Double Dynamite (1951)

An innocent bank teller, suspected of embezzlement, is aided by an eccentric, wisecracking waiter.

Director:

Irving Cummings

Writers:

Harry Crane (additional dialogue), Mannie Manheim (characters),

Stars:

Jane Russell, Groucho Marx, Frank Sinatra

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jane Russell	...	Mildred 'Mibs' Goodhue
Groucho Marx	...	Emile J. Keck
Frank Sinatra	...	Johnny Dalton
Don McGuire	...	R.B. 'Bob' Pulsifer Jr.
Howard Freeman	...	R.B. Pulsifer Sr.
Nestor Paiva	...	'Hot Horse' Harris, the Bookie
Frank Orth	...	Mr. Kofer
Harry Hayden	...	J.L. McKissack
William Edmunds	...	Mr. Baganucci
Russell Thorson	...	IRS Tailman (as Russ Thorson)

Storyline

Bank teller Johnny Dalton, too poor to marry his sweetheart 'Mibs' Goodhug, saves a big-time bookie from a beating and receives a munificent reward...which just happens to match a mysterious shortage at the bank! Will Johnny's pal, eccentric waiter Emile, get him out of trouble...or in so deep he'll never get out?

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Plot Keywords:

bank | bank teller | waiter | too poor to marry | wreath | 

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Taglines:

The Place Is Exploding With Laughter !

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

It's Only Money

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title "Double Dynamite" is a reference to Jane Russell's breasts, which are actually well covered throughout the movie.

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Quotes

Rosenthal, Police Dispatcher: The girl, caucasian, brown hair and eyes. Height 5 -7, weight 135 pounds... extremely well distributed.

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Connections

Featured in Lenny Bruce Without Tears (1972)

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Soundtracks

"Stone Walls"
(uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Richard Lovelace
Sung (one line) by Groucho Marx

User Reviews

Three Stars Wasted in Tepid Comedy: Musical Comedy Without Either

Deadly. Jane Russell, Frank Sinatra and Groucho: how anybody could assemble three such talented people and do almost nothing of value with them singly or together boggles the mind; they look as if they are waiting in a Motel 6 lobby for paychecks.

Although he didn't direct this film, Howard Hughes was a force behind much of it, hence the title, which refers mainly to his lady friend Russell's well-advertised physical attributes--that's about the level of humor here, given the year 1951. The great Groucho looks tired, worn-out and put upon, and Frank sings his big number to a blank wall while lying in bed; he and Groucho have a weird musical number together that is completely forgettable, as is the tepid plot--it isn't a real stinker, but for early Frank, rent the zippy STEP LIVELY, which is really a delight, a farce full of charm and fun, and for Jane Russell at her best, rent GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES or one of the crime noir she made with Robert Mitchum.

Groucho Marx is better in almost anything you can find, and was just waiting around for his quiz show "You Bet Your Life;" any five minutes of of that is better than all of this. I am usually not such a curmudgeon with early films, but this one never achieves lift-off.