Gold Diggers of 1937

Infobox Film
name = Gold Diggers of 1937


image_size = 200px
caption = portion of theatrical poster
director = Lloyd Bacon
Busby Berkeley
producer = Jack L. Warner
Hal B. Wallis
writer = Play:
Richard Maibaum
Michael Wallach
George Haight
Screenplay:
Warren Duff
Tom Warren
"("constructor")"
narrator =
starring = Dick Powell
Joan Blondell
Victor Moore
music = Harold Arlen "(music)"
E.Y. Harburg "(lyrics)"
Harry Warren "(music)"
Al Dubin "(lyrics)"
cinematography = Arthur Edeson
editing = Thomas Richards
distributor = Warner Bros.
released = 26 December fy|1936 "(premiere)"
28 December 1936 "(general)"
runtime = 101 minutes
country = FilmUS
language = English
budget =
gross =
imdb_id = 0027686

"Gold Diggers of 1937" is a fy|1936 Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley, and starring Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who were married at the time, and Victor Moore. The film features songs by the teams of Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg and Harry Warren and Al Dubin, and was based on the play "Sweet Mystery of Life" by Richard Maibaum, [Richard Maibaum went on to write such James Bond films as From Russia With Love (fy|1963) and Goldfinger (fy|1964).] Michael Wallach and George Haight, which ran very briefly on Broadway in 1935. [IBDB [http://ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=11999 Sweet Mystery of Life] ] Warren Duff wrote the screenplay, apparently with the assistance of Tom Warren, who's billed as "Screenplay constructor".

"Gold Diggers of 1937" was the fourth in Warner Bros.' series of "Gold Digger" films, following "Gold Diggers of Broadway" (fy|1929), which is now lost, "Gold Diggers of 1933", which was a remake of the earlier film, and the first to feature Busby Berkeley's extravagant production numbers, and "Gold Diggers of 1935". [Warners also released a silent film, "The Gold Diggers", in fy|1923, based on the same play that was used as source material for "Gold Diggers of Broadway" and "Gold Diggers of 1933".] It would be followed by "Gold Diggers in Paris" (fy|1938).

Plot

Meek, aging, hypochondriac stage producer J.J. Hobart (Victor Moore), who always thinks he is about to die, is going to mount a new show, but his partners Morty Wethered (Osgood Perkins) and Tom Hugo (Charles D. Brown) lost the money for the show in the stock market. On the advice of chorus girl Genevieve Larkin (Glenda Farrell), they insure J.J. for a million dollars, so that when he dies, they will have the money they need to produce the show. Genevieve's friend, ex-chorus girl Norma Perry (Joan Blondell) is sweet on insurance salesman Rosmer "Rossi" Peck (Dick Powell), and he writes the policy.

When Rossi's boss, Andy Callahan (William B. Davidson) finds out how old J.J. is , he is afraid he wil not pass the physical, but when Hobart does, Rossi decides he has to keep J.J. alive as long as possible, to reap the rewards of his sale. On the other hand, Morty and Hugo have everything to gain if J.J. dies, and they try to help things along. When that fails, they talk Genevieve into seducing J.J., but she ends up falling in love with him instead. Rossi finds out the reason for the insurance policy, and talks his boss, Callahan, into investing in J.J.'s show, to save the company the money it would have to pay if J.J. dropped dead after learning he was broke and could not put on the show. When the show is a success Genevieve and J.J. get married, and so do Norma and Rossi. [IMDB [http://imdb.com/title/tt0027686/plotsummary Plot Summary] , TCM [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=76604&category=Full%20Synopsis Full Synopsis] ]

Cast

*Dick Powell as "Rosmer "Rossi" Peck"
*Joan Blondell as "Norma Perry"
*Glenda Farrell as "Genevieve 'Gen' Larkin"
*Victor Moore as "J. J. Hobart"
*Lee Dixon as "Boop Oglethorpe"
*Osgood Perkins as "Morty Wethered"
*Charles D. Brown as "Mr. Tom Hugo"
*Rosalind Marquis as "Sally LaVerne"
*Irene Ware as "Irene (Sally's pal)"
*William B. Davidson as "Andy Callahan"
*Olin Howland as "Dr. MacDuffy"
*Charles Halton as "Dr. Bell"
*Paul Irving as "Dr. Warshof"
*Harry C. Bradley as "Dr. Henry"
*Joseph Crehan as "Chairman of insurance convention"
*Susan Fleming as "Lucille Bailey (Hobart's secretary)"

;Cast notes
*Jane Wyman has an uncredited bit part as a chorus girl who says "Girls, we're saved!

ongs

The production numbers were created, designed, staged and directed by Busby Berkeley. Originally, all the songs for the film was to have been written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, but Berkeley was dissatisfied and brought in Harry Warren and Al Dubin, who has contributed songs to his previous Warner Bros. films. Their song "With Plenty of Money and You", which was subtitled "The Gold Diggers' Lullaby" became a hit.Frank Miller [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=76604&category=Articles "Gold Diggers of 1937" TCM article] ]

*"All's Fair in Love and War" - by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics) - The staging for this number utilized 104 women in white military uniforms tapping in military formations and geometric patterns.
*"With Plenty of Money and You (The Gold Diggers' Lullaby)" - by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics)
*"Speaking of the Weather" - by Harold Arlen (music) and E.Y. Harburg (lyrics)
*"Let's Put Our Heads Together" - by Harold Arlen (music) and E. Y. Harburg (lyrics)
*"Hush Mah Mouth" - by Harold Arlen (music) and E. Y. Harburg (lyrics)
*"Life Insurance" - by Harold Arlen (music) and E. Y. Harburg (lyrics)

Production

Although Busby Berkeley had directed "Gold Diggers of 1935", for this film the director's chair was occupied by Lloyd Bacon, who had collaborated with Berkeley on 42nd Street. "Gold Diggers of 1937" marked Victor Moore's return to the screen after a two-year absence following "Gift of Gab", during which he starred in "Anything Goes" on Broadway. [IBDB [http://ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=53589 Victor Moore] ]

The film was in production at Warner Bros. Burbank studio beginning in mid-July 1936, and premiered on 26 December 1936. It went into general release two days later. [IMDB [http://imdb.com/title/tt0027686/releaseinfo Release Dates] ]

In fy|1937, Busby Berkeley was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Dance Direction for the "All's Fair in Love and War" production number. [IMDB [http://imdb.com/title/tt0027686/awards Awards] ]

Notes

External links

*imdb title|id=0027686|title=Gold Diggers of 1937
*tcmdb title|id=76604|title=Gold Diggers of 1937
*allmovie title|1:93442