Easy Living (1937)

A wealthy banker throws his wife's expensive fur coat off the roof of a building; it lands on the head of a stenographer, leading to everyone assuming she is his mistress and has access to his millions.

Director:

Mitchell Leisen

Writers:

Preston Sturges (screenplay), Vera Caspary (based on a story by)

Stars:

Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold, Ray Milland

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jean Arthur	...	Mary Smith
Edward Arnold	...	J.B. Ball
Ray Milland	...	John Ball Jr.
Luis Alberni	...	Mr. Louis Louis
Mary Nash	...	Mrs. Jenny Ball
Franklin Pangborn	...	Van Buren
Barlowe Borland	...	Mr. Gurney
William Demarest	...	Wallace Whistling
Andrew Tombes	...	E.J. Hulgar
Esther Dale	...	Lillian
Harlan Briggs	...	Magazine Office Manager
William B. Davidson	...	Mr. Hyde
Nora Cecil	...	Miss Swerf
Robert Greig	...	Butler

Storyline

J.B. Ball, a rich financier, gets fed up with his free-spending family. He takes his wife's just-bought (very expensive) sable coat and throws it off the roof, it lands on poor hard-working girl Mary Smith. But it isn't so easy to just give away something so valuable, as he soon learns.

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Plot Keywords:

screwball comedy | actress billed above the title | actor billed above the title | mix up comedy | stock market manipulation | 

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Taglines:

A CRACKPOT COMEDY THAT'LL BLAST THE VINEGAR OFF EVERY SOURPUSS IN TOWN! (original poster - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was the favorite of Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci's poet father. When the director came to visit New York City's Museum of Modern Art in the late 1960s, he asked their film department to screen their print of it for him so he could see it for himself.

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Goofs

During automat free-for-fall, one of the customers drops a tray full of dishes which are clearly attached to the tray; the dishes don't even move when the tray hits the floor.

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Quotes

Mary Smith: I owe for the week!
Mr. Louis Louis: Vell, vell, ve'll pay it!
Mary Smith: Vhy? Eh, why? Why?
Mr. Louis Louis: Why? I'll tell you why. I don't beat around de backdoor to come down in de corn chutes!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are shown over a lady applying jewelry, stockings, and perfume.

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Connections

Featured in Vito (2011)

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Soundtracks

Easy Living
(uncredited)
Music by Ralph Rainger
Lyrics by Leo Robin
[main theme of score but not sung]

User Reviews

Another wonderful movie featuring Edward Arnold.

This is an amusing, entertaining Hollywood antique featuring a number of actors who became Hollywood icons such as Jean Arthur, Ray Milland, and Edward Arnold. Before Ed Asner there was Edward Arnold. Mr. Arnold was one of the greatest actors in Hollywood history. His performances were consistently great and through him a weak script became good and good script great. He was one of those actors who dominated the screen and could play a wide range of roles opposite some of the most famous Hollywood players. As for Jean Arthur, she specialized in a style of acting that established a precedent for Lucille Ball, except that Ms. Arthur did not have to act goofy. Movies from the 1930s were made in a certain style that was unique to that period. Black-and-white, simple, engaging, upbeat stories, lots of action, and optimistic about life - all this during the Great Depression. This is another Preston Sturges gem and definitely is worth watching.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 July 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Easy Living

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1