Bo Gillis is running for Governor. Steve writes the speeches, Sylvester runs the campaign and Bo plays the guitar. Everything is going according to the plan until a hooker named Ada is ...
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Title: Ada (1961)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Susan Hayward | ... | Ada Gillis | |
| Dean Martin | ... | Bo Gillis | |
| Wilfrid Hyde-White | ... | Sylvester Marin | |
| Ralph Meeker | ... | Colonel Yancey | |
| Martin Balsam | ... | Steve Jackson | |
| Frank Maxwell | ... | Ronnie Hallerton | |
| Connie Sawyer | ... | Alice Sweet | |
| Ford Rainey | ... | Speaker | |
 |
Charles Watts | ... | Al Winslow |
| Larry Gates | ... | Joe Adams | |
|
|
Robert S. Simon | ... | Warren Hatfield |
| Bill Zuckert | ... | Harry Davers (as William Zuckert) | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Bo Gillis is running for Governor. Steve writes the speeches, Sylvester runs the campaign and Bo plays the guitar. Everything is going according to the plan until a hooker named Ada is setup with Bo one night. Even with her past, Bo decides to marry her, much to the astonishment of everyone. After the election, she has a created bio and is very adept at handling people. Bo Gillis, as Governor, finds that he has little influence as Sylvester runs the whole operation. Bo's function is only to sign what is given to him. But while Bo is weak and fails to push his reforms, Ada is strong and adept at doing what is best for Bo and her. Written by Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>
Plot Keywords:
politician | political corruption | soap opera | based on novel | character name as title |Taglines:
What was the truth about Ada? See more »Parents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
25 August 1961 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Ada Dallas See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Ada Gillis: I'm a tough big one, too.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
This film was a disaster at the box office for MGM, resulting in a loss of $2,372,000 ($19.2M in 2017) according to studio records. See more »Goofs
When Bo and Steve are in the car after the campaign rally at the beginning of the film, the scene through the rear window of their car is partially repeated on the rear-projection screen behind them. See more »Quotes
Bo Gillis: You must have been a tough little girl.Ada Gillis: I'm a tough big one, too.
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When Ada was shown on TCM this past weekend Robert Osborne remarked that Susan Hayward requested to see this film during her final bout with brain cancer. I remembered reading some years ago that she said in an article her three favorite leading men were Clark Gable, John Wayne, and Dean Martin. She must have liked those guys a lot because she sure didn't do her best work with them.
But Ada is vintage Susan Hayward and again the kind of stuff that should have been done as a prime time TV soap opera. That's what these characters are more suited for.
In fact Dean Martin as Bo Gillis and Hayward as Ada are based on a couple of real life southern politicians. Jimmie Davis was a country singer/songwriter whose writing of You Are My Sunshine got him elected Governor of Louisiana. As it turned out when Ada was in theaters, Davis was being re-elected Governor of Louisiana again.
Miriam "Ma" Ferguson pinch hit for her husband James E. Ferguson twice as Governor of Texas. Of course Ma Ferguson didn't quite have the trollop background of Ada.
Susan is working in a high class bordello when gubernatorial candidate Martin comes in for a little entertainment. Wouldn't you know it, they fall in love and marry.
By a wild set of circumstances, Hayward is also made Lieutenant Governor as well as First Lady. I'll bet Bill Clinton is cursing the day he didn't think of that instead of being stuck with that stiff he had for a Vice president.
Fans of Susan Hayward and I'm one of them will love Ada. But it really is a bit much to expect the audience to swallow the incredible plot this film has.