A Damsel in Distress (1937)

Lady Alyce Marshmorton must marry soon, and the staff of Tottney Castle have laid bets on who she'll choose, with young Albert wagering on "Mr. X". After Alyce goes to London to meet a beau... See full summary »

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

P.G. Wodehouse (from the story by), Ian Hay (play)

Stars:

Fred Astaire, George Burns, Gracie Allen

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fred Astaire	...	Jerry Halliday
George Burns	...	George
Gracie Allen	...	Gracie
Joan Fontaine	...	Lady Alyce
Reginald Gardiner	...	Keggs
Ray Noble	...	Reggie
Constance Collier	...	Lady Caroline
Montagu Love	...	Lord Marshmorton
Harry Watson	...	Albert
Jan Duggan	...	Miss Ruggles

Storyline

Lady Alyce Marshmorton must marry soon, and the staff of Tottney Castle have laid bets on who she'll choose, with young Albert wagering on "Mr. X". After Alyce goes to London to meet a beau (bumping into dancer Jerry Halliday, instead), she is restricted to the castle to curb her scandalous behavior. Albert then summons Jerry to Alyce's aid in order to "protect his investment".

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Plot Keywords:

remake | actress shares first name with character | song | singer | singing | 

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Taglines:

It's Smooth! It's Smart! It's Snappy! New Songs! New Steps! New Laughs!

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Genres:

Comedy | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Fred Astaire was so impressed by the work of Joe Niemeyer on this picture that he hired him as his stand-in, a role he would fulfill for the next twenty years.

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Goofs

When the butler brings Lort Marshmorton a glass of milk in the garden, in the last closer shot of the two, the glass of milk on the tray has been painted in frame-by-frame, probably to prevent an obvious continuity error of a less-than-full glass.

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Quotes

Gracie: She's here?
Jerry Halliday: Who?
Gracie: The girl who slapped you.
Jerry Halliday: Where?
Gracie: On the jaw.

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Connections

Featured in George Burns' 95th Birthday Party (1991)

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Soundtracks

Things Are Looking Up
(1937) (uncredited)
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Song performed by Fred Astaire
Dance performed by Fred Astaire, Joan Fontaine

User Reviews

Not the best Astaire, but some terrific dancing w/ Gracie & George

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one, when I read about Fred Astaire teaming up with George Burns & Gracie Allen in a movie with a script by P.G. Wodehouse and music by the Gershwins. It is definitely worth seeing, but lacks the cohesive quality of the Fred & Ginger movies.

The story would probably be better to read in a Wodehouse book, where the humor comes across better. Some of the acting is downright painful to watch (notably the young boy and the damsel).

But...! The funhouse dance is worth more than most movies. I never knew that Gracie Allen could dance, but boy does she in this movie. Have you ever tried to remain standing on one of those spinning discs in a funhouse? Imagine tapdancing on one in high heels! She keeps up wonderfully with Astaire and adds greatly to the overall quality of the picture.

Several nice songs, particularly fun are Nice Work if you Can Get It and Stiff Upper Lip.

Recommended for fans of Astaire, Burns & Allen. I had to go back and re-watch the funhouse dance as soon as the credits rolled.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 November 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Damsel in Distress

Box Office

Budget:

$1,035,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1