We're Not Dressing (1934)

Yacht owner is stranded on island with her socialite friends, a wacky husband and wife research team, and a singing sailor.

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Walton Hall Smith (based on stories by), Benjamin Glazer (based on stories by)

Stars:

Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, George Burns

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bing Crosby	...	Stephen Jones
Carole Lombard	...	Doris Worthington
George Burns	...	George
Gracie Allen	...	Gracie
Ethel Merman	...	Edith
Leon Errol	...	Hubert
Ray Milland	...	Prince Michael (credited, actually Prince Alexander) (as Raymond Milland)
Jay Henry	...	Prince Alexander (credited, actually Prince Michael)

Storyline

Beautiful high society type Doris Worthington is entertaining guests on her yacht in the Pacific when it hits a reef and sinks. She makes her way to an island with the help of singing sailor Stephen Jones. Her friend Edith, Uncle Hubert, and Princes Michael and Alexander make it to the same island but all prove to be useless in the art of survival. The sailor is the only one with the practical knowhow to survive but Doris and the others snub his leadership offer. That is until he starts a clam bake and wafts the fumes in their starving faces. The group gradually gives into his leadership, the only question now is if Doris will give into his charms.

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Plot Keywords:

remake | screwball comedy | sailor | island | yacht | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cupido ao Leme

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The portrait of Gracie's Uncle Fred appeared to be a caricature of George Barbier.

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Goofs

Right before the "Once in a Blue Moon" number, there is a long shot of Stephen holding Doris under the moon. His lips are moving in this brief shot as if he's singing to her, but there is no vocal on the soundtrack.

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Quotes

Doris Worthington: I suppose that you're taking me to a fate worse than death?
Stephen Jones: How do you now it's worse than death? Have you ever died?

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression (2009)

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Soundtracks

Let's Play House
(1934) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Revel
Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Performed by Ethel Merman and Leon Errol during the "Love Thy Neighbor" number

User Reviews

The Gilligan's Island Revue

This 30's Paramount film starts out on board the "Doris", luxury yacht belonging to heiress Doris Worthington (Carole Lombard). Along for the ride is her uncle Hubert (Leon Errol), Ray Milland and Jay Henry as two princes who stick together like glue and both want to marry Doris, and friend Edith (Ethel Merman) who says she'll take the prince Doris turns down. Bing Crosby plays singing sailor Stephen Jones who Doris has named caretaker of her pet bear. Aboard ship Doris pushes Stephen around - although not without him pushing back - until uncle Hubert's drunkenness causes the yacht to sink. Now the tides of inequality are turned and it's Stephen with his knowledge of survival skills - and common sense skills like cooking - that give him the upper hand over his five aristocratic companions when they all find themselves shipwrecked on a deserted island.

This is when Bing was in the light and breezy musical comedy part of his film career, and the public ate this amusing escapist stuff up. Besides Bing's singing, Carole Lombard is beginning to hit her stride as a great comedienne, Ethel Merman sings a little but is mainly part of the comedy, and a very young Ray Milland manages to get upstaged by a wrestling bear.

So that the "stranded on a desert island" theme doesn't get tired, George Burns and Gracie Allen are on the island too playing two naturalists in search of wild beasts that can be studied with an amusing bit where Gracie shows George the wild animal trap she's invented.

Recommended as great light musical comedy fare from the 30's that, although it is technically precode, could have easily gotten past the censors had it been released even a year later.