Comedy Classics: Volume 5
March 5, 2010Comedy Classics: Volume 5
Call Number: DVD00149
by Mickey Rooney, Fay Holden, Lewis Stone, Sara Haden, Bonita Granville, Lina Romay, Laraine Day, Kirk Douglas, Keenan Wynn, Helen Walker, Rudy Vallee, Rosalind Russell, Paul Douglas, Marie Wilson, William Ching, Arleen Whelan, Leif Erickson, Hillary Brooke, Carole Lombard, Fredric March, Charles Winninger, Walter Connolly
Format: DVD
Language: English
Publisher: La Crosse, WI : Platinum Disc, ©2004.
Notes: Contains four feature films; (345 mins. Black & white and Color)
Chapters: Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1947, 92 min.) — Look what fell off the back of an army truck: it’s the comical and lovable Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney)! G.I. Andy Hardy returns to his hometown of Carvel for a happy reunion with his parents (Fay Holden and Lewis Stone). He’s been exclusively dating Kay Wilson (Bonita Granville), whom he met at college, and is disheartened when she elects to marry someone else. To take his mind off his former flame, Andy entertains the idea of foregoing college to make a fortune in South America in a get-rich-quick scheme, much to the chagrin of his father. It turns out that Andy doesn’t have to go to South America after all, because a part of South America comes to him in the form of Isobel Gonzales (Lina Romay). Once he meets the lovely Latin-American exchange student, it’s “Kay, who?” Love may have laughed at Andy Hardy, but it’s Andy who has the last laugh!
My Dear Secretary (1948, 94 min.) — My Dear Secretary is a romantic-comedy about Owen Waterbury (Kirk Douglas), a renowned novelist, who hires aspiring writer Stephanie Gaylord (Laraine Day) as his secretary. Stephanie is overjoyed when she learns she’s gotten the job, but her elation begins to fade when she finds out she’ll be working in Owen’s apartment, where they’re constantly distracted by a relentless barrage of wacky visitors. Moreover, Owen seems less interested in work and more so in play—his interest is blondes rather than books. Fed up with the immature womanizer and having no desire to become his latest conquest, Stephanie quits; but Owen is hooked. Set on winning her over Waterbury does away with his playboy principles and does everything he can to win her back. But is this just another game to the writer, or is Owen Waterbury truly a changed man?
Never Wave at a WAC (1952, 85 min.) — Social butterfly Jo McBain (Rosalind Russell) thinks she can manipulate the system by joining the WACs to be with her G.I. boyfriend, Lt. Col. Schuyler Fairchild (William Ching), who is stationed in Paris. Jo thinks nothing of joining the service because she fully believes her contacts in Washington will get her out as soon as she’s ready to go. Jo’s ex-husband Andrew McBain (Paul Douglas) has other plans for her, however, and uses his own connections to make sure that Jo stays put in the service by requesting her for his project—a project that conveniently disrupts her romantic rendezvous with her boyfriend, that is.
Nothing Sacred (1938, 74 min.) — In this deftly scripted, witty comedy, a down-on-his-luck reporter [Wally Cook (Fredric March)] is doomed to writing obituaries for his involuntary part in a hoax. Hoping to recoup some of his credibility, Cook plots a big exposé on Hazel Flagg (Carole Lombard), a foreign girl who’s been diagnosed with radiation poisoning and is reportedly dying. Cook offers Hazel an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City in exchange for her exclusive story. In the meantime, Hazel learns she’s been misdiagnosed by her perpetually drunk, alcoholic doctor and that she’s not going to die after all. But rather than lose her free trip, Hazel decides to keep up the charade, resulting in a comically complicated plot and a heavy dose of guilty conscience.
My Dear Secretary (1948, 94 min.) — My Dear Secretary is a romantic-comedy about Owen Waterbury (Kirk Douglas), a renowned novelist, who hires aspiring writer Stephanie Gaylord (Laraine Day) as his secretary. Stephanie is overjoyed when she learns she’s gotten the job, but her elation begins to fade when she finds out she’ll be working in Owen’s apartment, where they’re constantly distracted by a relentless barrage of wacky visitors. Moreover, Owen seems less interested in work and more so in play—his interest is blondes rather than books. Fed up with the immature womanizer and having no desire to become his latest conquest, Stephanie quits; but Owen is hooked. Set on winning her over Waterbury does away with his playboy principles and does everything he can to win her back. But is this just another game to the writer, or is Owen Waterbury truly a changed man?
Never Wave at a WAC (1952, 85 min.) — Social butterfly Jo McBain (Rosalind Russell) thinks she can manipulate the system by joining the WACs to be with her G.I. boyfriend, Lt. Col. Schuyler Fairchild (William Ching), who is stationed in Paris. Jo thinks nothing of joining the service because she fully believes her contacts in Washington will get her out as soon as she’s ready to go. Jo’s ex-husband Andrew McBain (Paul Douglas) has other plans for her, however, and uses his own connections to make sure that Jo stays put in the service by requesting her for his project—a project that conveniently disrupts her romantic rendezvous with her boyfriend, that is.
Nothing Sacred (1938, 74 min.) — In this deftly scripted, witty comedy, a down-on-his-luck reporter [Wally Cook (Fredric March)] is doomed to writing obituaries for his involuntary part in a hoax. Hoping to recoup some of his credibility, Cook plots a big exposé on Hazel Flagg (Carole Lombard), a foreign girl who’s been diagnosed with radiation poisoning and is reportedly dying. Cook offers Hazel an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City in exchange for her exclusive story. In the meantime, Hazel learns she’s been misdiagnosed by her perpetually drunk, alcoholic doctor and that she’s not going to die after all. But rather than lose her free trip, Hazel decides to keep up the charade, resulting in a comically complicated plot and a heavy dose of guilty conscience.
OCLC #: [?] (additional info from publisher website)
Added: March 5, 2010
This item is part of the Ralph H. Wolfe Collection
