Bunty Pulls the Strings

A woman named Bunty Bigger struggles to keep her family in line in a small Scottish village. For one, her brother Jeemy faces jail time for robbing a bank. Meanwhile, her father, Tammas, pays back the stolen money with funds given him by Susie Simpson, a woman who hopes to marry him. Susie gets angry, so Bunty borrows money to pay her back. Things turn out well when Bunty gets married in a double-wedding ceremony—during which her father not only gives her away but gets married himself. The movie is based on a play by Graham Moffat. The film is lost.

Directed by Reginald Barker, Bunty Pulls the Strings leans on a strong ensemble — Leatrice Joy, Russell Simpson, Raymond Hatton — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1921.