Lady Bodyguard (1943)

A.C.Baker, advertising executive for an insurance company, approaches test pilot Terry Moore with a proposition that in return for using his picture and endorsement he will get a ... See full summary »

Director:

William Clemens

Writers:

Art Arthur, Vera Caspary (story),

Stars:

Eddie Albert, Anne Shirley, Raymond Walburn

Cast

Credited cast:
Eddie Albert	...	Terry Moore
Anne Shirley	...	A.C. Baker
Raymond Walburn	...	Avery Jamieson
Roger Pryor	...	George MacAlister
Edward Brophy	...	Harry Gargan
Maude Eburne	...	Mother Hodges
Clem Bevans	...	Elmer Frawley
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Donald MacBride	...	R. L. Barclay

Storyline

A.C.Baker, advertising executive for an insurance company, approaches test pilot Terry Moore with a proposition that in return for using his picture and endorsement he will get a paid-for-a-year $1000 policy. High-risk Terry agrees. George MacAlister fires his secretary, Miss Tracy, just as she is typing up the policy and she, for spite, changes the amount from a thousand dollars to one million dollars. A.C. delivers the policy, without noticing the difference, to Terry at a party at the Frolics Club, a cheap joint wedged between a burlesque house and a flop house hotel. Three characters, an elderly hat-check "girl" known as Mother Hodges; Avery Jamieson, a broken-down actor; and bartender Harry Gargan are named beneficiaries. When the company discovers the error, A.C. is sent to get back the policy and, pending that, don't let Terry make any test flights.

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Taglines:

He was worth $1,000,000 dead... and not a penny alive!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 January 1943 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

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 Universal ever since.

User Reviews

Cute '43 Comedy Still Brings a Smile

After insurance woman A.C. Baker (Anne Shirley) mistakenly issues a million-dollar policy to test pilot Terry Moore (Eddie Albert), her bosses task her with keeping him on the ground until she can talk him into canceling it. But things are complicated by Terry's reluctance to deprive his beneficiaries of their eventual payday, said beneficiaries' inability to see past the dollar signs in their eyes, and the lady bodyguard's susceptibility to her risk-loving charge's rough charm.

Eddie Albert was already serving his country in the Navy by the time Paramount released this modest, good-natured wartime comedy. Though the role's not a huge departure from the sort of male ingenue the actor had been playing while under contract at Warners, it's a good part for him, and there's nice sparring chemistry between him and Shirley. Meanwhile, the supporting players are pitch perfect: Edward Brophy, Raymond Walburn, and Maude Eburne as the greedy beneficiaries (one can almost imagine them selling off Ebenezer Scrooge's bed-curtains); Roger Pryor (son of storied trombonist Arthur) as the overbearing insurance boss; Mary Treen as a disgruntled secretary; and Clem Bevans as (what else?) an old codger.

Maybe there's not enough to the film for one to say it's unjustly forgotten, but I'd say it's definitely worth an hour and nine minutes of your time should it come up on the classic movie channel.