Thursday, June 21, 2012

Pillow To Post(1945)


Pillow To Post(1945). D: Vincent Sherman. Ida Lupino, Sydney Greenstreet, William Prince, Stuart Erwin, Ruth Donnelly, Barbara Brown, Willie Best, Louis Armstrong, Dorothy Dandridge, Bobby (Robert) Blake and William Conrad.

After hearing a call over the radio asking women to join the work force, because all the men are now in the army, Jean Howard begs her father, an oil supplies manufacturer, to hire her to represent his company. With no other choice, he gives her the job, but.. after she loses several sales, he sends her a telegram ordering her to come home.

Jean, not wanting to give up hope, travels to see Slim Clark, who runs an oil field close to an army town. Soon after she arrives, she finds the town over run with wives visiting their husbands and Jean has a hard time finding a room. She is offered a bungalow that is available only to a married couple with no children. Jean, explains to the land lady that her husband is on a bivouac, but will be home before 6:00 p.m.

Jean, goes to see Slim at the oil field, but he refuses to close the deal until she accepts his dinner invitation.
Just before her 6:00 p.m. deadline, she gets a ride from Lieutenant Don Mallory, who she gets to agree to sign the register before leaving for camp. As luck would have it, he meets his commanding officer, Colonel Michael Otley, and has to pretend that he and Jean were married that morning. Otley then cancels his plans so that he can spend the night with his new "bride".

Later, when Slim arrives for his date with Jean, Don insists that he must come along to avoid the gossiping neighbors. Slim, is not happy about the arrangement and does not close the deal. Don, spends the night camping outside, while Jean sleeps inside the bungalow.

The next morning, Don comes up with a plan to tell Otley, that they had a fight and  that Jean has returned home, but.. the plan backfires when Otley, overhears their fake fight and he insists that they make up.
Slim then invites Jean, to discuss business during a trip to Fresno. Don, can not believe it when Jean returns, with her lipstick smeared and leaves the bungalow in a huff.

To complicate matters even more, Don's mother arrives unexpectedly. While Jean is packing her suitcase, planning on heading back home. Then Otley, drops by to invite them to dinner, telling her that he is demoting a lieutenant on his staff who pretended to be married. Jean decides to stay to keep Don from getting into trouble.

At the Otleys', Jean, who has had too much to drink, tells Don her plan just before the Otleys are called away to help deliver a baby in a neighboring bungalow.

When Slim comes to take Jean to the train, he finds Don's mother in the cabin, and the two of them confront Don and Jean. It is not long before Jean's father arrives to find out what is going on. Otley, who has returned from the delivery, is about to court-martial Don when the handyman Lucille, informs them that Don spent the night outside alone. You have to watch to see who "gets the girl"?

This story, is very charming and a young Ida Lupino, is wonderful in this movie!







Ruth Donnelly (May 17, 1896 – November 17, 1982), began her stage career at the age of 17 in 1913, in The Quaker Girl. Her Broadway debut brought her to the attention of George M. Cohan, who proceeded to cast her in numerous comic-relief roles in such musicals as Going Up (1917).

Though she made her first film appearance in 1913, her Hollywood career began in 1931 and lasted until 1957.

9 comments:

  1. Nice Post.
    We are both huge fans of old movies and this one has now been added to our must watch list.
    Keep up the good work

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  2. Hey, Dawn, I caught some of PILLOW TO POST today! Admittedly, what really caught my eye was William Prince from DEAD RECKONING, and I didn't have the opportunity to watch the entire movie from start to finish, but what I DID see, I enjoyed. I'll keep an eye out for future showings!

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  3. Saw this for the first time last year and loved it..so refreshing to see Ida in a comedy..nice change of pace.

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  4. Liam and Pearl, Thank you.. I think you will enjoy this charming little film.

    DorianTB, I really enjoyed watching all the actors, earlier in their careers. Ida, really has changed her looks over the years.

    Monty, I agree.. I wonder if she enjoyed performing in such a fluffy movie?

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  5. Had no clue Dorothy Dandridge was in this film! + Love her! + Now this is a must watch.

    Thanks!

    -B

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  6. By the way Dawn, I couldn't find the post I commented on a while ago, about a woman...last name Novak? And I asked if there was any relation? I can't remember what post it was under.

    -B

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  7. Mighty B, I do not know if, Karel Novak, is related to Kim Novak. Picnic, is not my favorite film of Kim's, but.. I think you will really enjoy watching it.

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  8. hi
    after reading your post i was inspired to watch PILLOW TO POST and loved it. always great when you discover a new gem.
    thanks

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  9. Alyssa LM, I totally agree.. I'm so glad you enjoyed the film as much as I did..

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