It Happened to Jane

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It Happened to Jane
Directed by Richard Quine
Produced by Martin Melcher
Richard Quine
Written by Norman Katkov
Max Wilk
Starring Doris Day
Jack Lemmon
Ernie Kovacs
Music by George Duning
Cinematography Charles Lawton Jr.
Editing by Charles Nelson
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) 14 July 1959
Running time 97 mins
Country United States
Language English
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

It Happened to Jane is a 1959 romantic comedy film starring Doris Day, Jack Lemmon and Ernie Kovacs directed by Richard Quine and written by Norman Katkov and Max Wilk.

Day plays Jane Osgood, a young widow in the lobster business in Maine, who sues railroad magnate Harry Foster Malone (Kovacs) after his railroad allows a shipment of her lobsters to spoil. Lemmon plays her attorney and love interest.

Contents

[edit] Storyline

In May 1959, in the town of Cape Anne, Maine, while Jane Osgood and her son Billy are tending to their lobster traps, Olde 97 arrives at the station and the conductor asks Homer Bean to sign the work order for the return of three hundred lobsters. Homer refuses to sign, stating he's got to confirm Jane first. The conductor orders him to get on with it, so Olde 97 will be ready to leave before the next train comes.

At home, Jane's daughter Betty tells Jane that Homer called about the returned lobsters, which she sent out on the fast freight, has returned. Shocked, Jane drives down to the station, where Olde 97 is still waiting, and finds all the lobsters are dead. Once she learns the Marshall Town Country Club, on the West Branch, refused her order on Monday, she points out the lobsters were to arrive on Friday and reveals it was the fault of the Eastern And Portland Railroad. So she heads back to town to see her lawyer, George Denham, who's trying to run against grocery store owner, Aaron Caldwell, for the position of First Selectman. After Jane tells George what had happened, George promises to make the E&P pay up.

Later, in the E&P's office in the New York Central Building in New York City, Harry Foster Malone, who took over the E&P in January, 1958, is having lobster for lunch, when Ms. Beersley, his secretary, announces he's booked on Flight 677 to Boston. Malone refuses the booking, stating that he runs a railroad, not an airline. Crawford Sloan then tells Malone about the Osgood Lawsuit, and reveals that due to the budget cuts Malone issued, there was no station agent at Marshall Town to receive the lobsters. Malone then sends Sloan and Wilbur Peterson to Cape Anne.

Later that night, the two men arrive at Jane's house and present Jane a check of $700, but Jane refuses because the loss is more than $700. When George comes back from a cub scout meeting and learns what's going on, Sloan insists Jane take the check and explains that the E&P has won 314 cases, except for the case involving the "berth" (get it?) of a baby. After Jane sends the E&P men out, George explains he's running for first selectman, because of the damage Aaron's doing to the town. This damage involves half day school sessions, no fire engines and snowplows, and a busted parking meter.

Next day, in court, Jane wins her side of the case, since its a hometown decision, but she's upset at having to wait for the case to be taken to the Supreme Court in Augusta. At the same time that day, Wilbur Peterson is waiting for the Limited, when Olde 97 comes in. In New York, Malone, playing Poker with his top men at this time, learns about the hometown decision on the Osgood Lawsuit.

Since Malone is only paying for the lobsters and not the damages, Jane and George file a writ of execution to force payment, and take possession of Olde 97 in lieu of payment. Otis Denham, George's uncle and retired E&P engineer, shows Billy around Olde 97 and explains how he drove Olde 97's sister back in 1924 when he was the engineer of Teddy Roosevelt's train. Jane is interviewed by Matilda Runyon, the town's newspaper reporter, and Matilda returns to town to her office, and scolds Clarence, her husband, for drinking her beer. Then she calls the Daily Mirror in New York. After giving instructions to Matilda, the editor orders his top reporter, Larry Hall to go to Cape Anne. That night, Malone isn't the least surprised when he learns about the seizure of one of his trains.

Next day, a television news reporter interviews Otis and gets comments from Betty and Billy. George learns from Billy that Jane went into town to show Larry around. During the tour, Jane explains to Larry she was the last of the Boyds, who were the founders of Cape Anne, before she was married to her late husband. They meet up with Selwyn Harris, and once George finds Jane and Larry, he reveals some good news. The Marshall Town Country Club has apoligized to Jane for refusing future orders and wants a new order for three hundred lobsters. There are also offers from television stations to star Jane.

