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

Atterbury Dodd: [Plum has just thrown him on the floor] Why Miss Plum, you're... you're wonderful!
Lester Plum: I don't see anything wonderful about it, just plain jujistu; a trick of leverage.
Atterbury Dodd: Leverage? The principle of Archimedes, the Greek mathematician.
Lester Plum: Well I don't know anything about that; all I know is it comes in very handy when some guy who's driving you home tries to shift gears with your knee.
Atterbury Dodd: Miss Plum, teach me how to do that
Lester Plum: I taught you how to do the tango, and look what happened. By the way, how'd you make ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984)

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Soundtracks

I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(1928) (uncredited)
Music by Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
One line sung a cappella by Jack Carson

User Reviews

Funny but Imperfect Hollywood Comedy/Romance

Atterbury Dodd is opposed to his New York banker bosses selling off Colossal Studios for only half of what he thinks its worth. Being the first person ever to stand up to the big boss he's sent off to see whats going on with the seemingly failing studio. Once there he finds that the buyer is manipulating the latest Colossal movie into being a turkey so he can buy the studio cheap and turn a profit when he closes it down. Dodd also runs into Miss Plum who will soon becomes Dodd's guide through the madness of film making.

Much of the film is concerned with Dodd dealing with the insanity of film studios while not realizing that he's falling in love with Miss Plum. The last third of the film concerns efforts to turn save the studio and the film.

This is really a Leslie Howard movie. Howard and Joan Blondell, as Miss Plum are a wonderful screen couple and one wishes there was even more time of them together. Although Humphrey Bogart is listed third he's in maybe 20 minutes of this often funny film. He is wonderful in a the role of the previous studio head and producer of the turkey in the making.

The film is filled with funny lines and fleeting appearances, Charles Middleton is a scream; as is a stuntman who refuses to do his stunt for money. This is a funny funny movie especially if you love old movies.

The problem is that the film is at times unfocused. Is it a comedy? A Romance? The sequences with the villain seem to be from another movie. I question why some of the characters are allowed to be so annoying, Potts, the publicity man in particular, is the screen version of fingernails on a blackboard. I'm sure there were people like that in Hollywood, but I never want to meet them.

I also have a problem with the ending which ends too soon for my tastes.

Still this is 90 minutes of great fun, especially if you love old films.

Worth seeking out, possibly even buying.

7 out of 10 with spikes of truly wonderful moments (Going under the table for one)