Chatterbox (1936)

Jenny has always been fascinated with the stage, especially since her mother was a famous actress. She learns that a theatrical company is putting on the play that included her mother's ... See full summary »

Director:

George Nichols Jr. (as George Nicholls Jr.)

Writers:

David Carb (play), Sam Mintz (screenplay)

Stars:

Anne Shirley, Phillips Holmes, Edward Ellis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anne Shirley	...	Jenny Yates
Phillips Holmes	...	Philip 'Phil' Greene Jr
Edward Ellis	...	Uriah Lowell
Erik Rhodes	...	Mr. Archie Fisher
Margaret Hamilton	...	Emily 'Tippie' Tipton
Granville Bates	...	Philip Greene Sr
Allen Vincent	...	Mr. Harrison
Lucille Ball	...	Lillian Temple
George Offerman Jr.	...	Michael Arbuckle
Maxine Jennings	...	Self

Storyline

Jenny has always been fascinated with the stage, especially since her mother was a famous actress. She learns that a theatrical company is putting on the play that included her mother's most famous role. She leaves home to join the company. The trouble is, she doesn't realize that the producers consider the moth-eaten play high camp, while Jenny is taking the whole thing seriously.

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Plot Keywords:

actress | show within a show | teenage boy | male female relationship | vermont | 

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Taglines:

ANN SHIRLEY IN A HEART STORMING STORY OF A STAGE STRUCK RED HEAD (Print Ad- Poughkeepsie Star-Enterprise, ((Poughkeepsie NY)) 26 March 1936)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Henry Brandon was in a Hollywood Reporter production chart as a cast member (listed as Henry Kleinbach), but he was not in the film.

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Goofs

Jenny comes back home from the play to find the door bolted. She previously left the house with her diary in her coat and returns with a program which she throws the way. Later, when Phil discovers her in the rumble seat of his car, the very large "Compendium" book is seen on the back seat, then she is clutching it while talking to his landlord. It is not shown how she got the huge book out of her house, and took nothing else.

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Connections

Referenced in Wanderlust (2006)

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Soundtracks

Oh! Susanna
(1848)
Written by Stephen Foster
Played on a banjo in the New York show and sung by the maid

User Reviews

A good little movie that could have been more

Once in a while a film shows up on TCM that is a small gem from the past. "Chatterbox" is just such a film. Set mostly in a small town, it stars Anne Shirley, little-known today, an actress who gave up a career in film while in her twenties. She lives in a mind-world of the late 1800's, a world of genteel manners, romantic writing, and little sense of irony. Her mother had been a noted actress and Shirley aspired to the same. The charm of the film lies in its detailed portrayal of small-town America. There is an honesty in the dialogue and behavior.

Without divulging too much plot, I must add that the revelation was Erik Rhodes, the pencil-mustachioed, gigolo of Astaire-Rogers movies, here, sans moustache,and Italian accent, a Broadway wise guy director.Throw in a very young and very blonde Lucille Ball and you have a diverting entertainment. The scene of Shirley's stage performance is wonderful.

Look for this film as a memento of an earlier, more innocent age.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 January 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Long Ago Ladies

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1