That night, at the cub scout cookout, the scouts sing their farewell song for Jane, George, and Larry. After they go home, Homer tells Jane that Malone is charging her rent for the siding where Olde 97 is sitting. When George offers to deliver the lobsters in Jane's station wagon, Jane reveals that air freights are too expensive and delivery truck service is too slow, which was why she chose the railroad as her delivery service. Despite the argument between George and Larry, Jane decides to appear on television.

Next day, in New York City, Jane states her case on ABC, NBC, and CBS. During this time, Malone is watching the TV and making a list of people to bar from the E&P for life in his head. Fearful of bad publicity, Malone finally gives in and cancels the rent, but gives Jane the train. At the same time, George is getting increasingly jealous when he learns Larry is starting to get attracted to Jane and wants her to return home. That night, Larry even asks Jane to consider marrying him.

Two days later, back in Cape Anne, Jane arrives home and, after a short argument with George, they go to the town meeting. Aaron is facing pressure as Otis, Matilda, and the other townspeople demand a fire engine and snowplow for the town, and the parking meter be fixed. During the meeting, Jane learns from Homer that Malone has decided to order all trains to go through Cape Anne without stopping and has given Jane 48 hours to remove Olde 97. Jane runs away, but George scolds the town for turning against Jane and reminds them of the hurricane of 1949, where the town rescued 104 survivors. After George leaves to find Jane, Otis prepares his vote for first selectman.

George takes his convertible, eventually finds Jane and learns she's planning to move to New York City. Despite Jane's incompetence, George encourages Jane not to give up in her fight. Realizing Olde 97 is just the way to deliver the lobsters, they drive back to town, where George learns he's finally been elected first selectman. Overjoyed, he tells everybody to pick up coal from their homes and Coal Creek to fill up Olde 97's tender.

All through the afternoon and early the next morning, everybody has gathered all the coal to fire up Olde 97. Otis, who still has his license, promises Clarence he'll get a fire engine once they reach the Bronx. Jane calls the chef at the Marshall Town Country Club and gets a call from Larry to wear something blue. Homer calls the E&P's office to get a route for the eight stops the train is to make, but after Malone loses one of his top men, he gives them a different route. George protests at this, but Otis points out the Flyer is coming down the track and they have to leave right away. Once Jane and her children and the lobsters are on board, Olde 97 moves out of the siding and sets off down the track.

During the journey of Olde 97, Malone decides to cheat in every way possible. First, at the first alternate stop, he lets a slow freight move on ahead of Olde 97. Next, he reroutes the train on to a branch line that closed in 1956 and is slated for demolition. Then, he reroutes the train through every whistle stop in New England. When Olde 97 stops at Holgate to take on water, Malone orders his top men to order the staion agent not to give them water. Malone's top men quit immediately, so Malone gives the orders to the staiton agent. The station agent, however, gives Olde 97 the water it needs. Malone then gets pressured by Sloan.

Meanwhile, on Olde 97, Jane is getting upset at the sightseeing tour they're getting. She explains to Betty that Larry is thinking of marrying her. Jane then climbs out of the coach and onto Olde 97's tender to tell George the news. George greatly protests and convinces Jane to stay in Cape Anne instead. All the while, Otis yells at George to shovel more coal, but the tender is out of coal and Olde 97 runs out of steam and is forced to stop at the next crossover.

Malone eventually hears about Olde 97 and prepares to send somebody over to sort it out. However, because Ms. Beersley had been questioned by reporters, and because of Sloan's pressuring, he orders Ms. Beersley to book him on the next flight to New England.

At the crossover, the diesels taking the Limited and the Flyer are held up because of Olde 97. George is arguing with the engineer of the Flyer who wants to help. Just then, Malone arrives by helicopter, and after he learns what's wrong, Jane scolds him for his actions. When Malone agrees to Jane's demands, he threatens to dump Olde 97 in the Atlantic Ocean, but is scolded by Billy, after which he reveals it was a figure of speech. After Malone orders the trains to get moving, Jane and George order Malone to come with them so he won't cause anymore trouble. The Flyer then nudges forward and gets coupled up to Olde 97 and its train. During the journey to the next station, Betty asks Malone why he's so mean.

