Girl Crazy (1932)

New York playboy Danny Churchill is sent to a small town in Arizona, where being sheriff is very dangerous, to keep away from girls, but he decides to open a dude ranch there. He asks his ... See full summary »

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

Jack McGowan (book), Guy Bolton (book),

Stars:

Bert Wheeler, Robert Woolsey, Dorothy Lee

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bert Wheeler	...	Jimmy Deegan
Robert Woolsey	...	Slick Foster
Dorothy Lee	...	Patsy
Eddie Quillan	...	Danny Churchill
Mitzi Green	...	Tessie Deegan
Brooks Benedict	...	George Mason
Kitty Kelly	...	Kate Foster
Arline Judge	...	Molly Gray
Stanley Fields	...	Lank Sanders
Lita Chevret	...	Mary
Chris-Pin Martin	...	Pete
Monte Collins	...	Bartender

Storyline

New York playboy Danny Churchill is sent to a small town in Arizona, where being sheriff is very dangerous, to keep away from girls, but he decides to open a dude ranch there. He asks his friend Slick, a professional gambler and his wife Kitty, to help him. Slick decides to go there in a cab, driven by shy Jimmy. Jimmy's younger sister Tessie also travels there. There Danny has fallen in love with Molly, but troubles arise for him when the local heavy decides that he doesn't like the ranch and announces running for sheriff. Danny and Slick got the idea that Jimmy would be the ideal candidate, especially because of the fact that the heavy has announced he would kill another sheriff. With some help Jimmy is elected, but Molly leaves Danny with a New York shyster for Mexico. Mitzi, Danny, Kitty, Patsy - Jimmy's sweetheart as well as Jimmy and Slick follow her to win her heart back for Danny, but they are followed by the local heavy and his friend.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | small town | mexico | dude ranch | arizona | 

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Taglines:

Sensational Gershwin Song Hits

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 March 1932 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min 74 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Norman Taurog was the uncredited director of the retakes. Subsequently, he would oversee MGM's 1943 version starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Providing new choreography for the "I Got Rhythm" retake with Kitty Kelly in 1932 was Busby Berkeley (also uncredited), who then would stage the Mickey-Judy number 11 years later. Originally tapped to direct, Mr. Berkeley was taken off the Metro production when Roger Edens expressed unhappiness with Mr. Berkeley's "I Got Rhythm" treatment, which Mr. Edens felt overloaded his arrangement. In addition, Miss Garland had complained that Mr. Berkeley's demanding work technique had exhausted her.

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Quotes

Slick Foster: You were elected 800 to 1.
Jimmy Deagan: How did that one get in there?
Slick Foster: I don't know, but I have demanded a recount.

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Crazy Credits

During the opening credits, none of the characters are identified by their proper names. They are listed simply as "The Hero", The Heroine", "The Taxi Driver", etc.

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Connections

Version of Girl Crazy (1943)

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Soundtracks

"I Got Rhythm"
(1930) (uncredited)
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Played during the opening and closing credits
Performed by Kitty Kelly and chorus

User Reviews

Fun With Wheeler & Woolsey And The Gershwin Brothers

A rich, GIRL CRAZY young playboy decides to transform an old family ranch in Arizona into a fancy entertainment hot spot. He turns to a gambler buddy to come West & operate the games of chance. Together, they trick a witless cabby into running for sheriff in nearby Custerville, a town notorious for the low life expectancy of its lawmen...

Wheeler & Woolsey (Bert Wheeler is the little fellow with the curly hair; Robert Woolsey has the glasses & cigar) have fun in this transmogrified Gershwin musical. With their one-liners & physical comedy, they were always able to transcend their material, even in an excessively silly story such as this. It is a shame that the Boys are all but forgotten today...

Eddie Quillan, as the playboy, provides his usual peppy puppy support; Dorothy Lee, Wheeler's perpetual flame, appears but is given little to do, probably as she must share plot time with 3 other young ladies: Kitty Kelly, Mitzi Green & Arline Judge. Stanley Fields makes a fine buffonish bad guy. That's Nat Pendleton, unbilled, as the motorcycle cop.

With songs by the Gershwin Brothers, the Boys are in very fine musical company. Kelly sings a rousing `I Got Rhythm' - while Quillan & Judge deliver `But Not For Me'. Wheeler & Lee get to warble `You've Got What Gets Me'. Movie mavens will want to pay attention to the very end of this song; the female who gets throttled by Wheeler is none other than the monumental Margaret Dumont, apparently escaped from the Marx Bros., appearing here in an uncredited cameo.