Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948)

Director:

William Castle

Writers:

Barry Benefield (story)
Lewis Meltzer (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 July 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A would-be playwright and a young woman escaping from a job at a gas station meet cute and fall in love.

Plot Keywords:

Playwright | Running Away | Money Belt | Pickpocket | Cute Meeting

Cast

Guy Madison	...	Eddie Tayloe
Diana Lynn	...	Perry Dunklin
James Dunn	...	Mike
Michael Chekhov	...	Gaboolian
Florence Bates	...	Mandy
Lionel Stander	...	Bellhop
William Frawley	...	Agent
Roscoe Karns	...	Carmody
Margaret Hamilton	...	Ruby Cheever
Irene Ryan	...	Opal Cheever
Colin Campbell	...	MacWirther
Clem Bevans	...	Capt. Bjorn
Moyna MacGill	...	Pearl Cheever (as Moyna Magill)
Audie Murphy	...	Copy Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Burke	...	Cop (uncredited)
Tom Dugan	...	Bartender (uncredited)
John Gallaudet	...	McGonical (uncredited)
Jody Gilbert	...	Lady (uncredited)
Alvin Hammer	...	Bernie (uncredited)
Linda Lombard	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Milicent Patrick	...	(uncredited)
Ralph Peters	...	Cop on Phone (uncredited)
Dewey Robinson	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Erskine Sanford	...	Dr. Danson (uncredited)
Frank J. Scannell	...	Barker (uncredited)
Mary Treen	...	Wife (uncredited)
Herb Vigran	...	Man in Subway (uncredited)
Jesse White	...	Customer (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson	...	Thibault (uncredited)
Charles Williams	...	Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
William Castle

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Barry Benefield		story "Eddie and the Archangel Mike"
Lewis Meltzer		screenplay

Produced by
Robert Golden	....	producer (as Robert S. Golden)
Lewis J. Rachmil	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Arthur Lange

Cinematography by
William C. Mellor		(director of cinematography) (as William Mellor)

Film Editing by
James E. Newcom		(as James Newcom)

Art Direction by
Jerome Pycha Jr.

Set Decoration by
George Sawley

Costume Design by
Mary Grant		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist
Helen Lierly	....	hairdresser (as Helen Lierley)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harold Godsoe	....	assistant director

Sound Department
John R. Carter	....	sound (as John Carter)

Camera and Electrical Department
William Dodds	....	camera operator (uncredited)
B.P. Jacques	....	grip (uncredited)
Madison S. Lacy	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Earl Moser	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Emil Newman	....	musical director

Other crew
Larry Witten	....	production assistant
Jack Herzberg	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Robert S. Golden Productions

Distributors

• Better Television Distribution (2006) (worldwide) (TV)
• Reel Media International (2008) (worldwide) (all media)
• United Artists

Other Companies

• General Service Studios  filming location

Also Known As:

The Girl from Texas (UK)

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S

Company:

Robert S. Golden Productions

Trivia:

Film debut of Audie Murphy.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mike: What'll you have?

Soundtrack:

Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven

Poor comedy with weak leads, but a good supporting cast

Eddie Tayloe's grandfather leaves him six thousand dollars and the money belt it came in, freeing Tayloe to leave his dull newspaper job in Texas and move to New York to become a playwright. Along the way, his car breaks down and a girl walking along the highway asks for a lift. It turns out she's a nice girl, named Perry, running away from a job at a gasoline station. Soon they're off to New York together, but part ways once they arrive. Time passes and Eddie is failing to sell his play; Perry is failing to find a job. Odd circumstances, involving an old pickpocket named Mandy (Florence Bates), bring them together again. Three starchy sisters (including Irene Ryan and Margaret Hamilton) renting a room, a bartender named Mike, and a sleepy old immigrant (Michael Chekhov) running a mechanical menagerie all play parts in this romantic comedy.

William Castle, before his days of making gimmick-laden shockers, directed this unfunny script, straining to be zany and eccentric, and ending up dull. Guy Madison as Eddie is very handsome but stolid. Diana Lynn as Perry fares a little better, but her affectedly odd character thwarts her efforts. Florence Bates comes off the best. The movie is bad but not unbearable, if you want to see it for the supporting cast, which includes William Frawley, Jesse White and Lionel Stander.