Smith. Released by RKO Radio Pictures, this 66-minute film turns moralistic tropes into comic gold, with exaggerated villains, virtuous heroines, and a plot so over-the-top it feels like a live vaudeville act caught on celluloid.

Plot Summary
Mary Wilson (Anita Louise) lives with her mother in a modest cottage, struggling to pay the mortgage. Enter Mr. Cribbs (Alan Mowbray), the archetypal mustachioed villain, who manipulates Mary’s husband, Edward Middleton (Richard Cromwell), into drinking rum—leading to a downward spiral of alcoholism, crime, and disgrace. Eight years later, Middleton is a broken man, while Cribbs continues his villainy. Redemption comes through a pledge of sobriety and a comic pie fight, culminating in justice and moral restoration

Cast Highlights

• Richard Cromwell as Edward Middleton
• Anita Louise as Mary Wilson
• Alan Mowbray as Mr. Cribbs
• Hugh Herbert as Frederick Healy
• Buster Keaton as William Dalton — in a rare speaking role
• Billy Gilbert as the Announcer
• Margaret Hamilton, Joyce Compton, and Franklin Pangborn add to the comedic ensemble

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

• This was the final film of Diane Fisher, whose career ended shortly after its release
• The film’s format mimics a stage play, with characters often speaking directly to the camera, heightening the theatrical parody
• Buster Keaton’s role is small but notable—he plays Dalton, a family friend who helps expose Cribbs’ crimes
• The film’s exaggerated style was inspired by earlier parodies like The Old Fashioned Way (1934), starring W.C. Fields