One Night in the Tropics (1940)

Jim "Lucky" Moore (Allan Jones), an insurance salesman, comes up with a novel policy for his friend, Steve (Robert Cummings): a 'love insurance policy', that will pay out $1-million if ... See full summary »

Director:

A. Edward Sutherland

Writers:

Gertrude Purcell (screenplay), Charles Grayson (screenplay)

Stars:

Allan Jones, Nancy Kelly, Robert Cummings

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Allan Jones	...	Jim Moore
Nancy Kelly	...	Cynthia Merrick
Robert Cummings	...	Steve Harper
Bud Abbott	...	Abbott
Lou Costello	...	Costello
Mary Boland	...	Aunt Kitty Marblehead
William Frawley	...	Roscoe
Peggy Moran	...	Mickey Fitzgerald
Leo Carrillo	...	Senor Escobar
Don Alvarado	...	Rudolfo
Nina Orla	...	Nina
Richard Carle	...	James G. Moore
The Theodores	...	San Marcos Dance Team

Storyline

Jim "Lucky" Moore (Allan Jones), an insurance salesman, comes up with a novel policy for his friend, Steve (Robert Cummings): a 'love insurance policy', that will pay out $1-million if Steve does not marry his fiancée, Cynthia (Nancy Kelly). The upcoming marriage is jeopardized by Steve's ex-girlfriend, Mickey (Peggy Moran), and Cynthia's disapproving Aunt Kitty. The policy is underwritten by a nightclub owner, Roscoe (William Frawley), who sends two enforcers - Abbott and Costello - to ensure that the wedding occurs as planned. Everyone involved in the situation winds up sailing or flying to San Marcos (a fictional South American country), where another complication arises, when Lucky falls for Cynthia. Lucky winds up marrying Cynthia, but Roscoe does not have to pay the $1-million because Steve ends up marrying Mickey.

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Plot Keywords:

remake | abbott and costello | based on novel | insurance | wedding | 

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Taglines:

Jerome Kern's MIRTH & MELODY MAGICAL MUSICAL! (original print ad - many caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caribbean Holiday

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although billed as Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's debut film, it was actually their debut as a team; Costello had appeared, unbilled, in bit parts and worked as a stuntman on several films in the mid- and late 1920s. It was, however, Abbott's film debut.

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Quotes

Mickey Fitzgerald: You won't be married on Saturday, because I love you and I am going to keep on loving you until I don't love you any longer. If you marry anybody, it will be me. Because if you don't marry me, you will have too many broken legs to marry anybody else.

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Alternate Versions

Cut to 69 minutes for re-releases in 1950 and 1954. This shortened version was shown on TV for many years; restored full-length 83-minute version became available again in 1993, when released on VHS.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter (1982)

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Soundtracks

Your Dream
Music by Jerome Kern
Lyrics by Otto A. Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
Sung by Nancy Kelly (dubbed) and Allan Jones

User Reviews

Abbott and Costello steal the show in their debut

"Lucky" Moore, Allan Jones, an insurance salesmen, sells his friend, Steve, Robert Cummings, a million dollar love insurance policy after his fiancee, Cynthia, Nancy Kelly, calls off their wedding. Complications arise from the presence of Steve's persistent ex-girlfriend Mickey, Peggy Moran, and Lucky's growing love for Cynthia. Add a gangster whose backing the policy and his two henchmen, and you have all the ingredients of a classic screwball comedy. However, it isn't quite a classic. Why? The story is sufficient. The leads are pleasant enough, but none of them quite have the star power to push it to the next level. (The comic lead, Allan Jones, is most famous for playing the straight romantic lead in two Marx Brothers movies. Imagine this film done at the same time at MGM with William Powell in the lead backed up by Myrna Loy. Then we'd have a film that could stand on its own.) This film would be consigned to the mildly-diverting late night cable bin if it weren't for the gangster's two henchmen, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, in their film debut. Bud and Lou give the film energy every time they appear on screen. Unfortunately, it is a different energy than the rest of the film. It's like the plot lurches to a stop to let them do some routines - like the abbreviated version of the "Who's on First" routine. Not that I am complaining. Their material was better than the rest of the movie. It is a good debut, and easy to see why they would be quickly given their own film. Abbott and Costello would not prove to be my favorite comedy team, but they had many highlights ahead of them.