Ma and Pa Kettle (1949)

On the verge of being evicted from their run-down farmhouse, the large Kettle family is given a new, modern home after Pa wins a contest, but he is accused of plagiarizing his winning slogan by a jealous local woman.

Director:

Charles Lamont

Writers:

Al Lewis, Betty MacDonald (characters)

Stars:

Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Richard Long

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marjorie Main	...	Ma Kettle
Percy Kilbride	...	Pa Kettle
Richard Long	...	Tom Kettle
Meg Randall	...	Kim Parker
Patricia Alphin	...	Secretary
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Birdie Hicks
Barry Kelley	...	Mr. Victor Tomkins
Harry Antrim	...	Mayor Dwiggins
Isabel O'Madigan	...	Mrs. Hicks' Mother
Ida Moore	...	Emily
Emory Parnell	...	Bill Reed
Boyd Davis	...	Mr. Simpson
O.Z. Whitehead	...	Mr. Billings
Ray Bennett	...	Sam Rogers
Alvin Hammer	...	Alvin

Storyline

The Kettles and their fifteen children are about to be evicted from their rundown rustic home when Pa wins the grand prize by coming up with a new tobacco slogan. Birdie Hicks is jealous of the family's new wealth, which includes a completely automated modern home, and accuses Pa of stealing the slogan. Reporter Kim Parker proves Birdie wrong and marries Tom Kettle.

---

Plot Keywords:

contest | hick | gadget | mayor | horse | 

---

Taglines:

It's Loaded . . . with new laffs !!! All Your Favorites fresh from "The Egg And I" !

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Ma and Pa Kettle Page

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Further Adventures of Ma and Pa Kettle

Filming Locations:

Courthouse Square, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As the Kettles are shown the features of their new home the newsreel footage on TV is that of the first flight of the Hughes H-4 Hercules AKA "Spruce Goose". The H-4 first and only flight was on 2 November 1947, just 17 months prior to the release of this movie.

---

Goofs

When Ma puts the kids to bed, you can see the covers are rumpled. Then, when she attempts to turn off the lights, she hits the switch to put away the beds. When the beds come back down, you can see 3 of the 4 beds are neatly made and there are dolls instead of kids. When you see them in the next shot, they are as they were before they went into the wall.

---

Quotes

Mrs. Birdie Hicks: [after getting the Kettles evicted] Good day.
Ma Kettle: [grabs Birdie] Listen here Birdie, it may be a good day for you, but it ain't for Pa. All the poor man wanted was a new tobacco pouch and instead he won a house he didn't want and he got a bad sunburn.

---

Connections

Spoofed in Pig in a Pickle (1954)

User Reviews

The Cape Flattery Hillbillies

After cracking up "The Egg and I" (1947), scene-stealers Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride went on a roll for Universal International. Beginning in their own movie series, "Ma and Pa Kettle" are about to be thrown out of their untidy abode. The family is saved when Mr. Kilbride wins a tobacco company contest, with the slogan "For smokin' or chewin' King Henry's most fittin', it smells awful good and it's dandy for spittin!" The Kettles move into their grand prize, a "prefabricated model house of the future." The ABC (good name for a TV station) television cameras document their amusing arrival.

Returning from college, handsome Richard Long (as Tom) re-joins his backwoodsy family. Along the way, he finds love with pretty Meg Randall (as Kim Parker), who is writing a series of magazine articles on the Kettles and their fifteen frightening "childrun". The plot thickens when family nemesis Esther Dale (as Birdie) discovers Kilbride may have plagiarized his winning slogan. Thanks to its appealing old cast, the film is a winner, too. Lovely old Ida Moore (as Emily) and "Albert" make a point with charm (on the train); and, the entire effort works as a satire on the effects of modernization on society.

******* Ma and Pa Kettle (4/1/49) Charles Lamont ~ Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Richard Long, Meg Randall