Pot o' Gold (1941)

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Haydn Roth Evans (idea) &
Robert Brilmayer (idea) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 April 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

It's the prize romantic laugh of the year... more fun than winning the POT O' GOLD!

Plot:

Jimmy, the owner of a failed music shop, goes to work with his uncle, the owner of a food factory. Before he gets there...

Plot Keywords:

Music Shop | Harmonica | Big Band | Feud | Beautiful Woman

Cast

James Stewart	...	James Hamilton 'Jimmy' Haskell
Paulette Goddard	...	Molly McCorkle
Horace Heidt	...	Himself, Horace Heidt
Charles Winninger	...	Charles 'C.J.' Haskell
Mary Gordon	...	Mom McCorkle
Frank Melton	...	Jasper Backus
Jed Prouty	...	J.K. Louderman
Charles Arnt	...	Parks (butler) (as Charlie Arnt)
Dick Hogan	...	Willie McCorkle
James Burke	...	Police Lt. Grady
Donna Wood	...	Donna McCorkle
Larry Cotton	...	Larry Cotton, Vocalist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Beverly Andre	...	Alice (uncredited)
Herbert Ashley	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Bobby Barber	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Harry Bowen	...	Streetsweeper (uncredited)
Aldrich Bowker	...	Judge Mike Murray (uncredited)
Ed Brady	...	Fruit & Vegetable Vendor (uncredited)
Frankie Carle	...	Frankie, Pianist (uncredited)
Art Carney	...	Band Member / Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Virginia Carroll	...	Haskell's Secretary (uncredited)
Ken Christy	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing	...	Police Officer McGinty (uncredited)
Abe Dinovitch	...	Fish Peddler (uncredited)
Evelyn Dockson	...	Mrs. Sweeney (uncredited)
Fern Emmett	...	Boy's mother (uncredited)
Carlos Fernando	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Sheriff Bud Connolly (uncredited)
John Frank	...	Drunken Cellmate (uncredited)
Jody Gilbert	...	Helga Svenson (uncredited)
William Gould	...	Chalmers (attorney) (uncredited)
Eddie Gribbon	...	Expressman (uncredited)
Paul Gustine	...	Minitor Man (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Ray Hanson	...	Office in Courtroom (uncredited)
John Holland	...	Sponsor (uncredited)
Bud Jamison	...	Drunken Cellmate (uncredited)
Roy Lester	...	Jitterbug (uncredited)
Charles McAvoy	...	Turnkey (uncredited)
Jewel McGowan	...	Jitterbug (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Jailer (uncredited)
Nellie V. Nichols	...	Mrs. Poppadolis (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Country Club Waiter (uncredited)
David Oliver	...	Drunken Cellmate (uncredited)
Max Ong	...	Wong Lung - Chinese laundry worker (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva	...	Canadian Guide (uncredited)
Victor Potel	...	Olaf Svenson (uncredited)
Purnell Pratt	...	Thompson (uncredited)
Tom Quinn	...	Announcer (uncredited)
Alvino Rey	...	Pedal Steel Guitar Player (uncredited)
Claire Rochelle	...	Mrs. Stevens - Mary's Mother (uncredited)
Buddy Roosevelt	...	Office in Anteroom (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore	...	Mr. Samson - Federal Inspector (uncredited)
Mel Ruick	...	Announcer (uncredited)
Mary Ruth	...	Mary Stevens - Gifted Little Piano Player (uncredited)
Tim Ryan	...	'Snooky' - Spieler (uncredited)
Adele Smith	...	Flashy Girl (uncredited)
Harland Tucker	...	Sponsor (uncredited)
Fred Walburn	...	Boy in Doorway (uncredited)
Jay Ward	...	Boyfriend (uncredited)
Pat West	...	Trading Post Manager (uncredited)
George Whalley	...	Haskell's Chauffeur (uncredited)
Paul White	...	Bootblack (uncredited)
Stan Worth	...	Tommy - Young Trombonist (uncredited)

Directed by
George Marshall

Writing credits
Haydn Roth Evans		(idea) &
Robert Brilmayer		(idea)
Andrew Bennison		(story) &
Monte Brice		(story) &
Harry Tugend		(story)
Walter DeLeon		(screenplay)

