Man About Town (1939)

Director:

Mark Sandrich

Writers:

Zion Myers (story)
Morrie Ryskind (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 July 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Producer Bob Temple, who's brought an American show to London, loves his star Diana, but she won't take him seriously as a lover...

Plot Keywords:

Revue | Comedian | Infidelity | Beautiful Woman | London England

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Jack Benny	...	Bob Temple
Dorothy Lamour	...	Diana Wilson
Edward Arnold	...	Sir John Arlington
Binnie Barnes	...	Lady Arlington
Monty Woolley	...	Henri Dubois
Isabel Jeans	...	Mme. Dubois
Phil Harris	...	Ted Nash
Betty Grable	...	Susan Hayes
E.E. Clive	...	Hotchkiss, Arlington's Butler
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Rochester (as Eddie Anderson)
Merriel Abbott Dancers	...	Themselves, The Merriel Abbott Dancers
Matty Malneck	...	Matty Malneck, Orchestra Leader (as Matty Malneck and His Orchestra)
Matty Malneck's Orchestra	...	Matty Malneck's Orchestra
The Pina Troupe	...	Themselves, The Pina Troupe

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Originally, this film was to feature Betty Grable opposite Jack Benny in the role of Diana Wilson, but because of appendicitis, she had to be replaced by Dorothy Lamour. Betty recovered in time, however, to contribute a song with Phil Harris (to which Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson danced), "Fidgety Joe" (music by Matty Malneck, lyrics by Frank Loesser).

Goofs:

Continuity: Susan's hair style changes just before she leaves the house party.

Quotes:

Ted Nash: Bob, you're shaking like a leaf.
Bob Temple: Shaking like a leaf! What's a leaf got to shake about?

Soundtrack:

LOVE IN BLOOM

Jack Benny and Rochester in an enjoyable and nostalgic comedy despite a silly plot.

This film was a big nostalgia trip for me, having listened to Jack Benny's radio program in the late 30's and also having watched his program later when it transferred to television. His films were often silly, but knowing his personality and those of the rest of the radio cast made them enjoyable. This film fits that mold, as he brought with him Eddie Anderson and Phil Harris, two of the show's regulars. Benny and Anderson had great rapport that transferred to the screen beautifully. Anderson's character on the show and in this film was as Benny's wise-cracking valet, Rochester, and the name was so well-known that he's billed here in the opening credits simply as "Rochester," although the end credits lists him as Eddie Anderson. I was amazed at his versatility when he does two jazzed up dances in the film, which alone makes the film worth watching. The plot has Benny as an actor and producer in London, trying to make time with his star, Dorothy Lamour, by wooing Lady Binnie Barnes to get Lamour jealous, while Barnes uses Benny to get her husband, Edward Arnold, jealous and more attentive. That scheme was suggested by French friend Isabel Jeans, who does the same thing, since her husband, Monty Woolley, is likewise inattentive. The funniest sequence of the movie has Arnold and Woolley each seeing Benny kiss the other man's wife and keeping mum about it. But when the truth comes out, both are out to kill Benny.

The movie is sprinkled with musical numbers throughout, with Lamour, Harris and Betty Grable providing nice vocals for relatively forgettable songs, The Pina Troupe doing some acrobatics and the Merriel Abbott Dancers dancing, all to the music of Matty Malneck's orchestra. When you hear Benny butcher the song "Love in Bloom" on his violin, you should know that it was a running gag on his show to appreciate the humor. Isabel Jeans and Eddie Anderson are both standouts, with the rest of the supporting cast in good form. This is not a great movie, but it is certainly an enjoyable one.