Girl Crazy (1932 film)

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Girl Crazy
Directed byWilliam A. Seiter
Written byWalter DeLeon
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Eddie Welch
Tim Whelan
Based onBased on Girl Crazy
1930 musical by
Guy Bolton (book)
Jack McGowan (book)
George Gershwin (music)
Ira Gershwin (lyrcs)
Produced byWilliam LeBaron
StarringBert Wheeler
Robert Woolsey
Dorothy Lee
CinematographyJ. Roy Hunt
Edited byArthur Roberts
Music byMax Steiner
Distributed byRKO Pictures
Release date
March 25, 1932 (1932-03-25)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$532,000[1]
Box office$555,000[1]

Girl Crazy is a 1932 American pre-Code musical film adaptation of the 1930 stage play of the same name. The film was very unlike the stage play except for its score. It was tailored for the comic talents of Wheeler & Woolsey, a popular comedy team of the time. Three songs written by George and Ira Gershwin for the play were retained: "Bidin' My Time", "I Got Rhythm", and "But Not for Me". According to RKO records, the film lost $150,000.[1] Lon Chaney Jr. appears in the film (uncredited) as a dancer in the chorus.[2]

Plot[edit]

N.Y. playboy Danny Churchill (Eddie Quillan) is relocated to a small Arizona town to keep him from getting entangled with women. He decides to open a dude ranch with the aid of his gambler friend "Slick" (Robert Woolsey) and Slick's wife Kate (Kitty Kelly). The local bully is running for sheriff and wants to shut down Danny's ranch. Danny prompts his friend Jimmy (a cab driver) to run against the heavy for sheriff. Jimmy (Bert Wheeler) is elected sheriff. Meanwhile, Danny falls in love with a young woman named Molly (Arline Judge), but Molly heads down to Mexico accompanied by a NY conman. Danny, Jimmy, Slick and their friends all head down to Mexico to persuade Molly to come back so Danny can propose to her. Meanwhile the local bully and his friend follow them.

Cast[edit]

Soundtrack[edit]

Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Sung by male quartet
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Performed by Kitty Kelly and chorus
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Sung by Bert Wheeler and Dorothy Lee
Danced by Bert Wheeler, Dorothy Lee and Mitzi Green
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Sung by Eddie Quillan and Arline Judge
Also sung by Mitzi Green

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931-1951', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 14 No 1 (1994), p. 39
  2. ^ a b Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.

External links[edit]