To Please a Lady (1950)

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Marge Decker (writer)
Barré Lyndon (writer)

Release Date:

13 October 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

MGM's thrill-a-minute romance of a daredevil and a darling!

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Race Car | Journalist | Driver | Stunt Pilot | Sideshow

Cast

Clark Gable	...	Mike Brannan
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Regina Forbes
Adolphe Menjou	...	Gregg
Will Geer	...	Jack Mackay
Roland Winters	...	Dwight Barrington
William C. McGaw	...	Joie Chitwood
Lela Bliss	...	Regina's Secretary
Emory Parnell	...	Mr. Wendall
Frank Jenks	...	Press agent
Helen Spring	...	Janie
Bill Hickman	...	Mike's pit crew
Lew Smith	...	Mike's pit crew
Ted Husing	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Newell	...	Hank Harmon (as Billy Newell)

Also Known As:

Red Hot Wheels (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Arlington Downs Racetrack - 2225 E. Randol Mill Road, Arlington, Texas, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The finale of the film takes place at the Indianapolis 500. The actual 1950 running of the 500 was used for these scenes. The actual driver of the 17 car for the 1950 Indy 500 was the real Joie Chitwood, featured earlier in the film as the owner of the Thrill Show Brannan was working in. See the Goofs section for continuity issues created by using actual race footage.

Goofs:

Continuity: Because footage shot during the actual 1950 Indy 500 was used, Mauri Rose can be seen exiting the pits driving past the pit for the real car #17, Joie Chitwood (Mauri Rose and Joie Chitwood's pits were next to each other during the 1950 500 race).

Quotes:

Mike Brannan: Give me six feet and I get through anywhere.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Gable: The King Remembered (1975) (TV)

Embarrassing

Hello, I really like Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck, but this movie must have been accepted by them as a pay cheque while they waited for something better. Both had very superior films before and after in their careers. It's about the only movie of either one I have ever turned off. The change from hard nose reporter, to love struck person in one scene (with no previous character development), was the just too much and the turning point in the movie. If a slap and one kiss could have that much affect on a human, then there's no hope for any intelligent mind on this earth. However, I have to be honest, the approach can be realistic and emotionally true depending on your value system. The causation of love is difficult to determine. Overall, maybe the plots, scripts, acting and perceptions were better at an earlier time. I think so.

Bye, Bill