Sorrowful Jones (1949)

A young girl is left with the notoriously cheap Sorrowful Jones as a marker for a bet. When her father doesn't return, he learns that taking care of a child interferes with his ... See full summary »

Director:

Sidney Lanfield

Writers:

Damon Runyon (story), Edmund L. Hartmann (screenplay),

Stars:

Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, William Demarest

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bob Hope	...	Humphrey 'Sorrowful' Jones
Lucille Ball	...	Gladys O'Neill
William Demarest	...	Regret
Bruce Cabot	...	Big Steve Holloway
Thomas Gomez	...	Reardon
Tom Pedi	...	Once Over Sam
Paul Lees	...	Orville Smith
Houseley Stevenson	...	Doc Chesley
Ben Welden	...	Big Steve's Bodyguard
Emmett Vogan	...	Psychiatrist
Mary Jane Saunders	...	Martha Jane Smith

Storyline

A young girl is left with the notoriously cheap Sorrowful Jones as a marker for a bet. When her father doesn't return, he learns that taking care of a child interferes with his free-wheeling lifestyle. Sorrowful must also evade crooked gangsters and indulge in a bit of horse-thieving.

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Plot Keywords:

singer | horse | horse racing | little girl | character name in title

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 July 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Menina Mágica

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on November 21, 1949 with Bob Hope and Lucille Ball reprising their film roles.

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Quotes

Once Over Sam: He makes a monkey out of me? Well I'll make an omelet outta him!

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Connections

Version of The Girl in Pawn (1934)

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Soundtracks

"Yankee Doodle"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played by the watch

User Reviews

Sometimes very funny

This is a remake of 1934's Little Miss Marker, a Shirley Temple movie. Sorrowful Jones, the cheap bookie, is played to a tee by Bob Hope, who suddenly has a little girl to look after when her father leaves her in his care as a bet marker, and doesn't come back. But the little girl doesn't mix well with his lifestyle, and provides him with some close shaves involving some errant gangsters, and a bout of horse napping. A predictable and sappy ending, but still a sweet little movie, with some hilarious one liners by Bob Hope and Lucille Ball. (Make sure you're not eating when you watch this, because they shoot them out so suddenly that you're likely to end up wearing your lunch.) Overall? 8 out of 10.