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Select media
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Stills must not be reproduced, copied or downloaded in any way.
Film details
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Featuring
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Director
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Country
USA
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Year
1941
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Genres
Comedy Romance
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Type
Film
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Category
Fiction
Introduction
“Sturges’ superb screwball comedy combines humour and eroticism with a few well-judge swipes at the American class system. The pairing of Henry Fonda... and Barbara Stanwyck... works perfectly.”
Geoffrey Macnab, Sight & Sound, July 2005
Better remembered for intense dramatic roles, Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda weren’t obvious choices for light romantic comedy, but they’re nicely matched in this Preston Sturges classic. Stanwyck is the card sharp who sets out to fleece earnest, accident-prone millionaire “ophiologist” (snake expert) Fonda on a liner from South America, only to fall in love with him. When he rumbles her and breaks off their romance, she poses as glamorous English aristocrat “the Lady Eve Sidwich” in order to win him back.
There’s polished comic support from stalwart character actors Charles Coburn, William Demarest and a scene-stealing Eric Blore, a regular foil for Fred Astaire in his 1930s musicals. Made in 1941, it was the last blast of the screwball genre before it was killed off by the outbreak of WWII.
Howard Hawks’s Bringing up Baby (1938) used a similar set-up of a repressed and nerdy expert – this time not snakes but dinosaurs – loosened up by a dynamic woman.
Cast & Credits
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Cast
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Jean Harrington
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Charles Poncefort Pike
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'Colonel' Harrington
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Mr Pike
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Muggsy
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Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith, 'Pearly'
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Gerald
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Martha
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Mrs Pike
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Burrows
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Gertrude
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Pike's chef
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[bartender at party]
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[bartender on boat]
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[butler]
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[piano tuner]
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[man with potted palm]
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[Sir Alfred's manservant]
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[lawyer in Pike's office]
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[steward]
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[steward]
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[steward]
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[Professor Jones]
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[girl on boat]
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[mother on boat]
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[passenger]
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[passenger]
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[purser]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[guest at party]
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[butler at party]
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[social secretary]
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[lawyer in Pike's office]
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[lawyer in Pike's office]
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[lawyer in Pike's office]
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[Mac]
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[sweetie]
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[daughter on boat]
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[daughter on boat]
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[young man on boat]
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[mother on boat]
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[mother on boat]
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[mother on boat]
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[woman on boat]
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[woman on boat]
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[wife on boat]
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[lady on boat]
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[old lady on boat]
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[man on boat]
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[man on boat]
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[husband on boat]
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[husband on boat]
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[father on boat]
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[spectacled man]
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[father of girl on boat]
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[Sparky]
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[passenger]
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Credits
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Direction:
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Director
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[Assistant Director]
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[Assistant Director (2nd)]
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[Script Supervisor]
Production:
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©/Production Company
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[Executive Producer]
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Producer
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[Business Manager]
Casting:
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[Casting]
Writing:
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Written by
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Based on a story by
Photography:
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Director of Photography
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[2nd Camera]
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[Assistant Camera]
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[Gaffer]
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[Electrician]
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[Grip]
Stills:
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[Stills]
Editing:
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Editor
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[Assistant Editor]
Design:
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Art Director
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Art Director
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[Set Dresser]
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[Props]
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[Props]
Costumes:
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Costumes
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[Women's Wardrobe]
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[Men's Wardrobe]
Make-up:
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[Make-up Artist]
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[Hairdresser]
Titles:
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[Animated Titles]
Music:
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[Musical Score]
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[Musical Score]
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Music Director
Sound:
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Sound Recording
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Sound Recording
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[Recordist]
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[Stage Engineer]
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[Mike Grip]
Stunts:
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[Technical Director]
Publicity:
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[Publicity]
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The Greatest Films of All Time 2012
Voted for by 15 critics and 4 directors.