The Palm Beach Story
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| The Palm Beach Story | |
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| Directed by | Preston Sturges |
| Produced by | Paul Jones (associate producer) Buddy G. DeSylva (uncredited) |
| Written by | Preston Sturges |
| Starring | Claudette Colbert Joel McCrea Mary Astor Rudy Vallee |
| Music by | Victor Young |
| Cinematography | Victor Milner |
| Editing by | Stuart Gilmore |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) |  November 7, 1942 |
| Running time | 88 min. |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Palm Beach Story is a 1942 romantic screwball comedy film made by Paramount Pictures, written and directed by Preston Sturges. The music score is by Victor Young. The film stars Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea, and features Mary Astor and Rudy Vallee.
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[edit] Plot synopsis
Joel McCrea and Claudette Colbert play Thomas (Tom) and Geraldine (Gerry) Jeffers, a married couple in New York City who love each other, but are down on their luck financially. Gerry decides that Tom would be better off if they split so she goes to Palm Beach, Florida to establish residency in anticipation of a divorce and in the hope of meeting a wealthy second husband who could help Tom. On the train, she meets the wacky members of "The Ale and Quail Club" and, more importantly, the extremely wealthy John D. Hackensacker III (a takeoff of John D. Rockefeller), played by Rudy Vallee.
In the antic manner of their namesakes in the popular Tom and Jerry (MGM) cat-chases-mouse cartoons, Tom follows Gerry to Palm Beach. When Tom meets Hackensacker, Gerry introduces him as her brother. Soon, Hackensacker falls for Gerry, and his often-married, man-hungry sister, Princess Centimillia (Mary Astor), chases Tom.
Tom finally persuades Gerry to give their marriage another chance and they confess their masquerade to their disappointed suitors. However, when they let slip that they met because they were both twins, the millionaires are elated. The final scene shows Hackensacker and Gerry's sister, and the Princess and Tom's brother, getting married.
[edit] Production notes
This was Sturges' second collaboration with McCrea, following Sullivan's Travels from the previous year, and they would work together again on The Great Moment in 1946. Typical of a Sturges movie, the pacing and dialogue are very fast. Also notable are the zany side characters, mostly played by members of Sturges' informal repertory company, particularly the elderly sausage magnate known as The Wienie King (Robert Dudley) and "The Ale and Quail Club," a group of drunken wealthy sportsmen (including character actors Jack Norton, Jimmy Conlin, and William Demarest, amongst others). Victor Young contributes a lively musical score (including a fastpaced variation of The William Tell Overture for the strange opening scenes).
[edit] Cast
- Claudette Colbert as Geraldine 'Gerry' Jeffers
- Joel McCrea as Tom Jeffers ('Capt. McGlew')
- Mary Astor as The Princess Centimillia
- Rudy Vallee as John D. Hackensacker III a.k.a. "snoodles"
- Sig Arno as Toto
- Robert Dudley as "The Wienie King"
- Robert Warwick as Mr. Hinch, Ale and Quail Club
- Arthur Stuart Hull as Mr. Osmond
- Torben Meyer as Dr. Kluck
- Jimmy Conlin as Mr. Asweld, Ale and Quail Club
- Victor Potel as Mr. McKeewie
- William Demarest as First Member Ale and Quail Club
- Jack Norton as Second Member Ale and Quail Club
- Robert Greig as Third Member Ale and Quail Club
- Roscoe Ates as Fourth Member Ale and Quail Club
- Dewey Robinson as Fifth Member Ale and Quail Club
[edit] External links
- The Palm Beach Story at the TCM Movie Database
- Greatest Films- The Palm Beach Story Critique and thorough plot description/analysis.
- Sturges Urges metroactive
- The Palm Beach Story PORTICO
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