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» » Too Many Wives (1937)

Short summary

Betty Jackson, a socialite, and Barry Trent are attracted to each other upon first sight. They met running into each other in the park as they walked their respective dogs day after day. Betty doesn't know what Barry does for a living, but because he has different dogs on each walk, he implies he works in his family's dog breeding business. In reality, he is a poor dog walker, he only doing this job as he, a recent journalism graduate, can't get a job as a reporter, despite he constantly at the offices of the Evening Star newspaper trying to work his way into speak to the editor/publisher, Horace Mansfield, about that job. Although Mansfield tells him that there are no reporter jobs available at the newspaper, Barry is able to convince Mansfield to hire him in another capacity: as the fall guy. Whenever a disgruntled subject of a story or article comes into complain to Mansfield and to have the head of the person who wrote the story or article, Mansfield trots out Barry as the author,...

This film did poorly at the box office and RKO lost $35,000 ($587,000 in 2016) according to studio records.

The "Baltimore 1845" ten cent stamp that Mansfield is after is an actual rare stamp - Scott's #3X2 on white paper and #3X4 on light blue paper. The best examples can fetch tens of thousands of dollars at auction. What is shown in the film is a facsimile of the stamp, of course, with cancellations done poorly.

Trent's initial salary of $25/week would equate to $420 in 2016.

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: lifestyle
    Anne Shirley moved into the leading actress category in 1937 after a decade as a child star. She is good in this screwball comedy about John Morley, who's the blame-taker at the local newspaper -- $25 a week. The ins and outs of who is who is a little too much to list here, but there's a fine supporting cast, including Gene Lockhart, Jack Carson in a very early role, and Barbara Pepper, slightly miscast -- the plot overwhelms this 61-minute programmer, and everyone talks faster than in a Warner B.

    Morley is a bit stiff and out of his class in the lead role -- he can't seem to speak fast enough -- but Miss Shirley acquits herself well enough. A few more gags would have helped, but that might have required a few more minutes, and director Ben Holmes, RKO's specialist in churning 'em out quick, probably lacked the patience -- even if it was a slow year for him, he had two other pictures to direct.
  • comment
    • Author: Felolak
    Light, fluffy piece. Story moves right along. typical misunderstandings.... if only everyone had told the truth from the beginning. Anyhoo. Jack Carson in his FIRST credited role! Anne Shirley and John Morley star in this silly film where Morley pretends to be numerous Walter Mitty type roles to help out his newspaper editor boss (Dudley Clement). Every time someone complains, Barry Trent (Morley) pretends to be the one responsible for the goofup, and saves the day. Gene Lockhart is the girlfiend's dad. It all ends well, of course. Fluffy, silly caper. Ain't no thang. Another one of those white-washed, yackity yack films from the 1930s. Directed by Ben Holmes. He was king of the short films. He DID make full lengthers in the 1930s... this being one of them. Kind of a three stooges type ending.
  • Complete credited cast:
    Anne Shirley Anne Shirley - Betty Jackson
    John Morley John Morley - Barry Trent
    Gene Lockhart Gene Lockhart - Winfield Jackson
    Dudley Clements Dudley Clements - Horace Mansfield
    Barbara Pepper Barbara Pepper - Angela Brown
    Frank Melton Frank Melton - Clabby Holden
    Charles Coleman Charles Coleman - Rogers
    Dot Farley Dot Farley - Mrs. Potts
    Jack Carson Jack Carson - Hodges
    George Irving George Irving - Justice A.K. Otto
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