Stand-In (1937)

A New York bank plans to sell a Hollywood studio at a big loss. But the head accountant is suspicious and goes to investigate. He finds chicanery, romance, and help to save the studio.

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Clarence Budington Kelland (based on the novel: "Stand-in" by), Gene Towne (screen play)

Stars:

Leslie Howard, Humphrey Bogart, Joan Blondell

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Leslie Howard	...	Atterbury Dodd
Joan Blondell	...	Lester Plum
Humphrey Bogart	...	Quintain
Alan Mowbray	...	Koslofski
Marla Shelton	...	Cheri
C. Henry Gordon	...	Nassau
Jack Carson	...	Tom Potts
Tully Marshall	...	Fowler Pettypacker
J.C. Nugent	...	Junior Pettypacker
William V. Mong	...	Cyrus Pettypacker

Storyline

Atterbury Dodd is an efficiency expert who believes everything can be reduced to mathematics. He is sent to Hollywood to see whether Colossal Pictures is a good investment. He soon learns that movie production doesn't fit his formulaic mindset.

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Plot Keywords:

screwball comedy | secretary | director | movie studio | camera shot of feet | 

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Taglines:

Hail! The conquering hero comes!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mr. Dodd geht nach Hollywood

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Wanger Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is one of two dozen Walter Wanger/Harry Sherman/Cinema Guild productions, originally released by United Artists, re-released theatrically in 1948 by Masterpiece Productions, and ultimately sold by them for television broadcast in 1950. It was first telecast in Chicago Monday 19 June 1950 on WENR (Channel 7), in Phoenix Sunday 30 July 1950 on KPHO (Channel 5), in Cincinnati Saturday 26 August 1950 on WKRC (Channel 11), in Los Angeles Sunday 3 September 1950 on KTLA (Channel 5), in Boston Sunday 17 September 1950 on WNAC (Channel 7), in Philadelphia Saturday 14 October 1950 on WFIL (Channel 6), in Detroit Sunday 22 October 1950 on WXYZ (Channel 7), in New York City Monday 18 December 1950 on WOR (Channel 9), in Pittsburgh Friday 26 January 1951 on WDTV (Channel 3), and in San Francisco Saturday 24 February 1951 on KGO (Channel 7).

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Goofs

A little way in accountant Atterbury Dodds walks through the accounts dept. A clerk gives him a slip containing a list of figures which total 1296221. Dodds says "There's an error in the addition the total should be 1296321, have the machine fixed". The total however is correct. The figures are - 63155; 122925; 57005; 54685; 404200; 56705; 122925; 54685; 305250; 54686 which total 1296221

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Quotes

Doug Quintain: [to Atterbury Dodd] Say, honey, if you could cook, I'd marry ya!

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Connections

Featured in Biography: Humphrey Bogart (2003)

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Soundtracks

On the Good Ship Lollipop
(1934) (uncredited)
Music by Richard A. Whiting
Lyrics by Sidney Clare
Sung by Joan Blondell imitating Shirley Temple

User Reviews

Hollywood spoof

From the moment you see an epic movie about gorillas, or performing seals in a boarding house, or horrendously untalented little kids with showbiz mommas, you know you have a marvellous Follywood spoof.

This little-mentioned or cited comedy pits snappy Joan Blondell against – of all people – versatile Leslie Howard, in a studio-set tale of corruption, change, and romance. You'll also find Humphrey Bogart in one of his climbing-up-the ladder roles as a crusty, hard-drinking backroom man.

Blondell plays the ‘stand-in' of the title, that is, the girl who burns under the lights while the leading lady gets pampered and the shot gets set up. Howard is an accountant, transported into a world he doesn't initially appreciated, to discover the reason for the studio's cash-flow problems.

Do you know how it ends yet? This was the film that persuaded me of Howard's incredible gift for getting laughs as well as his dramatic skills, and I've been a fan ever since. Blondell and Bogart are also terrific, and this is a minor, but hugely enjoyable, 30s gem.