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The Paleface (1948)

91 min  -  Comedy | Western   -  24 December 1948 (USA)
6.9
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Ratings: 6.9/10 from 1,618 users  
Reviews: 29 user | 14 critic

Calamity Jane is despatched to find out who's smuggling rifles to the Indians, and winds up married to a hapless correspondence school dentist as part of her cover.

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Edmund L. Hartmann (original screenplay), Frank Tashlin (original screenplay), and 4 more credits »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bob Hope ...
Jane Russell ...
Robert Armstrong Robert Armstrong ...
Iris Adrian Iris Adrian ...
Bobby Watson Bobby Watson ...
Toby Preston (as Robert Watson)
Jackie Searl Jackie Searl ...
Jasper Martin (as Jack Searl)
Joseph Vitale Joseph Vitale ...
Indian Scout
Charles Trowbridge Charles Trowbridge ...
Clem Bevans Clem Bevans ...
Hank Billings
Jeff York Jeff York ...
Big Joe
Stanley Andrews Stanley Andrews ...
Commissioner Emerson
Wade Crosby Wade Crosby ...
Jeb
Chief Yowlachie Chief Yowlachie ...
Iron Eyes Cody ...
John Maxwell John Maxwell ...
Village gossip
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Storyline

Someone is selling guns to the Indians and in order to find the culprit Calamity Jane and a secret agent go undercover posing as man and wife. When the agent is killed Jane recruits a new husband -- none other than innocent dupe "Painless" Peter Potter, a totally inept dentist and confirmed coward who's main goal is to leave the barbaric west far behind. When their wagon train is attacked by the Indians it's Jane's sharpshooting that saves the day, but she gives the credit to Potter making him an instant hero to the townspeople and instant target to both the Indians and the gunrunners. Written by A.L.Beneteau <albl@inforamp.net>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Dentist | Calamity Jane | Secret Agent | Wagon Train | Undercover  | See more »

Taglines:

Like Merry Xmas and Happy New Year...They belong together! See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Western

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

A sápadt arcú See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Though the story here is fictional, there was a real dentist who called himself 'Painless' - 'Painless Parker'. Edgar Parker was a dentist who struggled to run a street dental business, and so he took his practice on the road. He worked in the 1890s, in the era of 'amusement'. Inspired by P.T. Barnum, he had a horse-drawn office, show girls and buglers. Parker promised that he could extract a rotten tooth painlessly for 50 cents. If the extraction was not painless, he would give the customer $5.00. Parker had a band that he used to attract people to his office. The band also served to distract the patients and to drown out any moans of pain emitted from the patients. Patients were served with a cup of whiskey or a solution of cocaine (called 'hydrocaine'). Parker is said to have legally changed his first name to 'Painless' to avoid charges of false advertising. See more »

Quotes

Potter: Brave men run in my family.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Sunset Blvd. (1950) See more »

Soundtracks

"Buttons and Bows"
by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Sung by Bob Hope See more »