Too Hot to Handle (1938)

Two rival newsreel photographers join forces to find the an aviatrix's missing brother, who has disappeared in the Amazonian Rain Forest.

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Laurence Stallings (screen play), John Lee Mahin (screen play),

Stars:

Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Walter Pidgeon

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Clark Gable	...	Chris Hunter
Myrna Loy	...	Alma Harding
Walter Pidgeon	...	Bill Dennis
Walter Connolly	...	Gabby MacArthur
Leo Carrillo	...	Joselito
Johnny Hines	...	Parsons
Virginia Weidler	...	Hulda
Betty Ross Clarke	...	Mrs. Harding
Henry Kolker	...	'Pearly' Todd
Marjorie Main	...	Miss Wayne
Gregory Gaye	...	'Popoff'
Al Shean	...	Gumpert
Willie Fung	...	Willie
Lillie Mui	...	'Tootsie'
Patsy O'Connor	...	'Fake' Hulda

Storyline

Chris Hunter is a sly newsreel reporter. While in Shanghai doing reports on the Chinese-Japanese war, he meets pilot Alma Harding. At first she doesn't trust him, but by a trick he manages to get her hired as his assistant. During an adventurous expedition through the jungles of South America he manages to change her view of him.

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Plot Keywords:

jungle | aviatrix | rain forest | sinking ship | san francisco bay bridge | 

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Taglines:

Love Scoops the world's hottest news . . . !

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Genres:

Comedy | Adventure | Romance | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

16 September 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abenteuer in China

Filming Locations:

Tottiekampu country, Netherlands Guyana

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Clark Gable spent two days working with a newsreel crew to get a feeling for his part.

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Goofs

When Chris is screening the raw footage of the plane crash, it is already completely edited with multiple camera angles and shot with various lenses, even though only one camera was supposedly used to film it, and the footage is supposed to be raw.

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Quotes

Joselito 'José' Estanza, Hunter's soundman: [to Chris, referring to their suspicious native guide] Look, Boss, I don't like this. He smile like the canary that swallow up the cat.

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Crazy Credits

We wish to thank Her Majesty's Governor of Netherlands Guiana for permitting our expedition to enter the jungles of the Tottiekampu country. Our thanks also to Chief Moi of the Matawais tribe for allowing us to record for the first time the sights and sounds of the Djuka Fire Dance Ritual.

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Connections

References The Toy Wife (1938)

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Soundtracks

"Sobre las Olas (Over the Waves)"
(1887) (uncredited)
Written by Juventino Rosas
Background music on the test film shown to natives

User Reviews

If you can throw believability out the window and just enjoy, it's a heck of a good film

Okay, this isn't Shakespeare. Clark Gable and Myrna Loy were the number one box office draws of 1938 and it seems that what made them famous was not believability but that their films were so much fun. Gable's films were always high on the action, romance and fun while Ms. Loy became famous for her wonderful banter in the THIN MAN movies. So, in this case, you merge the two into a very light adventure film filled with laughs and some marvelous dialog--and a romance that doesn't always work. It's certainly NOT the best film they did together, nor is it the worst and fans of both are sure to enjoy the film because it is pure "1930s MGM formula". Now modern viewers might not find the film so magical--after all, the plot is pretty tough to believe and the characters seem pretty cartoonish. But, given my love for this genre and these actors, I don't mind terribly. Sure, it's not super-memorable, but it was more than worth the energy I spent watching the film.

Clark is a "get it at ANY cost" cameraman for a company specializing in newsreels. He meets Loy my accidentally causing her plane to crash. Instead of being mad, she unbelievably praised Clark for saving her life (hey lady, it was HIS obnoxious actions that CAUSED the plane crash in the first place!). The rest of the film is on again/off again romance between them with Walter Pigeon trying to horn in between them. It's not at all believable and awfully silly, but the action and comedy bits are pretty cool, so they make up for the deficiencies and result in a decent and watchable flick. But, for persnickety people like me who delight at spotting problems with movies, take a look at the Amazonian villagers. They are all Black Americans who look and dress EXACTLY like extras from a TARZAN movie--and look not one bit like South American Indians!