At the next station, Olde 97 is pushed under the coal chute and gets more coal. Getting Olde 97 back in operation looks like it will take a long time, which makes Jane worried. While she and George discuss about Larry, Malone, thinking about what Betty had said, finally shows his good side by climbing in to the cab and helping Otis and Billy shovel in more coal.

Finally back under its own steam, Olde 97 goes back on its proper route, thanks to a newly reformed Malone. It pulls in to Marshall Town, where the chef and his men, and Larry and a photographer are waiting. Seeing Larry, George proves to Larry that Jane's his property by kissing her in front of the photographer and Malone. Larry finally sees it George's way and Jane agrees to marry George.

A few days later in Cape Anne, after the lobster deliveries are complete, Jane has married George, and Malone has made Olde 97 the Denhams' private train, a parade is held on Memorial Day. After being in office since 1935, Aaron is ready to swear in George as the new first selectman. They hold it right in front of Olde 97, which has been put in the town square for the day. Just as George is reading the oath, a fire engine pulls into town. Everybody sees it's a present from Malone. Just as everybody is wondering where Malone is, Malone comes out from hiding and calls for his driver to take him back to the station. Jane, however, catches sight of Malone, and the movie ends with everybody chasing Malone and his car back to the station.

[edit] Facts

The railroad map of the E&P looks almost exactly like the railroad map of the New Haven Railroad.

The diesel and electric locomotives of the E&P have the same color scheme as the diesel and electric locomotives of the New Haven Railroad.

Olde 97 is based on the J-Class 2-8-2 steam locomotives that used to run on the New Haven Railroad.

During the scene where Olde 97 is waiting for the slow freight to pass by, you can see a boxcar from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

The model locomotives on the shelf behind Harry Foster Malone's desk are an EP-5 electric locomotive, a F-class diesel A unit and B unit, and a Northern type (4-8-4) steam locomotive.

When Malone extinguishes his cigar after learning about the seizure of Olde 97, his cigar makes the same noise a steam locomotive makes when it lets off steam.

Olde 97 was a common nickname for steam locomotives that had the number 97 on them.

Homer Bean has a dog named Cynthia and the Runyons have a cat named Racoon, who is mentioned but never seen during the movie.

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Doris Day and Jack Lemmon had wonderful words of praise for each other. So much that they would have happily starred in another movie together.

[edit] Running Gags

1. Jane catching Sam the lobster trying to sneak over into the girls' side of the lobster farm. This ends before the climax with George tossing Sam into the girls' side.

2. Malone calling Ms. Beersley, Jane, and other ladies "dumb broads."

3. George catching Sam out of the water and rushing him back to the lobster farm in two different ways. a) George is about to toss Sam into the girls' side when Jane points it out, and George tosses Sam into the boys' side. b) George is rushing out in his pajamas, and almost to the lobster farm, Sam pinches his fingers.

4. Billy and Betty having a feud over history during the television reporter's interview.

5. George's feud with Larry over the affections of Jane.

[edit] Songs

It Happened To Jane
Performed by Doris Day


Be Prepared
Performed by Doris Day


I've Been Workin' On The Railroad

[edit] Cast

Doris Day: Jane Osgood

Jack Lemmon: George Denham

Ernie Kovacs: Harry Foster Malone

Steve Forrest: Larry Hall

Teddy Rooney: Billy Osgood

Gina Gillespie: Betty Osgood

Russ Brown: Uncle Otis Denham

Walter Greaza: Crawford Sloan

Parker Fennelly: Homer Bean

Mary Wickes: Matilda Runyon

Dick Crockett: Clarence Runyon

Philip Coolidge: Wilbur Peterson

Max Showalter: Selwyn Harris

John Cecil Holm: Aaron Caldwell

Napoleon Whiting: Eugene The Waiter

Dave Garroway: The Left Hand Host

Robert Paige: The Big Payoff Host

Garry Moore: "I've Got A Secret" Host

Bill Cullen: Panelist

Jayne Meadows: Panelist

Henry Morgan: Panelist

Betsy Palmer: Panelist

Steve McCormick: TV Newsman

Gene Rayburn: Himself - WTIC-TV reporter (uncredited)

[edit] External links

www.rottentomatoes.com

The final scene of this movie was filmed at the Chester Connecticut train station. People from all over Connecticut were invited to be an extra in the movie.

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