Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writers:

Robert Riskin (screenplay)
Clarence Budington Kelland (story)

Release Date:

12 April 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Rocking America with laughter!

Plot:

Longfellow Deeds, a simple-hearted Vermont tuba player, inherits a fortune and has to contend with opportunist city slickers.

Plot Keywords:

Tuba | Small Town | Vermont | Reporter | Tuba Player

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Gary Cooper	...	Longfellow Deeds
Jean Arthur	...	Babe Bennett
George Bancroft	...	MacWade
Lionel Stander	...	Cornelius Cobb
Douglass Dumbrille	...	John Cedar
Raymond Walburn	...	Walter
H.B. Warner	...	Judge May
Ruth Donnelly	...	Mabel Dawson
Walter Catlett	...	Morrow
John Wray	...	Farmer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Andrews	...	James Cedar (uncredited)
Frank Austin	...	George Rankin (uncredited)
John W. Austin	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Irving Bacon	...	Frank (uncredited)
Louise Bates	...	(uncredited)
Bobbie Beal	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Hank Bell	...	Unemployed Farmer in Line and Courtroom (uncredited)
Billy Bevan	...	Cabby (uncredited)
Georgie Billings	...	Little Boy (uncredited)
John Binns	...	Old Lawyer (uncredited)
Wyrley Birch	...	Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Beatrice Blinn	...	Assistant Secretary (uncredited)
Katherine Block	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Sammy Blum	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Joe Bordeaux	...	(uncredited)
Barbara Boudwin	...	(uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley	...	Anderson (uncredited)
Charles Brinley	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Hal Budlong	...	Elevator Man (uncredited)
Vera Burnett	...	(uncredited)
Fred Cady	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Mary Jane Carey	...	(uncredited)
James Carlisle	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Spencer Charters	...	Mal (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Steve Clark	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Clifford	...	Court Policeman (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Auditor (uncredited)
Charles Conrad	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George Cooper	...	Bob (uncredited)
Georgie Cooper	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Strolling Violinist (uncredited)
Cecil Cunningham	...	(uncredited)
Thomas A. Curran	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Beatrice Curtis	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Boyd Davis	...	Young Lawyer (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Mary Lou Dix	...	Shop Girl (uncredited)
Rita Donlin	...	(uncredited)
Ann Doran	...	Girl on Bus (uncredited)
Walter Downing	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Adabelle Driver	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Florence Dudley	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bobby Dunn	...	(uncredited)
Emma Dunn	...	Mrs. Meredith (uncredited)
Peter Duray	...	(uncredited)
Janet Eastman	...	Shop Girl (uncredited)
Jay Eaton	...	Writer (uncredited)
Oliver Eckhardt	...	Dr. Emerson (uncredited)
Robert Ellsworth	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Muriel Evans	...	Theresa (uncredited)
Paul Everton	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Juanita Fletcher	...	(uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	(uncredited)
Charles K. French	...	Unemployed Farmer (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Octavio Giraud	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Carlton Griffin	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Sherry Hall	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Frank Hammond	...	Information Booth Man (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Beth Hartman	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Hatfield	...	Reporter (uncredited)
George 'Gabby' Hayes	...	Farmer's Spokesman (uncredited)
Althea Henley	...	(uncredited)
Al Herman	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Herzinger	...	(uncredited)
Lew Hicks	...	Chuck Collins (uncredited)
Harry Holden	...	Courtroom Guard (uncredited)
Fay Holderness	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Frank Holliday	...	Mr. Dodsworth (uncredited)
Arthur Hoyt	...	Budington (uncredited)
Arthur Stuart Hull	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Paul Hurst	...	1st Deputy (uncredited)
Warren Hymer	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
William Irving	...	Writer (uncredited)
Gladden James	...	Court Clerk (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Brookfield (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Barbara Knox	...	(uncredited)
Ann Kunde	...	(uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Lane	...	Hallor (uncredited)
Lillian Lawrence	...	(uncredited)
Frederick Lee	...	(uncredited)
James B. Leong	...	Chinese Chauffeur (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint	...	Dr. Fosdick (uncredited)
Stella LeSaint	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Margarete Matzenauer	...	Madame Pomponi (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	Douglas (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Ralph McCullough	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lafe McKee	...	Unemployed Farmer in Line and Courtroom (uncredited)
Margaret McWade	...	Amy Faulkner (uncredited)
George Meeker	...	Henneberry (uncredited)
Mayo Methot	...	Mrs. Semple (uncredited)
Robert Milasch	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
James Millican	...	Interne (uncredited)
Jack Minton	...	Young Lawyer (uncredited)
Patricia Monroe	...	Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Edwin Mordant	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Gene Morgan	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Reporter (uncredited)
John T. Murray	...	Writer (uncredited)
Louis Natheaux	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Henry Norton	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Vessey O'Davoren	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Broderick O'Farrell	...	(uncredited)
Dennis O'Keefe	...	Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Bud Osborne	...	Unemployed Farmer in Courtroom (uncredited)
Peggy Page	...	Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Ethel Palmer	...	Governess (uncredited)
Franklin Pangborn	...	The Tailor (uncredited)
Barnett Parker	...	Butler (uncredited)
George Pauncefort	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Esther Peck	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gertrude Pedlar	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
William 'Bill' Phillips	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
John Picorri	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Paul Porcasi	...	Italian Opera Board Member (uncredited)
Richard Powell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Hal Price	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Arthur Rankin	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ky Robinson	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Frederick Roland	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Adrian Rosley	...	Italian Interpreter (uncredited)
Lillian Ross	...	Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Christian Rub	...	Christian Jenson (uncredited)
Anne Schaefer	...	(uncredited)
Margaret Seddon	...	Jane Faulkner (uncredited)
Harvey Shepherd	...	Interne (uncredited)
Antrim Short	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lee Shumway	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
S.S. Simon	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Kay Smith	...	(uncredited)
Pat Somerset	...	(uncredited)
Harry Stafford	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Henry Stockbridge	...	Unemployed Farmer (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Beatle Puss (uncredited)
Peggy Terry	...	(uncredited)
Jameson Thomas	...	Mr. Semple (uncredited)
John Tyrrell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Ellinor Vanderveer	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	Dr. Emile Von Hallor (uncredited)
Bess Wade	...	(uncredited)
Pauline Wagner	...	Phone Operator (uncredited)
Pierre Watkin	...	Arthur Cedar (uncredited)
Don Wayson	...	Interne (uncredited)
Larry Wheat	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Lee Willard	...	Businessman (uncredited)
John Williams	...	Longfellow's 2nd Valet (uncredited)
Charles C. Wilson	...	County Hospital Guard (uncredited)
Jack Wise	...	Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Capra

