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Bachelor Mother

  • 19391939
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 22m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
4.2K
YOUR RATING
David Niven, Ginger Rogers, and Elbert Coplen Jr. in Bachelor Mother (1939)
An unemployed woman discovers an abandoned baby on the steps of an orphanage, and accepts an offer to take responsibility for the child in return for a job.
Play trailer1:22
1 Video
58 Photos
ComedyRomance
An unemployed woman discovers an abandoned baby on the steps of an orphanage, and accepts an offer to take responsibility for the child in return for a job.An unemployed woman discovers an abandoned baby on the steps of an orphanage, and accepts an offer to take responsibility for the child in return for a job.An unemployed woman discovers an abandoned baby on the steps of an orphanage, and accepts an offer to take responsibility for the child in return for a job.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
4.2K
YOUR RATING
    • Garson Kanin
    • Norman Krasna(screen play)
    • Felix Jackson(story)
    • Garson Kanin(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Ginger Rogers
    • David Niven
    • Charles Coburn
    • Garson Kanin
    • Norman Krasna(screen play)
    • Felix Jackson(story)
    • Garson Kanin(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Ginger Rogers
    • David Niven
    • Charles Coburn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 58User reviews
    • 30Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar

    Videos1

    Reissue Trailer
    Trailer 1:22
    Watch Reissue Trailer

    Photos58

    David Niven, Ginger Rogers, and Elbert Coplen Jr. in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven and Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven and Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven and Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven, Ginger Rogers, and Ernest Truex in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven, Ginger Rogers, and Reed Hadley in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    Ginger Rogers, Ferike Boros, and Elbert Coplen Jr. in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    Ginger Rogers, E.E. Clive, and Elbert Coplen Jr. in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    Elbert Coplen Jr. in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven and Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven and Charles Coburn in Bachelor Mother (1939)
    David Niven, Ginger Rogers, and Elbert Coplen Jr. in Bachelor Mother (1939)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ginger Rogers
    Ginger Rogers
    • Polly Parrish
    David Niven
    David Niven
    • David Merlin
    Charles Coburn
    Charles Coburn
    • J. B. Merlin
    Frank Albertson
    Frank Albertson
    • Freddie Miller
    E.E. Clive
    E.E. Clive
    • Merlin's Butler
    Elbert Coplen Jr.
    • Johnnie - the Baby
    Ferike Boros
    Ferike Boros
    • Mrs. Weiss - the Landlady
    Ernest Truex
    Ernest Truex
    • Orphanage Investigator
    Leonard Penn
    Leonard Penn
    • Jerome Weiss
    Paul Stanton
    Paul Stanton
    • Hargraves
    Frank M. Thomas
    Frank M. Thomas
    • Orphanage Doctor
    Edna Holland
    Edna Holland
    • Orphanage Matron
    Dennie Moore
    Dennie Moore
    • Mary
    June Wilkins
    June Wilkins
    • Louise King
    Donald Duck
    • Donald Duck
    Clarence Nash
    Clarence Nash
    • Donald Duck
    • (voice)
    • (as Donald Duck)
    Dorothy Adams
    Dorothy Adams
    • Secretary
    • (uncredited)
    Eddie Allen
    Eddie Allen
    • New Year's Eve Celebrant
    • (uncredited)
      • Garson Kanin
      • Norman Krasna(screen play)
      • Felix Jackson(story)
      • Garson Kanin(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      After making this movie, David Niven returned to England to serve in the British Army during World War II. At the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, German infiltrators into American lines caused roadblocks to be established and military police asked all suspicious persons questions about things no German was likely to know. Lt. Col. David Niven was stopped at a roadblock and was asked who won the baseball World Series in 1940. He replied, "I haven't the faintest idea. But I do know that I made a picture with Ginger Rogers in 1938." The MP replied, "OK, beat it Dave. But watch your step, for Chrissake."
    • Goofs
      Since the film was released in August 1939, the New Year's Eve celebration shown has to be 31 December 1938. In this scene a theatre is prominently seen, showing Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer in Love Affair (1939), obviously a promotional moment for another well known RKO feature, but Love Affair was not released until April 1939 so could not have possibly been shown at any theatre on the preceding New Year's Eve.
    • Quotes

      Freddie: [to J.B] Mr. Merlin, I'll tell you that I know what I'm talkin' about. Your son put me up to this and he's the father!

      David Merlin: Dad, this is the truth, he's the father.

      [points to Jerome]

      Jerome Weiss: I'm not the father.

      J.B. Merlin: I don't care who the father is, I'm the grandfather!

    • Crazy credits
      The cast of characters includes a wind-up toy: Donald Duck as himself. Ginger Rogers' character was in charge of a display table full of the Donald Duck toys.
    • Alternate versions
      Also available in a computer colorized version.
    • Connections
      Featured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: A Woman's Lot (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Rock-a-Bye Baby
      (1886) (uncredited)

      Music by Effie I. Canning

      Variations often in the score

    User reviews58

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Who needs Astaire?
    I figured that this was another movie from the late thirties that's supposed to be a comedy, but it's just kinda "witty" without having any laugh-out-loud scenes. I decided to watch it anyway.

    How wrong I was. Not that I have anything against "witty" movies, but this movie put me in hysterics. It was very very funny. Ginger Rogers proves that she can make a good movie without Fred Astaire. The entire cast is excellent. Rent this movie for a lot of laughs.
    helpful•15
    7
    • ajdagreat
    • Jun 9, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 4, 1939 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 22 minutes
      • Black and White

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