She Wrote the Book (1946)

A plain-Jane math professor (Joan Davis) at a small midwestern college is talked into journeying to New York on behalf of a colleague who has written a steamy bestseller under an assumed ... See full summary »

Director:

Charles Lamont

Writers:

Oscar Brodney, Warren Wilson

Stars:

Joan Davis, Jack Oakie, Mischa Auer

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Davis	...	Jane Featherstone
Jack Oakie	...	Jerry Marlowe
Mischa Auer	...	Joe
Kirby Grant	...	Eddie Caldwell
Jacqueline deWit	...	Millicent Van Cleve
Gloria Stuart	...	Phyllis Fowler
Thurston Hall	...	Horace Van Cleve
John Litel	...	Dean Fowler
Lewis L. Russell	...	George Dixon (as Lewis Russell)
Cora Witherspoon	...	Carrothers
Selmer Jackson	...	Fielding
Frank Dae	...	Professor

Storyline

A plain-Jane math professor (Joan Davis) at a small midwestern college is talked into journeying to New York on behalf of a colleague who has written a steamy bestseller under an assumed name. While in the big city, the math prof receives a bump on the head which brings on a form of amnesia. She begins to believe she is the author of the sultry book, and has actually lived its story. Now freed from her inhibitions, the lady professor sashays about with abandon. With a PR man (Jack Oakie) in tow, she crashes a party of swells at the home of a wealthy industrialist (Thurston Hall) and pressures him into making a large contribution to her tiny college back home.

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Plot Keywords:

man spanks woman | woman | 

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Taglines:

She wrote the years BLUSHING best-seller... then had to live it... page by burning page

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 May 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aina vain Lulu

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This would be Gloria Stuart's final acting role until The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975) and her final film until My Favorite Year (1982).

User Reviews

Despite using the amnesia cliche, it's a fun film.

Joan Davis is Professor Featherstone, a genius who is also very conservative and works for a very conservative small college. A friend approaches her with an unusual proposition...to go to New York and pretend to be the author of "Always Lulu", Lulu Withers. Why? Because this book is apparently very racy and the publisher wants to meet her...but the lady is afraid to go because she's the Dean's wife! So, Featherstone goes and is prepared to just pick up a royalty check and run. But, when she suffers a head injury, her memory is impacted and she now believes she IS Lulu...a worldly lady who has had scores of lovers! What's next? See the story for yourself.

In many ways, this reminds me of the wonderful Jobeth Williams film, "American Dreamer". Both are about a woman who has amnesia and think they are either authors ("She Wrote the Book") or characters from a book ("American Dreamer")...and both are quite clever and fun. A film that is timeless...enjoyable now as it was then.