- Mama Loves Papa (1945 film)
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This article is about the 1945 film. For the 1933 film, see Mama Loves Papa (1933 film).
Mama Loves Papa 
theatrical posterDirected by Frank R. Strayer Produced by Benjamin Stoloff Written by Monte Brice Screenplay by Charles E. Roberts Story by Keene Thompson Based on Mama Loves Papa (1933 film) by
Douglas MacLeanStarring Leon Errol
Elisabeth Risdon
Edwin Maxwell
Emory ParnellMusic by Leigh Harline Cinematography Jack MacKenzie Editing by Edward W. Williams Studio RKO Radio Pictures Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
(1945 theatrical)
C&C Television Corp.
(1955 television)Release date(s) August 8, 1945 (USA) Running time 60 minutes Country United States Language English Mama Loves Papa is a 1945 American black-and-white comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer, and written by Monte Brice, with a story by Keene Thompson and a screenplay by Charles E. Roberts, as a loose remake of the 1933 film of the same name written by Douglas MacLean. The film was produced by RKO Radio Pictures and stars Leon Errol and Elizabeth Risdon.[1][2][3][4][5]
Contents
Background
RKO bought the film rights to Paramount's 1933 film for $85,000.[6] Two actors who had been in the 1933 version of this film, returned to this 1945 remake in different roles. Tom McGuire who had earlier played the character of O'Leary, returned as the Chief of Police, and Ruth Warren who had earlier played the role of Sara Walker, returned as Mabel.[4][5]
Plot
Wilbur (Leon Errol) is a middle-class furniture store employee. His wife Jessie (Elisabeth Risdon) reads a book about how women can make their men more successful, and decides to remake her husband to give him a new image. Now dressed-for-success by his wife, Wilbur reports for work in fancy clothes. Thinking he is dressed for a funeral, his boss (Edwin Maxwell), sends Wilbur home for the day. When Wilbur is wandering perplexed in a nearby park, he is mistaken for the Park Commissioner. Seeing it as an opportunity, McIntosh (Paul Harvey), a crooked politician who wishes to land a lucrative deal with the city to sell them new playground equipment, has the mayor (Robert Middlemass) appoint Wilbur as "Playground Commissioner". Later, when Wilbur is about to denounce McIntosh as a crook, McIntosh has his wife (Charlotte Wynters) ply Wilbur with champagne. While Wilbur is tipsy, Jessie overhears a flirtateous and damning conversation between the two. Wilbur wakes up with a hangover, no pants, and learns that while intoxicated he brought disgrace to himself, the town, and his wife. Wilbur eventually exposes the political corruption, and when his wife finally agrees to let him leave politics, everything turns out okay.
Partial cast
- Leon Errol as Wilbur Todd
- Elisabeth Risdon as Jessie Todd
- Edwin Maxwell as Kirkwood
- Emory Parnell as O'Leary
- Charles Halton as Appleby
- Paul Harvey as Mr. McIntosh
- Charlotte Wynters as Mrs. McIntosh
- Ruth Lee as Mabel
- Lawrence Tierney as Sharpe
- Additional characters
- Florence Auer as Madame Dalba
- Tom Chatterton as Speaker
- Charlie Hall as Bartender
- Tom McGuire as Chief of Police
- Jack Richardson as Gentleman
- Jason Robards Sr. as Playground Policeman
- Robert Middlemass as The Mayor
- Donald Douglas as Secretary
- Max Wagner as City Official
- Frank O'Connor as City Official
Critical reception
Waycross Journal-Herald wrote that the film was the "hilarious results of domesticity gone wild".[1] Conversely, TV Guide wrote that when RKO bought the rights to Paramount's 1933 film for $85,000, they ended up creating "a film worth about $5".[6] Hal Erickson of Rovi wrote that with a change in plot devices and modification of script, the film was only a "loose remake of the 1935 Charlie Ruggles-Mary Boland comedy of the same name," and notes the sole redeeming feature to be Leon Errol's "rubber legs" routine already familiar to his fans.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b ""Mama Loves Papa" Homey Comedy Stars Leon Errol As Blunderer". Waycross Journal-Herald (Google News Archive). January 31, 1946. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hWZaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_0wNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6218,4230816&dq=mama-loves-papa+leon-errol&hl=en. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ a b Hal Erickson. "Mama Loves Papa (1945)". Rovi. Moviefone. http://www.moviefone.com/movie/mama-loves-papa/1066739/synopsis. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ Focus on film, Issues 1-12. Tantivy Press. 1970. pp. 41. http://books.google.com/books?ei=Xd3WTeGTAYKWsgPP4Ji7Bw&ct=result&id=4otZAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Mama+Loves+Papa%22%2C+%22Leon+Errol%22&q=%22Mama+Loves+Papa%22.
- ^ a b F. Maurice Speed (1946). Film review. W.H. Allen. pp. 126.
- ^ a b J.W. Alicoate (1946). The ... Film daily year book of motion pictures, Volume 28, Part 1946. J.W. Alicoate. pp. 189. http://books.google.com/books?id=LvrgAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Mama+Loves+Papa%22,+%22Leon+Errol%22&dq=%22Mama+Loves+Papa%22,+%22Leon+Errol%22&hl=en&ei=z97WTaPDBY68sQO83KyxBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBDgK.
- ^ a b "review: Mama Loves Papa". TV Guide. http://movies.tvguide.com/mama-loves-papa/review/105376. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
External links
Categories:- 1945 films
- American films
- English-language films
- 1940s films
- American comedy films
- RKO Pictures films
- Black-and-white films
- Films directed by Frank R. Strayer
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