The Devil and Miss Jones (1941)

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

Director:

Sam Wood

Writer:

Norman Krasna

Stars:

Jean Arthur, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Arthur	...	Mary
Robert Cummings	...	Joe
Charles Coburn	...	Merrick
Edmund Gwenn	...	Hooper
Spring Byington	...	Elizabeth
S.Z. Sakall	...	George (as S.Z. Sakall)
William Demarest	...	First Detective
Walter Kingsford	...	Allison
Montagu Love	...	Harrison
Richard Carle	...	Oliver
Charles Waldron	...	Needles
Edwin Maxwell	...	Withers
Edward McNamara	...	Police Sergeant
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Tom Higgins
Florence Bates	...	Customer

Storyline

Department store owner J.P. Merrick finds that several of his employees are unionizing to get more money and better working conditions. In order to find out who the organizers are, he gets a job at the store as a shoe salesman. Not realizing his true identity, he's befriended by Mary Jones and Joe O'Brien, the two ringleaders, and Elizabeth Ellis, a charming older woman with whom he develops a romance.

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Plot Keywords:

department store | undercover | shoe | salesman | union | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le diable s'en mêle

Company Credits

Production Co:

Frank Ross-Norma Krasna Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on June 7, 1943 with Charles Coburn reprising his film role.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

Jean Arthur's head is shown wearing a halo with a clouded sky behind her (Heaven-like), she then turns to her right and blows. The scene changes to one of Charles Coburn's head shown with a dark shadow and flames behind him (Hellish), he looks to his left and grimaces.

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Connections

Referenced in The Devil and Mr. Jones (1975)

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Soundtracks

"The Blue Danube Waltz, Opus 314"
(1867) (uncredited)
Written by Johann Strauß
Played aboard ship at the end and danced by Merrick and the employees.

User Reviews

Cute and funny, one of Coburn best films

Ever since I saw Jean Arthur in "The More The Merrier", I fell in love with her. What beauty, what talent, what a VOICE!

This is one of her better films. More reminiscent of a Capra film. It's the working class vs the wealthy uncaring class. This goes beyond that though. It tells the tale of a rich man(Coburn) who hears of a revolt at one of his businesses. He wants it stopped and he wants heads to roll!!

When he thinks the investigation is not going to his liking, he decides to go undercover himself. Now this is where the REAL story starts. Now he is on THEIR ground and he sees for himself what these working class "pigs" are really like. They are just people. People with little money and big hearts, who just want a better life.

Everyone is wonderful in this film. Jean Arthur and Charles Coburn work terrific together as always(no wonder they did three movies together). I was surprised to see Robert Cummings in a major role back in 1941. I didn't know he was a star before Television.

The only real disappointment I had with this film was Edmund Gwenn. I could not believe it. The man that IS Santa Claus played a mean rude little man. EGAD!!

Seriously though, This is a MUST SEE for those who love good hearted comedies. Just makes you feel so good. An 8 out of 10.