The Great Gildersleeve (1942)

Gildersleeve, a small town bachelor, has slapstick troubles with a husband-hunting woman and two helpful kids.

Director:

Gordon Douglas

Writers:

Jack Townley (screen play), Julien Josephson (screen play)

Stars:

Harold Peary, Jane Darwell, Nancy Gates

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Harold Peary	...	Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve
Jane Darwell	...	Aunt Emma Forrester
Nancy Gates	...	Marjorie Forrester
Charles Arnt	...	Judge Horace Hooker
Freddie Mercer	...	LeRoy Forrester
Thurston Hall	...	Governor John Stafford
Lillian Randolph	...	Birdie Lee Calkins
Mary Field	...	Amelia Hooker
George M. Carleton	...	Frank Powers (as George Carleton)

Storyline

Small-town eccentric Throckmorton Gildersleeve (of radio fame) has a few problems: Judge Hooker continually questions his guardianship of niece Margie and nephew Leroy; the judge's predatory sister Amelia has matrimony in mind. When a misunderstanding gives Amelia the idea she's all but engaged, the kids form a wild scheme to get Gildersleeve out of trouble; slapstick results.

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Plot Keywords:

judge | courthouse | head cold | sleeping bag | exercise | 

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Taglines:

RADIO'S LAUGH CHAMP HIMSELF in his own big fun show on the screen -

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 January 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Então, Casa ou Não Casa?

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

62 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the first of four feature films based on Harold Peary's popular radio character "The Great Gildersleeve". The next two features would be released later the same year, and the fourth released the following year (1944).

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Connections

Followed by Gildersleeve on Broadway (1943)

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Soundtracks

"My Bonnie (Lies Over the Ocean)"
(1881) (uncredited)
Written by H.J. Fuller
Sung by Harold Peary, Nancy Gates, Freddie Mercer and Thurston Hall,
with Gates on piano

User Reviews

Gildersleeve makes transition from radio to screen...

HAROLD PEARY brings his trademark laugh and distinctive voice to the screen in the first of the Gildersleeve films starring him in the title role. It's strictly corny, lowbrow comedy but lots of fun, an unpretentious little programmer from the early, patriotic '40s.

With a running time of one hour and two minutes, it seems more like a back to back half-hour TV situation comedy in style with the running joke being Gildersleeve's attempt to remain the bachelor guardian of two children and suspected of having marriage plans with the plain spinster mistakenly assumed to be his intended.

Nice support from JANE DARWELL as his efficient Aunt Emma, willing to help Gildersleeve with his household responsibilities and NANCY GATES as one of his charges. Much of the humor springs from Peary's comic skill with slapstick material as he mismanages everything.

CHARLES ARNT as a befuddled and irate Judge Hooker is effective in a supporting role, as is MARY FIELD as his sister, the unattractive spinster.

Anyone familiar with the Gildersleeve of radio fame is sure to enjoy this situation comedy from the Golden Age of B-film programmers.