Produced by
James Roosevelt	....	producer

Original Music by
Louis Forbes		(uncredited)
Hy Heath		(uncredited)
Fred Rose		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Hal Mohr		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lloyd Nosler

Art Direction by
Hans Peters

Set Decoration by
Howard Bristol

Costume Design by
Helen Taylor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Tummel	....	assistant director (as William F. Tummel)

Sound Department
Pete Decker	....	sound
Percy Townsend	....	sound (as P.J. Townsend)

Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Jackson	....	cinematographer: dance
Ned Scott	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Nat Bergman	....	musician: harmonica dubbing for James Stewart
Louis Forbes	....	musical director (as Lou Forbes)
Larry Adler	....	musician: harmonica dubbing for James Stewart (uncredited)

Other crew
Larry Ceballos	....	dance director
Nouannipha Simon	....	subtitles: original version with French subtitles (uncredited)
Adolph Winninger	....	stand-in: Charles Winninger (uncredited)

Production Companies

• James Roosevelt Productions (as Globe)

Distributors

• United Artists (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astor Pictures Corporation (194?) (USA) (theatrical) (retitled rerelease)
• Simitar Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Laserlight Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Take 2 Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Platinum Disc (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Delta Expedition (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Allumination Filmworks (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• CN Publishing (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Finnkino (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Hollywood Classics (200?) (France) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport Video (2007) (Pakistan) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sony BMG (2003) (France) (DVD)
• Suevia Films (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1996) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Jimmy Steps Out (USA) (alternative title)
The Golden Hour (UK)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:U (original rating) | Finland:K-18 | USA:Approved (TF1 certificate) | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl

Company:

James Roosevelt Productions

Trivia:

"Pot O' Gold" was a radio program that featured musical routines; this film is a movie version of that radio program.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Jimmy follows Molly to the house, the bag of apples is held waist-high by the bottom of the bag. In the closer shot, the bag has disappeared and his hand is down by his side. When he brings the bag back into view, he is holding it at the top whereas previously he held it by the bottom.

Quotes:

Inmates: [singing] You gotta get up, you gotta get up, you're in the army now!
Hames Hamilton 'Jimmy' Haskell: Johnny plays the bugle, he knows the calls from A to Z. But he's always at his best when blowing reveille.
Inmates: So Johnny blows and blows...
Hames Hamilton 'Jimmy' Haskell: He toot-a-lee-toots you into your clothes.
Inmates: And makes you rue the day that you were born. There's nothing any one can do. The captain has to make it too! So you gotta get up, you gotta get up!

Soundtrack:

Pete the Piper

Odd but thoroughly enjoyable

Jimmy Stewart is Jimmy Stewart, in this film as much as in any. The hoofers, musicians, dancers and others are very typical and very good.

Because of our impressions and biases, we expect something very different in a Jimmy Stewart film. This one is way beyond 'Philadelphia Story', on a scale that runs from that to, say, 'Rear Window'.

This, however, is a very lightweight musical, to be considered closer to the 'Follies' films and shorts like the one about Catalina Island than such heavyweights as 'Carousel', 'L'il Abner' or 'Showboat'.

It actually reads more like a cartoon script than any coherent, literary film such as 'Golden Caddillac', 'Animal Crackers' or 'Bringing Up Baby'. Speaking of the last, it is a pity that JS and KH did not work together more.

The pace is frenetic ala Marx Brothers, the dance and musical numbers done very well and the emphasis is on having the minimum story necessary to string together the music.

There is a subtle but very special scene, near the end, when Paulette Goddard goes to Jimmy's place to rouse him out and get him to the studio for the climactic radio show. It is not a musical number though there is a great deal of physical comedy in the scene. What makes it special special part is, without rhythm or music, that it is very clear that Paulette Goddard is dancing. The blocking, direction and her own talent shine. This one scene is worth the price of admission.

With a story in the best tradition of American Musical Tradition, more talent per actor than many better known and better thought-of films, this is a very enjoyable diversion. I was constantly impressed with the tight writing and talent. Did I mention that the folks are good?

It ain't 'Grapes of Wrath' but 'Pot 'O Gold' is well worth the watching.