Love on the Run (1936)

A runaway bride and an undercover reporter get caught up in political intrigue as they lead a merry chase across Europe and uncover a spy plot.

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

John Lee Mahin (screen play), Manuel Seff (screen play),

Stars:

Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Crawford	...	Sally Parker
Clark Gable	...	Michael Anthony
Franchot Tone	...	Barnabus Pells
Reginald Owen	...	Baron
Mona Barrie	...	Baroness
Ivan Lebedeff	...	Igor
Charles Judels	...	Lieutenant of Police
William Demarest	...	Editor
Donald Meek	...	Caretaker

Storyline

In the company of reporter Michael Anthony, American heiress Sally Parker flees her planned wedding to Prince Igor; Sally is unaware of Mike's detestable occupation. The two steal an airplane that is part of a spy plot and discover secret plans. They are pursued by the spies as well as by Mike's pal Barnabas, who wants a piece of the hot news story.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | reporter | prince | heiress | wedding | 

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Taglines:

Joan Crawford - On the run! Clark Gable - Running after her! Franchot Tone - Running after both of them!

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amore in corsa

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$578,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many people are in studio records/casting call lists as cast members, but they did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names, if any): Dewey Robinson (Italian Father), Bobs Watson (Italian Boy), Betty Jane Graham (Italian Girl), Agostino Borgato (French Comptroller), Alphonse Martell (French Spy), Frank Mayo (Traveling Man), Bobby Watson (Assistant Manager) and Richard Powell.

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Goofs

When Gable is riding a wagon with Joan Crawford, he jumps off and is seen bare-headed. In the next shot he is seen walking behind the wagon wearing a goofy hat. Then in the next shot he is jumping on the wagon without a hat.

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Quotes

Sally Parker: He was to be my escape. And instead he turned out to be...

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are shown over images of trains and autos.

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Connections

Featured in Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Gone"
(1936)
Music by Franz Waxman
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Sung by an uncredited singer in a nightclub in Nice, France
Played throughout as part of the score

User Reviews

Screwball comedy saved by the Donald Meek sequence...

Everything about LOVE ON THE RUN is derivative. It seems like a reincarnation of Gable's role in "It Happened One Night" with him as a newspaper reporter passing himself off as a friend to runaway heiress JOAN CRAWFORD.

It's a bumpy ride most of the way, but there is one exceptionally funny scene in the palace at Fontainbleu involving a batty caretaker (DONALD MEEK) who thinks Gable and Crawford are ghosts and wants to give Gable a tip on his minuet style. He joins forces with Crawford for a charming bit of physical comedy--and then sadly disappears from much of the plot.

CLARK GABLE and JOAN CRAWFORD both exhibit comic ability, with Gable especially amusing in that minuet sequence. FRANCHOT TONE is Gable's rival reporter, always falling for Gable's con man tricks. But their material is thin--and rehashed from dozens of other films the two made either apart or together. Crawford is a harder, edgier version of the runaway gal Claudette Colbert played in "It Happened One Night".

Crawford looks at the peak of her photogenic charm and her chemistry with both stars is excellent.

But overall, it's just another screwball comedy about a runaway heiress and her vexation over being deceived by newspaper reporters.