The Devil and Miss Jones (1941)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Sam Wood

Writer:

Norman Krasna (written by)

Release Date:

11 April 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A tycoon goes undercover to ferret out agitators at a department store, but gets involved in their lives instead.

Plot Keywords:

Department Store | Salesman | Union | Undercover | Tycoon

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 19

12:15 AM

TCM

Cast

Jean Arthur	...	Mary Jones
Robert Cummings	...	Joe O'Brien
Charles Coburn	...	John P. Merrick
Edmund Gwenn	...	Hooper
Spring Byington	...	Elizabeth Ellis
S.Z. Sakall	...	George - Merrick's Butler
William Demarest	...	First Detective
Walter Kingsford	...	Mr. Allison
Montagu Love	...	Harrison
Richard Carle	...	Oliver
Charles Waldron	...	Needles
Edwin Maxwell	...	Withers
Edward McNamara	...	Police Desk Sergeant
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Tom Higgins
Florence Bates	...	Store Shopper

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #6464) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Company:

Frank Ross-Norma Krasna Inc.

Trivia:

George Watts was in studio records/casting call lists as "Watchman," but he was not seen in the movie. Edward Fielding and Frank O'Connor were listed as cast members in news items, but they also were not seen.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the beach scene, the people in the background change completely from shot to shot. However, the crowd in the opening shot of the beach scene is the same as the one in the final shot.

Quotes:

Second Policeman: When they start recitin' the Constitution, watch out!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Devil and Mr. Jones (1975)

Soundtrack:

The Blue Danube Waltz, Opus 314

Coburn Stars In This Charmer

Charles Coburn was a funny man. I wish had more movies with him in them, as he usually makes me laugh. He did here, and this movie was on it's way to a rating of "10" when it bogged down midway through and never really regained momentum. It did have a nice sentimental ending, though.

Coburn, meanwhile, was outstanding as the super-rich owner of a department store who goes "underground" as a shoe salesman in his store to find out the cause of worker unrest. Then romance takes over the story: Coburn and Spring Byington and then Bob Cummings and Jean Arthur and the story loses a lot of it comedy touch and its zip.

Overall, the film still exudes charm and Coburn, despite third billing, IS the star of this film. I'm sure a number of fans of this film are disappointed it still isn't out on DVD.