Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Robert Riskin (screenplay)
Clarence Budington Kelland (story)

Release Date:

12 April 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Rocking America with laughter!

Plot:

Longfellow Deeds, a simple-hearted Vermont tuba player, inherits a fortune and has to contend with opportunist city slickers.

Plot Keywords:

Tuba | Small Town | Reporter | Vermont | Poet

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Longfellow Deeds
Jean Arthur	...	Babe Bennett
George Bancroft	...	MacWade
Lionel Stander	...	Cornelius Cobb
Douglass Dumbrille	...	John Cedar
Raymond Walburn	...	Walter
H.B. Warner	...	Judge May
Ruth Donnelly	...	Mabel Dawson
Walter Catlett	...	Morrow
John Wray	...	Farmer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Andrews	...	James Cedar (uncredited)
Frank Austin	...	George Rankin (uncredited)
John W. Austin	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Irving Bacon	...	Frank - Photographer (uncredited)
Louise Bates	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bobbie Beal	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Hank Bell	...	Unemployed Farmer in Line and Courtroom (uncredited)
Billy Bevan	...	Cabby (uncredited)
Georgie Billings	...	Little Boy (uncredited)
John Binns	...	Old Lawyer (uncredited)
Wyrley Birch	...	Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Beatrice Blinn	...	Assistant Secretary (uncredited)
Katherine Block	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Sammy Blum	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Joe Bordeaux	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Barbara Boudwin	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley	...	Anderson (uncredited)
Charles Brinley	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Hal Budlong	...	Elevator Man (uncredited)
Vera Burnett	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Frank Cady	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Mary Jane Carey	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Spencer Charters	...	Mal - Station Agent (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Steve Clark	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Clifford	...	Court Policeman (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Auditor (uncredited)
Charles Conrad	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George Cooper	...	Bob - Photographer (uncredited)
Georgie Cooper	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Strolling Violinist (uncredited)
Cecil Cunningham	...	Minor Supporting Role (uncredited)
Thomas A. Curran	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Beatrice Curtis	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Boyd Davis	...	Young Lawyer (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Mary Lou Dix	...	Shop Girl (uncredited)
Rita Donlin	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ann Doran	...	Girl on Bus (uncredited)
Walter Downing	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Adabelle Driver	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Florence Dudley	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bobby Dunn	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Emma Dunn	...	Mrs. Meredith - Housekeeper (uncredited)
Peter Duray	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Janet Eastman	...	Shop Girl (uncredited)
Jay Eaton	...	Writer (uncredited)
Oliver Eckhardt	...	Dr. Emerson (uncredited)
Robert Ellsworth	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Muriel Evans	...	Theresa (uncredited)
Paul Everton	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Juanita Fletcher	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Octavio Giraud	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Carlton Griffin	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Charlie - Cedar's Associate with Deputy (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Frank Hammond	...	Man at Information Booth (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Beth Hartman	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Hatfield	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Farmer's Spokesman (uncredited)
Althea Henley	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Al Herman	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Herzinger	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Lew Hicks	...	Chuck Collins (uncredited)
Harry Holden	...	Courtroom Guard (uncredited)
Fay Holderness	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Frank Holliday	...	Mr. Dodsworth (uncredited)
Arthur Hoyt	...	Budington (uncredited)
Arthur Stuart Hull	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Paul Hurst	...	First Deputy (uncredited)
Warren Hymer	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
William Irving	...	Writer (uncredited)
Gladden James	...	Court Clerk (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Brookfield - Poet (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Barbara Knox	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ann Kunde	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Lane	...	Hallor - Lawyer for Common-Law Wife (uncredited)
Lillian Lawrence	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Frederick Lee	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
James B. Leong	...	Chinese Chauffeur (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint	...	Dr. Fosdick - Judge's Medical Advocate (uncredited)
Stella LeSaint	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Margarete Matzenauer	...	Madame Pomponi (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	Douglas (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Ralph McCullough	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lafe McKee	...	Unemployed Farmer in Line and Courtroom (uncredited)
Margaret McWade	...	Amy Faulkner (uncredited)
George Meeker	...	Henneberry - Poet (uncredited)
Mayo Methot	...	Mrs. Semple (uncredited)
Robert Milasch	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
James Millican	...	Interne (uncredited)
Jack Minton	...	Young Lawyer (uncredited)
Patricia Monroe	...	Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Edwin Mordant	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Gene Morgan	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Reporter (uncredited)
John T. Murray	...	Writer (uncredited)
Henry Norton	...	Night Club Extra (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Vessey O'Davoren	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Broderick O'Farrell	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Reporter in Courtroom (uncredited)
Bud Osborne	...	Unemployed Farmer in Courtroom (uncredited)
Peggy Page	...	Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Ethel Palmer	...	Governess (uncredited)
Franklin Pangborn	...	The Tailor (uncredited)
Barnett Parker	...	Longfellow's Butler (uncredited)
George Pauncefort	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Esther Peck	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gertrude Pedlar	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
William 'Bill' Phillips	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
John Picorri	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Paul Porcasi	...	Italian Opera Board Member (uncredited)
Richard Powell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Hal Price	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Arthur Rankin	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ky Robinson	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Frederick Roland	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Adrian Rosley	...	Italian Interpreter (uncredited)
Lillian Ross	...	Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Christian Rub	...	Christian Jenson (uncredited)
Anne Schaefer	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Margaret Seddon	...	Jane Faulkner (uncredited)
Harvey Shepherd	...	Interne (uncredited)
Antrim Short	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lee Shumway	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
S.S. Simon	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Kay Smith	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Pat Somerset	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Harry Stafford	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Night Club Extra (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Beatle Puss - Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Peggy Terry	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jameson Thomas	...	Mr. Semple (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ellinor Vanderveer	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	Dr. Emile Von Hallor (uncredited)
Bess Wade	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Pauline Wagner	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Pierre Watkin	...	Arthur Cedar (uncredited)
Don Wayson	...	Interne (uncredited)
Larry Wheat	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Lee Willard	...	Business Man (uncredited)
John Williams	...	Longfellow's Second Valet (uncredited)
Charles C. Wilson	...	County Hospital Guard (uncredited)
Jack Wise	...	Reporter in Courtroom (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Minor Role (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Capra

