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Miss catastrophe

Original title: There's Always a Woman
  • 1938
  • Passed
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
941
YOUR RATING
Rita Hayworth, Mary Astor, Joan Blondell, Melvyn Douglas, and Frances Drake in Miss catastrophe (1938)
ComedyCrimeMystery

An investigator for the district attorney and his amateur-sleuth wife compete to solve a murder mystery.An investigator for the district attorney and his amateur-sleuth wife compete to solve a murder mystery.An investigator for the district attorney and his amateur-sleuth wife compete to solve a murder mystery.

  • Director
    • Alexander Hall
  • Writers
    • Gladys Lehman
    • Wilson Collison
    • Philip Rapp
  • Stars
    • Joan Blondell
    • Melvyn Douglas
    • Mary Astor
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    941
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alexander Hall
    • Writers
      • Gladys Lehman
      • Wilson Collison
      • Philip Rapp
    • Stars
      • Joan Blondell
      • Melvyn Douglas
      • Mary Astor
    • 25User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos51

    Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Joan Blondell in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Mary Astor and Joan Blondell in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Mary Astor and Joan Blondell in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Joan Blondell, Wade Boteler, and Arthur Loft in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Tom Dugan in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Joan Blondell in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Tom Dugan in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Thurston Hall in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Mary Astor and Jerome Cowan in Miss catastrophe (1938)
    Tom Dugan and Gene Morgan in Miss catastrophe (1938)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Joan Blondell
    Joan Blondell
    • Sally Reardon
    Melvyn Douglas
    Melvyn Douglas
    • William 'Bill' Reardon
    Mary Astor
    Mary Astor
    • Lola Fraser
    Frances Drake
    Frances Drake
    • Anne Calhoun
    Jerome Cowan
    Jerome Cowan
    • Nick Shane
    Robert Paige
    Robert Paige
    • Jerry Marlowe
    Thurston Hall
    Thurston Hall
    • District Attorney
    Pierre Watkin
    Pierre Watkin
    • Mr. Ketterling
    Walter Kingsford
    Walter Kingsford
    • Grigson
    Lester Matthews
    Lester Matthews
    • Walter Fraser
    William 'Billy' Benedict
    William 'Billy' Benedict
    • Bellhop
    • (uncredited)
    Wade Boteler
    Wade Boteler
    • Sam - Radio Car Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Ralph Brooks
    • Skyline Club Dance Extra
    • (uncredited)
    William Burress
    William Burress
    • Rent Collector
    • (uncredited)
    Wyn Cahoon
    • Miss Jacobs - Reardon's Secretary
    • (uncredited)
    Nell Craig
    Nell Craig
    • District Attorney's Secretary
    • (uncredited)
    Gennaro Curci
    • Second Waiter
    • (uncredited)
    George Davis
    George Davis
    • Waiter
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alexander Hall
    • Writers
      • Gladys Lehman
      • Wilson Collison
      • Philip Rapp(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As originally shot, the script contained a sizable role for Rita Hayworth. When, however, it was decided that this film was to be the first of a series, the studio eliminated Hayworth's role rather than have a third major character who, like Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas, would be committed to the series. In any event, Blondell withdrew from the planned series, and all but three seconds of Hayworth's role landed on the cutting-room floor. She speaks two words on-screen and 5 words on an intercom off-screen.
    • Goofs
      Near the end, the dispatcher reads the wanted person alert for Mrs. Reardon. He states her complexion as blonde, which is a hair color, not a complexion.
    • Quotes

      Sally Reardon: You mean, no wine?

      William 'Bill' Reardon: That's what I mean. No wine.

      Sally Reardon: Not even a tennie-wennie-itsy-bitsy?

      William 'Bill' Reardon: Not even a tennie-wennie-itsy-bitsy.

      Sally Reardon: You mean, no wine?

      William 'Bill' Reardon: Yeah, that's it, no wine.

      Sally Reardon: Religious scruples?

      William 'Bill' Reardon: No. No, just mathematics. Filet mignon: $3.50. Strawberry parfait 75 cents. Six martinis.

      Sally Reardon: I only had three.

      William 'Bill' Reardon: They're charging me for mine too, you know. And all I've got in my pocket is a 20 dollar bill. Em, you don't happen to have a couple of dollars in your purse, do you?

      Sally Reardon: Money? Why didn't you say so.

    • Connections
      Followed by Ah ! quelle femme ! (1938)
    • Soundtracks
      The Stars and Stripes Forever
      (1896) (uncredited)

      Written by John Philip Sousa

      Played on a radio

    User reviews25

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    a little rough
    Bill Reardon (Melvyn Douglas) is a struggling private detective. His wife Sally (Joan Blondell) had push him into quitting a well paying investigating job in the DA office. He goes off to get his old job back. Famous socialite Lola Fraser comes in looking to hire an investigator and Sally promptly takes the job pretending to be an investigator. She starts investigating behind her husband's back which gets complicated when the DA office gets involved in a murder case.

    The one and only issue I have is Bill's constant physical fake-outs against his wife. He keeps pretending to hit her and missing by the barest margin. He even throws something at her. It's another era and it's supposed to be funny. It's like Ralph Kramden. It hasn't aged well. Otherwise, the combative rapid-fire banter is fun.
    helpful•1
    1
    • SnoopyStyle
    • Aug 5, 2019

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    FAQ14

    • How long is There's Always a Woman?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 20, 1938 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • There's Always a Woman
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 21 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Rita Hayworth, Mary Astor, Joan Blondell, Melvyn Douglas, and Frances Drake in Miss catastrophe (1938)
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