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IMDbPro

The Affairs of Annabel

  • 1938
  • Approved
  • 1h 8m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
530
YOUR RATING
Lucille Ball, Ruth Donnelly, Jack Oakie, and Bradley Page in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
Comedy

A Hollywood press agent lands his client in hot water with his zany publicity stunts.A Hollywood press agent lands his client in hot water with his zany publicity stunts.A Hollywood press agent lands his client in hot water with his zany publicity stunts.

  • Directors
    • Benjamin Stoloff
    • Lew Landers
  • Writers
    • Bert Granet
    • Paul Yawitz
    • Charles Hoffman
  • Stars
    • Jack Oakie
    • Lucille Ball
    • Ruth Donnelly
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    530
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Benjamin Stoloff
      • Lew Landers
    • Writers
      • Bert Granet
      • Paul Yawitz
      • Charles Hoffman
    • Stars
      • Jack Oakie
      • Lucille Ball
      • Ruth Donnelly
    • 14User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos13

    Lucille Ball, Elisabeth Risdon, and Lee Van Atta in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Lucille Ball, Jack Oakie, and Bradley Page in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Ruth Donnelly, Jack Oakie, and Bradley Page in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Lucille Ball, Granville Bates, and Elisabeth Risdon in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Lucille Ball in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
    Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jack Oakie
    Jack Oakie
    • Morgan
    Lucille Ball
    Lucille Ball
    • Annabel
    Ruth Donnelly
    Ruth Donnelly
    • Josephine
    Bradley Page
    Bradley Page
    • Webb
    Fritz Feld
    Fritz Feld
    • Vladimir
    Thurston Hall
    Thurston Hall
    • Major
    Elisabeth Risdon
    Elisabeth Risdon
    • Mrs. Fletcher
    Granville Bates
    Granville Bates
    • Mr. Fletcher
    James Burke
    James Burke
    • Muldoon
    Lee Van Atta
    • Robert Fletcher
    Anthony Warde
    Anthony Warde
    • Bailey
    Eddie Marr
    Eddie Marr
    • Martin
    Leona Roberts
    Leona Roberts
    • Mrs. Hurley
    Brooks Benedict
    Brooks Benedict
    • Man in Webb's Office
    • (uncredited)
    Stanley Blystone
    Stanley Blystone
    • Cop
    • (uncredited)
    John Butler
    John Butler
    • Scriptwriter
    • (uncredited)
    Maurice Cass
    Maurice Cass
    • Dr. Rubnick
    • (uncredited)
    Charles Coleman
    Charles Coleman
    • Perkins
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • Benjamin Stoloff
      • Lew Landers(uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Bert Granet
      • Paul Yawitz
      • Charles Hoffman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The car that picks up Annabel from prison is a very rare 1938 Cadillac Series 95 model 9053 7-passenger town car. Only 11 were built in 1938 and it was priced at $7,170 (over $138,000 in 2021) with an optional radio for $95.00 ($1,830 in 2021). It features a V-16 engine. In excellent condition at auction this car could fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2021.
    • Quotes

      Lanny Morgan: I've got it! I got it! It's a cinch! A terrific idea! I'm gonna stick you in the can.

      Annabel Allison: [suprised] In the what?

    • Connections
      Followed by Annabel Takes a Tour (1938)

    User reviews14

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Not Terrible
    Considering that Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie were friends as well as neighbors in California, who made four movies together, and that both were highly regarded comic actors, you'd think that the two of them would make a great on-screen comedy team, right?

    Nope.

    Not in "The Affairs of Annabel," an okay but not particularly compelling short comedy. The writing is unexceptional, there are no memorable lines from the script, the plot is not even remotely realistic, and I have no idea how the Ball/Oakie relationship was intended to develop. I think the plot was supposed to build, so that Oakie slowly falls in love with his attractive young meal ticket, but that never really went anywhere. The production was no great accomplishment, either, with some fairly obvious cuts between Ball and her stunt woman during some of the martial arts scenes.

    But the acting prevents this film from being a complete dud. Most of the cast are experienced comic actors who squeeze what they can out of the material they're given. And the movie was popular enough that it spawned a sequel, and apparently there were supposed to be more, except that Oakie held out for too much money and killed the deal, which is probably for the best. So what the heck? It's only an hour, so what do you have to lose? Have a glass of wine and enjoy a little early Lucille Ball. The movie will probably be over before you've finished your second glass.
    helpful•4
    3
    • bbrebozo
    • Jun 14, 2014

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 9, 1938 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Menial Star
    • Filming locations
      • Glendale Transportation Center - 400 W Cerritos Ave, Glendale, California, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Lucille Ball, Ruth Donnelly, Jack Oakie, and Bradley Page in The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
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