Writing credits
Robert Riskin		(screenplay)
Clarence Budington Kelland		(story)

Produced by
Frank Capra	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Howard Jackson		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker		(photography)

Film Editing by
Gene Havlick

Art Direction by
Stephen Goosson

Costume Design by
Samuel Lange		(costumes)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles C. Coleman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Edward Bernds	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)
John P. Livadary	....	sound director (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Roy Davidson	....	special camera effects (as E. Roy Davidson)

Camera and Electrical Department
Irving Lippman	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Howard Jackson	....	musical director
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Harry Cohn	....	president: Columbia Pictures Corp. of Calif. Ltd.
Hyatt Daab	....	press agent (uncredited)
Stuart East	....	stand-in: Lionel Stander (uncredited)
Frank Hill	....	stand-in: George Bancroft (uncredited)
Frances Morris	....	stand-in: Jean Arthur (uncredited)
Jim Priest	....	stand-in: Douglass Dumbrille (uncredited)
Slim Talbot	....	stand-in: Gary Cooper (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1936) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Columbia Production)
• Loet C. Barnstijn's Standaard Films (1936) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia International Films (1945) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Pictures of Argentina (1936) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Television Distribution (19??) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Cult & Classic (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2000) (Japan) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sunset Gower Studios  sound stages (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1966) | Australia:G | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:12 | UK:U | Netherlands:6 (2005) (DVD) | UK:U (video rating) (1986) | Netherlands:AL | USA:TV-G | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Jean Arthur never saw the film until she and Frank Capra were guests at a 1972 film festival.

Goofs:

Continuity: When waking up from his bender, Deed's hair changes.

Quotes:

[to Walter, as he interrupts Mr. Deeds' tuba playing]
Longfellow Deeds:The evil finger's on you!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Special Agent K-7 (1936)

Soundtrack:

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow

"The Sanest Man Whoever Walked Into This Courtroom"

Frank Capra knew that Gary Cooper was made for the part of Longfellow Deeds, he waited until Harry Cohn could get him from Paramount before making this film. It certainly is a once in a lifetime role and it got Gary Cooper his first nomination for Best Actor. He lost that year to Paul Muni for The Story of Louis Pasteur. But Capra won for Best Director that year.

Cooper, poet laureate of Mandrake Falls, inherits 20 million dollars from a rich uncle. He's not terribly impressed with that as he feels he's living just fine in Mandrake Falls. But he goes down to New York City to settle the estate and gets put up in grand style at his late uncle's mansion.

The executor of the estate, Douglass Dumbrille, is one smooth talking, white shoe bottom feeder. This is probably Dumbrille's best known classic villain, John Cedar. He wants Cooper's power of attorney real bad to cover up some dipping he's done. Cooper isn't giving it to him right away though.

In the meantime his inheritance has become news and local editor George Bancroft has dispatched sob sister reporter Jean Arthur to invade his inner sanctum. That's a common thread in the Capra populist trilogy, a woman sent to invade the inner sanctum of the hero and ends up falling for him. Jean Arthur did it again to James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Cooper had it done to him again by Barbara Stanwyck in Meet John Doe.

After a whole lot of silly incidents which Arthur duly reports on, Cooper gets a real wake up call from one of what the current president then called a forgotten man. John Wray, a desperate farmer, tossed off his land and there were plenty of those in the twenties and thirties tells him off good and proper in a very powerful scene. Cooper, his own values questioned, decides to set up a fund to save the family farm as an institution.

Then he's called insane and Dumbrille takes as clients other heirs who want to contest the will. Which leads to Cooper's hearing in court to determine his sanity.

The values of Mr. Deeds are certainly eternal, honesty and decency don't and should never go out of style. Unfortunately the family farm is a thing of the past, there are less and less of them every year. It's agribusiness now so a faithful remake could never work today.

Yet the original still has a charm that cannot be denied, due to Frank Capra's vision and the way he got great performances out of the whole cast. One performance that shocked me was Raymond Walburn who usually plays avuncular, loquacious types. He plays the butler to Cooper's uncle and now to Cooper himself. To those who expect the usual Walburn we know and love, this is one different Walburn.

Even though Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is rooted firmly in the Thirties it should still be seen and studied today.