Pretty Smooth

Gertie Jones, known among other thieves as "The Chatterbox" because she talks to herself while she works, becomes a rich woman's French maid after learning about her employer's $40,000 diamond necklace. To cover up the scratches left by her tools after she unsuccessfully tries to open the safe containing the necklace, Gertie telephones the police to report an attempted burglary. Jimmy Hartigan, a famous thief, arrives and after he and Gertie fall in love at first sight, he is arrested.

Directed by Rollin S. Sturgeon, Pretty Smooth leans on a strong ensemble — Priscilla Dean, Francis McDonald, Gertrude Astor — 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 crime titles of 1919.