We're Not Dressing (1934)

Yacht owner is stranded on island with her socialite friends, a wacky husband and wife research team, and a singing sailor.

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Walton Hall Smith (based on stories by), Benjamin Glazer (based on stories by),

Stars:

Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, George Burns

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bing Crosby	...	Stephen Jones
Carole Lombard	...	Doris Worthington
George Burns	...	George
Gracie Allen	...	Gracie
Ethel Merman	...	Edith
Leon Errol	...	Hubert
Ray Milland	...	Prince Michael (as Raymond Milland)
Jay Henry	...	Prince Alexander

Storyline

Beautiful high society type Doris Worthington is entertaining guests on her yacht in the Pacific when it hits a reef and sinks. She makes her way to an island with the help of singing sailor Stephen Jones. Her friend Edith, Uncle Hubert, and Princes Michael and Alexander make it to the same island but all prove to be useless in the art of survival. The sailor is the only one with the practical knowhow to survive but Doris and the others snub his leadership offer. That is until he starts a clam bake and wafts the fumes in their starving faces. The group gradually gives into his leadership, the only question now is if Doris will give into his charms.

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Plot Keywords:

island | sailor | yacht | uncle | bear | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cupido ao Leme

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

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Goofs

When Doris falls after being hit by the post, she lands with her both of her hands above her head. When Stephen comes in to save her, both of her hands are down by her sides.

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Quotes

George Martin: [watching through binoculars] Gracie, my gun! A bird!
Gracie Martin: What?
George Martin: A bird! A bird!
Gracie Martin: O, my goodness. Here.
[hands him a live duck]
George Martin: Not a duck. My gun! How can you shoot with a duck?
Gracie Martin: Well, my father used to shoot ducks. But maybe that duck wasn't loaded, eh?
George Martin: The duck wasn't loaded but I'd like to bet that your father was.
Gracie Martin: Well, if he wasn't then why did the duck shoot my father because I always thought...
George Martin: Quiet! Quiet! Well, I missed him. He's gone and that was a stratospheric duck and very rare.
[...]

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Connections

Version of Garakuta (1964)

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Soundtracks

"El Capitan"
(1896) (uncredited)
Written by John Philip Sousa
Played on a phonograph

User Reviews

A strange amalgam

OK, take away Der Bingle's singing, and what have you got? ... OK, take away Burns & Allen's comedy, and what have you got? ... OK, take away the music-comedy of Merman and Errol, and what have you got? ... OK, take away the dancing (and roller skating) bear, and what have you got? There must be a story in there somewhere...and there is, but as one of many versions of James Barrie's "Admirable Crichton," it's hardly unique.

So how do you make a musical comedy out of a social lesson? You subjugate the story and make it incidental. You find an appealing star like Carole Lombard and place her in the role of the hoity-toity socialite. You cast a crooner like Bing Crosby opposite her. You add some well-known actors like George Burns and Gracie Allen, Leon Errol, and a twenty-something Ethel Merman for some comic relief. Finally, you toss in a prince or two in the form of a Ray Milland and, in his sole role, Jay Henry, and...voilá, by George, you've got it!

In short, turn off your mind and enjoy the ride.