Honeymoon in Bali (1939)

Director:

Edward H. Griffith

Writers:

Grace Sartwell Mason (original story) and
Katharine Brush (original story) ...

Release Date:

29 September 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Those "Honeymoon In Bali"...UUUUUMFFF GIRLS...They've got what it takes!

Plot:

Bill Burnett, a resident of Bali, visits New York City, meets and falls in love with Gail Allen, the successful manager of a Fifth Avenue shop...

Plot Keywords:

Fortune Teller | New York City | Good News | Department Store | Broken Engagement

Cast

Fred MacMurray	...	Bill 'Willie' Burnett
Madeleine Carroll	...	Gail Allen
Allan Jones	...	Eric Sinclair
Akim Tamiroff	...	Tony, the Window Washer
Helen Broderick	...	Miss Lorna 'Smitty' Smith
Osa Massen	...	Noel Van Ness
Carolyn Lee	...	Rosie, Daughter of Bill's dying Friend
Astrid Allwyn	...	Fortune Teller at Egret Room
Georgia Caine	...	Miss Stone, Gail's Secretary
John Qualen	...	Meek Man
Fritzi Brunette	...	Secretary
William B. Davidson	...	Store Detective
Benny Bartlett	...	Jack, Singing Telegram Boy (as Bennie Bartlett)

Also Known As:

Are Husbands Necessary? (USA) (working title)
Husbands or Lovers (UK)
My Love for Yours (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Bahamas

Company:

Paramount Pictures

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 MCA ever since.

Quotes:

Gail Allen: Well... there aren't that many white women there, are there?
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Not many.
Gail Allen: But a lot of Balinese girls...
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Oh, a lot of them.
Gail Allen: A man like you, any man I mean, do you... er... I mean, do you marry those girls?
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: [Shakes his head] No.
Gail Allen: Oh. I... I... I suppose some of the men... I mean I suppose, er, I mean...
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Well, you said you've seen the pictures.
Gail Allen: Do *you* have a girl out there?
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Five.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Film Fan (1939)

Soundtrack:

Happy Birthday to You

Loved the film, couldn't stand the kid

What an enjoyable piece of fluff. Though I'd say it was a bit more than a piece of fluff, really, as there is subtlety galore, and philosophy, and irreverence and some macabre/screwball humour when the love rival for Fred MacMurray says in an offhand way that she'd attempted suicide but then got married, but then found it hard to be sad when her husband was killed playing polo... That kind of humour would raise eyebrows even today! Alan Jones sings his manly heart out while wearing a pencil moustache, and Madeleine Carroll says some very clever and deep things about the nature of female independence. You can tell that the actress really thought these lines were quite wise and put a lot of feeling into them, even though the film is at pains to prove the opposite view. Likewise subtle is the fact that MacMurray is a bit of a cad, not a straightforward hero. I actually hated him for a good few minutes. The small roles are played with great skill and elan, particularly the fortune teller with her blithe, witty delivery and of course Window-cleaner philosopher Akim Tamiroff, whom I ended up applauding out loud for his sheer verve, and the comedy and character he packs into each gesture. The fly in the ointment, to this cow-poke anyway, is the truly cringeworthy little girl. Ugh! You can just see her pushy mother urging her on to become the next Shirley Temple. Sorry dear, that requires talent, not just a shrill voice and a pudgy face.