To Please a Lady (1950)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

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 Keywords:

Love Hate | Journalist | Arrogance | Stunt Pilot | Indianapolis Speedway

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:

At 20:26 in the film, a close-up shows the Sports Final section of the Bainsville daily paper. Under Barbara Stanwyck's photograph (as Regina Forbes) three pictures of "sports stars" are shown: Kathryn Grayson, Walter Pidgeon and Gene Kelly. This must have been an inside-joke as the film and the stars shown were all under contract with MGM.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the "pit race", the closer shots were filmed with prominent "Mike Brannan" and "Brannan Spl." on the pit wall, but after a cut, the real #17 car is shown in actual race footage, which has no "Mike Brannan Spl." painted on the car just forward of the windshield, a tire obscures most of Joie Chitwood's name on the pit wall, and the pit wall is marked "Wolfe Spl.".

Quotes:

Regina Forbes: It's like the Fourth of July and the heavyweight fight and the World Series all rolled into one.

Movie Connections:

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

Car racing at its best, and good actors add much to the story

This is a terrific movie for fans of car racing. There's live footage of real car races that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Clark Gable, is the tough ridden driver Mike, who seems to live under a cloud of doubt and blame which columnist Regina (Stanwyck) at first holds against him, deeming him the cause of another driver's death. But in time they work through their rough beginnings and then they find more understanding and acceptance. Both are strong-willed so it's an interesting match.

Adolphe Menjou also adds his abilities in a supportive role, always well done. I'm not a sports fan but did enjoy seeing these fine actors perform. I wasn't aware of this film until today when I saw it on tv, so it was a nice surprise. Very good entertainment.