Monday, September 17, 2012

Mr. Deeds Goes To Town

Mr. Deeds Goes To Town 
Released Date: April 12, 1936
Director: Frank Capra
Actors: Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, George Bancroft, Lionel Stander, Douglass Dumbrille, Raymond Walburn, H.B. Warner, Ruth Donnelly, and Walter Catlett



     Frank Capra, from the start wanted Gary Cooper to play the lead, and also wanted Carole Lombard. But the latter backed out due to production for her other movie, My Man Godfrey. As a matter of fact, Columbia Studios did not want Jean Arthur being cast as the female lead. Did you know that Jean Arthur never actually saw this movie till much latter in life, when she was a guest at a 1972 film festival? This movie also is dubbed as the entry of the verb doodle, which means scribbling absent-minded, and is now in the English language. Have you heard of "Lux Radio Theater?" It is a radio program that is based on current movies. Which is very old, and has not been around for a long time. Anyway, this movie is also in the Lux Radio Program, and has Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, and Lionel Stander reprising their roles.

     We follow Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper) as he finds out that he now owns Ten Million Dollars. Due to his uncles death. Longfellow knows of this uncle of his but not well. The money was given to him, because his uncle was not happy with his other family members. Mr. Deeds lives in a small town, and plays the Tuba with the town band. He is well known and very well liked. He has tons of friends, and is very kind hearted. He is taken from his small town, which is Mandrakes Falls, Vermont, and taken to a bigger city. Where everyone is not to be trusted. And everyone believes he is a small town idiot. But he proves he is so much more. And very smart indeed. He ends up falling for Babe Bennett (Jean Arthur) whom is not who she says she is. And just when everything falls apart, the Capra touch brings everything back together. I love all of the movies I have seen by Frank Capra and this is a great one. Watch this movie, and fall in love. Gary Cooper does a fantastic job, along with Jean Arthur. :) You'll be happy you saw it!

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