''As Young as You Feel'' is a 1951 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring

Monty Woolley Edgar Montilion "Monty" Woolley (August 17, 1888May 6, 1963) was an American film and theater actor.Obituary ''Variety'', May 8, 1963, page 223. At the age of 50, he achieved a measure of stardom for his role in the 1939 stage play ''The Man Wh ...

Thelma Ritter Thelma Ritter (February 14, 1902 – February 5, 1969) was an American actress, best known for her comedic roles as working-class characters and her strong New York accent. She won the 1958 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and received s ...

, and

David Wayne David Wayne (born Wayne James McMeekan, January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American stage and screen actor with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life and career Wayne was born in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen M ...

, with

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

in a small role. It was directed by

Harmon Jones Harmon Clifford Jones (June 3, 1911 – July 10, 1972) was a Canadian-born film editor and director who worked for many years at the 20th Century-Fox studio in Southern California. He is credited as the editor for about 20 feature films through 1 ...

Plot

When printer John R. Hodges is forced to retire at age 65 because of a company policy, he decides to do something about it. Dyeing his hair black, he poses as Harold P. Cleveland, the president of his former employer's parent company, and goes on an inspection tour of his old workplace, with the firm's nervous, mystified executives in tow. While walking around the plant, Hodges runs into Joe Elliott, the boyfriend of his granddaughter Alice, and winks at him to let him in on the joke. Afterward, Hodges complains about the lack of experienced, older employees, causing company president Louis McKinley to promise to rescind the retirement policy and rehire all those affected by it within the past year. However, before he can depart, Hodges finds that McKinley has arranged for him to address the local chamber of commerce. Hodges is up to the challenge, delivering a rousing speech about the virtues of the older worker. He receives a standing ovation, the newspapers praise him, and even the stock market rises on the optimism generated. Hodges is taken to dinner by McKinley and his neglected wife Lucille. McKinley, it turns out, is more interested in his curvaceous private secretary Harriet. Hodges has a wonderful time, dancing the night away with Lucille. Swept away by his compliments and attention, she fancies herself in love with him. Later that night, she tells her dumbfounded husband that she wants a divorce. Meanwhile, Joe is unable to convince anybody that Cleveland is actually an impostor. Frank Erickson, his rival for a promotion, and the entire Hodges family – son George, daughter-in-law Della, and Alice – all think Joe is crazy. However, when Hodges returns home with his dyed hair, Joe is vindicated. Because Hodges will be exposed anyway, Della proposes that Joe turn him in so that he can get the promotion, but Joe refuses to do it. The next day, Erickson finally believes Joe and tries to warn their mutual boss Horace Gallagher, but Gallagher thinks Erickson is mentally unstable and gives the promotion to Joe. This enables Joe to finally propose to Alice. Meanwhile, the real Harold Cleveland is in an awkward position. The speech has done wonders for his and his company's image and even raised the price of the company's stock, but he is unsure of his impostor's motives. When McKinley discovers Hodges' identity and informs Cleveland, he decides to pay him a visit. Lucille gets there first, but Hodges tells her that he will not come between a man and his wife and that he suspects she is still in love with her husband. McKinley barges in and apologizes to his wife, and the happy couple reconciles and kisses. As McKinley is leaving he fires Hodges, unbeknown to him that the real Cleveland is in the house with Hodges. When Cleveland meets Hodges, he is reassured that the old man has no sinister intentions. Cleveland is so impressed that he offers Hodges a job advising him on public relations but gets turned down. Before Cleveland leaves, he tells Hodges that a memo will be sent to McKinley the next morning informing him that Hodges is to have his job back.

Cast

as John R. Hodges *

as Della Hodges *

as Joe Elliott *

Jean Peters Elizabeth Jean Peters (October 15, 1926 – October 13, 2000) was an American film actress. She is known as a star of 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and as the second wife of Howard Hughes. Although possibly best remembered f ...

as Alice Hodges *

Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...

as Lucille McKinley *

as Harriet *

Allyn Joslyn Allyn Joslyn (July 21, 1901 – January 21, 1981) was an American stage, radio, television and film actor, known for his roles playing aristocratic wealthy snobs. Biography Allyn Joslyn was born in Milford, Pennsylvania, the son of a mining en ...

as George Hodges *

Albert Dekker Thomas Albert Ecke Van Dekker (December 20, 1905 – May 5, 1968) was an American character actor and politician best known for his roles in ''Dr. Cyclops'', ''The Killers'' (1946), ''Kiss Me Deadly'', and ''The Wild Bunch''. Early life and car ...

as Louis McKinley *

Clinton Sundberg Clinton Charles Sundberg (December 7, 1903 (some sources say 1906) – December 14, 1987) was an American character actor in film and stage. Early years Sundberg was born in Appleton, Minnesota. He graduated from Hamline University in St. Pau ...

as Frank Erickson *

Minor Watson Minor Watson (December 22, 1889 – July 28, 1965) was a prominent character actor. He appeared in 111 movies made between 1913 and 1956. His credits included '' Boys Town'' (1938), ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' (1942), ''Kings Row'' (1942), '' Guada ...

as Harold P. Cleveland *

Wally Brown Wallace Edgar Brown (October 8, 1904 – November 13, 1961) was an American actor and comedian. In the 1940s, he performed as the comic partner of Alan Carney. Early years Wallace Edgar Brown was born in Malden, Massachusetts, the son of Her ...

as Horace Gallagher *

Russ Tamblyn Russell Irving Tamblyn, also known as Rusty Tamblyn (born December 30, 1934) is an American film and television actor and dancer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tamblyn trained as a gymnast in his youth. He began his career as a child actor f ...

as Willie McKinley (as Rusty Tamblyn), the McKinleys' son

Critical response

In his review in Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews, Dennis Schwartz gave it a "B-" saying that "worth checking out if you care to catch Marilyn Monroe in the beginning".

Musical numbers

Songs

Remake

The story was later filmed for TV as "

The Great American Hoax "The Great American Hoax" is a 1957 episode of the TV series ''The 20th Century Fox Hour''. This was the last TV play written by Paddy Chayefsky, and was based on a story of his, filmed as '' As Young as You Feel'' (1951). It originally was title ...

" (1957).

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:As Young As You Feel American comedy films 1950s English-language films 1951 comedy films 1951 films American black-and-white films 20th Century Fox films Films with screenplays by Lamar Trotti Films directed by Harmon Jones Films scored by Cyril J. Mockridge 1950s American films