The Magnificent Dope

Name: The Magnificent Dope
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1942-10-21
Duration: 1 h 23 min
Rating: 6.8
Cast: Henry Fonda, Lynn Bari, Don Ameche

19421942
ApprovedApproved
1h 23m

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

424

YOUR RATING

Henry Fonda, Don Ameche, and Lynn Bari in The Magnificent Dope (1942)

Comedy

Dwight Dawson, who runs an unsuccessful success school, stages a contest to find the biggest failure in the USA, for publicity value when the "dope" takes his course. But winner Tad Page is ... Read allDwight Dawson, who runs an unsuccessful success school, stages a contest to find the biggest failure in the USA, for publicity value when the "dope" takes his course. But winner Tad Page is contented with his idle, lazy life and threatens to convert Dawson's other students to his... Read allDwight Dawson, who runs an unsuccessful success school, stages a contest to find the biggest failure in the USA, for publicity value when the "dope" takes his course. But winner Tad Page is contented with his idle, lazy life and threatens to convert Dawson's other students to his philosophy. Dawson captalizes on Tad's attraction to Claire Harris to win him over; but w... Read all

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

424

YOUR RATING

Director
- Walter Lang
Writers
- George Seaton(screen play)
- Joseph Schrank(original story)
Stars

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Photos15

Lynn Bari in The Magnificent Dope (1942)

Henry Fonda and Lynn Bari in The Magnificent Dope (1942)

Henry Fonda, Don Ameche, and Edward Everett Horton in The Magnificent Dope (1942)

Don Ameche and Lynn Bari in The Magnificent Dope (1942)

Henry Fonda, Hobart Cavanaugh, and Kathleen Howard in The Magnificent Dope (1942)

Henry Fonda, Lynn Bari, Gladys Blake, Marietta Canty, Harry Carter, Kitty McHugh, and Roseanne Murray in The Magnificent Dope (1942)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The title was originally "The Magnificent Jerk," but the censors made the studio change it.

Quotes
Tad Page: I've known a lot of go-getters. I've been pallbearer to about ten of 'em. They're just so darn busy goin' and gettin', they didn't have time to breathe.

Connections
Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Henry Fonda (1978)

Soundtracks
Oh, the Pity of It All
(uncredited)
Music by Ralph Rainger
Lyrics by Leo Robin

User reviews15

Review

Featured review

7/10

Don Ameche plays a real weasel...and perhaps he's the dope!

Dwight Dawson (Don Ameche) is a real huckster. He runs a 'School for Success' but all he's been able to accomplish is run up a lot of bills. In desperation, he decides to run a contest and offer some total loser $500 as well as a free course on becoming successful. Tad (Henry Fonda) appears to be such a loser and wins the prize but instead of being able to use him for publicity, Dwight is shocked to find out that Tad doesn't want the course, just the money. It seems that Tad is quite happy with his lazy life back in Vermont. So, in desperation to salvage Tad as the new poster boy for the success courses, he conspires to find a reason...any reason...to keep Tad in New York. When he learns that Tad is smitten on Dwight's girlfriend, Claire (Lynn Bari), he convinces Claire to pretend to be interested in him. How all this works out is quite enjoyable and the ending, particularly so. Not a great film by any stretch but fun and original...and it's nice to see a jerk like Dwight get his in the end!

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