Writing credits
Robert Riskin		(screenplay)
Clarence Budington Kelland		(story)

Produced by
Frank Capra	....	producer (as A Frank Capra Production)

Original Music by
Howard Jackson		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker		(photography)

Film Editing by
Gene Havlick

Art Direction by
Stephen Goosson

Costume Design by
Samuel Lange		(costumes)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Edward Bernds	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)
John P. Livadary	....	sound director (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Roy Davidson	....	special camera effects (as E. Roy Davidson)

Camera and Electrical Department
Irving Lippman	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Howard Jackson	....	musical director
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Harry Cohn	....	president: Columbia Pictures Corp. of Calif. Ltd.
Hyatt Daab	....	press agent (uncredited)
Stuart East	....	stand-in: Lionel Stander (uncredited)
Frank Hill	....	stand-in: George Bancroft (uncredited)
Frances Morris	....	stand-in: Jean Arthur (uncredited)
Jim Priest	....	stand-in: Douglass Dumbrille (uncredited)
Slim Talbot	....	stand-in: Gary Cooper (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1936) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Columbia Production)
• Columbia Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia Pictures Television Distribution (????) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Cult & Classic (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2000) (Japan) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sunset Gower Studios  sound stages (uncredited)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | South Korea:12 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #1966) | Australia:G

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

From the start, Frank Capra was convinced that Gary Cooper would be perfect for the part of Longfellow Deeds. Production had to wait six months for Cooper to become available, incurring costs of $100,000 for the delay in filming.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Deeds announces he is giving his money to the farmers, one of the headlines of the newspaper reads backwards.

Quotes:

Louise "Babe" Bennett: [Taking Mr. Deeds to see Grant's Tomb] To most people, it's an awful let-down... To most people, it's a washout.
Longfellow Deeds: Well, that depends on what they see.
Louise "Babe" Bennett: Now what do you see?
Longfellow Deeds: Me? Oh I see a small Ohio farm boy becoming a great soldier. I see thousands of marching men. I see General Lee with a broken heart surrendering. And I can see the beginning of a new nation, like Abraham Lincoln said. And I can see that Ohio boy being inaugurated as President. Things like that can only happen in a country like America.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Ultimate Film (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Humoresque, Op. 101/7

Tuba player inherits fortune and becomes a Cinderella Man and gets pixiliated in Manhattan!

One of Frank Capra's strengths as a film director was the great team he assembled. Not only did he have a great technical group behind him, but his casts combined talent that went from the major stars to the bit players.

In this fable, Mr. Capra gives an answer to those of us that always pondered: what would one do if one inherited a lot of money, or if one won the lottery (fat chance!) It must be terrifying to suddenly have a lot of wealth, in this case 20 million during the worst days of the Great Depression. Sometimes it's better to stay poor rather than have to deal with strangers that have designs on one's newly found wealth!

Gary Cooper has never been as charming as the tuba playing, country bumpkin whose life is changed dramatically when he has to go to Manhattan to claim his inheritance. His Longfellow Deeds gets to see first hand how the high society, his uncle belonged to, deals with this unsophisticated greeting card writing poet.

Jean Arthur was a natural comedienne. She is wonderful in this movie as the reporter who tricks Deeds into speaking with her and in the process falls in love with the man, the object of the ridicule she writes about.

Leonard Standing, one of the best character actors of the era, is equally effective as Cobb, the man who knows a thing or two about those society folks. George Bancroft was also good as MacWade.

The film has a pace that never lets the viewer down. In comparison with what passes today as film comedy, this is a masterpiece. It shows the genius of Frank Capra in charge of this group of people that make us treasure films like this one even if it's pure nonsense, which after all, was what the director was looking for to make us laugh.