Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone | |
---|---|
Loew's, Inc. | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 69 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $592,000[1] |
Box office | $915,000[1] |
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone is a 1950 comedy/murder mystery film set on board a train. It stars
Plot
Montana housewife Hattie O'Malley boards a train bound for New York because she's on her way to collect a prize she's won from a radio program. Getting on board in Chicago is criminal attorney John J. Malone, whose client, Steve Kepplar, just released from prison in Joliet, still owes him $10,000.
Suspicion exists that Kepplar himself will be on the train, heading to New York to retrieve $100,000 he previously stashed from a robbery. Chicago detective Tim Marino is a passenger. So is the ex-convict's business partner, Myron Brynk, and his moll, a looker named Lola.
Kepplar is indeed along for the ride, disguised as a sailor. Lola is in on it, hiding him in her compartment. But soon his dead body is found, followed by hers. More and more, the detective comes to believe lawyer Malone and even Hattie could be involved in this, but Brynk turns out to be the man he's after.
Cast
- Marjorie Main as Harriet "Hattie" O'Malley
- James Whitmore as John J. Malone
- Ann Dvorak as Connie Kepplar
- Phyllis Kirk as Kay
- Fred Clark as Inspector Tim Marino
- Dorothy Malone as Lola Gillway
- Clinton Sundberg as Donald
- Douglas Fowley as Steve Kepplar
- Willard Waterman as Mr. Ogle
- Don Porter as Myron Brynk
- Jack Bailey as The Game Show Host
- Nancy Saunders as Joanie
- Basil Tellou as The Greek Passenger
- James Burke as The Train Conductor
Story origins and pre-production
In the 1930s and '40s, MGM produced the "Thin Man" series of six films, based on Dashiell Hammett's novel. It was very popular with American audiences for all 13 years of its run.
In the late 1940s, MGM decided to try to repeat its success with the help of
Director Norman Taurog was chosen by MGM to direct the film adaptation, as it was a screwball comedy/mystery, a strength of his. However, instead of letting Palmer and Rice write the screenplay, he delegated the duties to William Bowers. Bowers' screenplay resembled the short story that Rice and Palmer had written, so the elements of comedy and mystery that Rice included in her works were preserved in the film adaptation.[2]
Reception
According to MGM records the film earned $772,000 in the US and Canada and $143,000 overseas, leading to a loss of $31,000.[1]
References
- ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
- ^ "Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2019-02-15.