Make Your Own Bed (1944)

Walter and Vivian live in the country and have a difficult time keeping servants. Walter hires an private detective who has been fired for arresting the District Attorney. They only way ... See full summary »

Director:

Peter Godfrey

Writers:

Francis Swann (screenplay), Edmund Joseph (screenplay),

Stars:

Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, Irene Manning

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jack Carson	...	Jerry Curtis
Jane Wyman	...	Susan Courtney
Irene Manning	...	Mrs. Vivian Whirtle
Alan Hale	...	Walter Whirtle
George Tobias	...	Boris Fenilise
Robert Shayne	...	Lester Knight
Tala Birell	...	Miss Marie Gruber
Ricardo Cortez	...	Wilson - aka Fritz Alden
Marjorie Hoshelle	...	Miss Elsa Wehmer
Kurt Katch	...	Herr von Ritter

Storyline

Walter and Vivian live in the country and have a difficult time keeping servants. Walter hires an private detective who has been fired for arresting the District Attorney. They only way that Walter can get Jerry to work for him is to tell Jerry that his life is in danger; the neighbor is trying to take his wife; and that Nazi spies are everywhere. Jerry needs a cook for his 'cover' so he gets his fiancée Susan to work with him. To keep Jerry working, Walter sends the threatening letters to himself and hires actors to play the spies. It soon becomes apparent that Susan cannot cook and Jerry could not find a spy if he tripped over him.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | cook | servant | actor | nazi | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

10 June 1944 (USA)

Filming Locations:

W.K. Jewett Estate, Pasadena, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On the Hiring Line (1919). Comedy/satire. Written by Harvey J. O'Higgins and Harriet Ford. Criterion Theatre: 20 Oct 1919- Dec 1919 (closing date unknown/48 performances). Cast: John Blair, Laura Hope Crews (as "Mrs. Sherman Fessenden"), Donald Gallaher, Minna Gombell (as "Mrs. Billy Capron"), Robert Hudson, Cyril Scott, Vivian Tobin (as "Dorothy Fessenden"), Sidney Toler (as "Ritchie"). Produced by George C. Tyler. Produced by Warner Brothers in 1944 as a Jack Carson vehicle, entitled Make Your Own Bed.

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Soundtracks

"Blues in the Night"
(1941) (uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Played on a record and sung by an unidentified female

User Reviews

Too outdated for 21st century audience

This is one of those movies from the first half of the 20th century that is based on a concept that a 21st century viewer can't relate to without some sort of explanation. Much of the conflict revolves around the idea of: "Oh, dear, they think we're married and they expect us to sleep in the same room, but we're not married and therefore we can't possibly sleep in the same room. Whatever will we do?" It wasn't even the idea of having sex outside of marriage that was so horrifying. It was just being in the same room. Maybe an audience in 1944 would have understood that, but in 2005 the reaction is "Who the hell cares if they're married? You don't plan to have sex, don't have sex. Keep your clothes on if you want to. But shut up already about whether you're married or not." It's just too stupid for anybody to care about.