''Getting Gertie's Garter'' is a 1945 American slapstick

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 ...

written and directed by Allan Dwan, and starring

Dennis O'Keefe Dennis O'Keefe (born Edward Vanes Flanagan, Jr., March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor and writer. Early years Born in Fort Madison, Iowa, O'Keefe was the son of Edward Flanagan and Charlotte Flanagan, Irish vaudevill ...

Marie McDonald Marie McDonald (born Cora Marie Frye, July 6, 1923 – October 21, 1965) was an American singer and actress known as "The Body Beautiful" and later nicknamed "The Body". Early life Born in Burgin, Kentucky, McDonald was the daughter of Evert ...

, and

Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan may refer to: *Barry Sullivan (American actor) (1912–1994), US film and Broadway actor *Barry Sullivan (stage actor) (1821–1891), Irish born stage actor active in Britain and Australia *Barry Sullivan (lawyer), Chicago lawyer and ...

. The film is based on the 1921 play of the same name by

Wilson Collison Wilson Collison (November 5, 1893 – May 25, 1941) was a writer and playwright. Early years Wilson Collison was the son of John B. Collison, a clerk in the City Engineer's Office, and Mary E. Gardner. Wilson Collison abandoned plans to bec ...

and Avery Hopwood. The play was previously adapted for the screen as a

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

released in 1927 by Metropolitan Pictures and starred

Marie Prevost Marie Prevost (born Marie Bickford Dunn; November 8, 1896 – January 21, 1937) was a Canadian-born film actress. During her 20-year career, she made 121 silent and sound films. Prevost began her career during the silent film era. She was d ...

and Charles Ray.

Plot

Dr. Kenneth B. Ford (

) is researching a revolutionary new anesthetic at Boston Mass Hospital. He receives news that he is about to be awarded by being elected into the Society of Scientific Research and is overjoyed. His joy is lessened however, by the arrival of district attorney investigator Winters ( Frank Fenton), and the news that he is investigating a big jewel theft. Winters wants to question Kenneth about a piece of jewelry he bought two years earlier, but Kenneth says he doesn't recall anything of the sort. Winters suspects Kenneth of not telling the whole truth, and calls him to testify in court the next day. Right after Winter leaves, Kenneth calls his former girlfriend Gertie Kettering (

), an artist, and enquires about the jeweled garter she got from him two years earlier. It had an inscription on it: "To Gertie from Ken, with all my love". Kenneth is now happily married to Patty (

Sheila Ryan Sheila Ryan (born Katherine Elizabeth McLaughlin, June 8, 1921 – November 4, 1975) was an American actress who appeared in more than 60 movies. Career Born in Topeka, Kansas, Ryan went to Hollywood in 1939 at the age of 18. Her acting career b ...

), and doesn't want his gift to Gertie to be known to his wife, which would cause a scandal on his behalf. Kenneth wants Gertie to give back the garter to him. Gertie tells him his request is impossible, since she is about to wear the garter at her wedding the following day, and she has already sent it to Ipswich where the wedding is taking place. Patty is waiting for Kenneth at the laboratory when he gets back to perform his research experiment. Patty understands from Kenneth's behavior that something is wrong. She gets jealous of Gertie and follows Kenneth when he goes to Ipswich that night, to visit his best friend Ted Dalton (

), who is marrying Gertie. When Kenneth and Ted talk about the garter, Gertie eavesdrops on them and comes to believe that Ted would disapprove of the fact that she has accepted a gift from another man. Gertie demands that Kenneth tells Ted the truth, and she decides to keep the garter in case she needs to prove her innocence. Kenneth refuses, determined to keep the garter a secret from his wife. Instead he plans to take the garter back. Patty sees the discussion between Kenneth and Gertie, and gets more jealous. When she falls into a water barrel, Gertie's brother-in-law Billy (

Jerome Cowan Jerome Palmer Cowan (October 6, 1897 – January 24, 1972) was an American stage, film, and television actor. Early years Cowan was born in New York City, the son of William Cowan, a confectioner of Scottish descent, and Julia Cowan, née Palm ...

) helps her with dry clothes, and his wife Barbara (

Binnie Barnes Gertrude Maud Barnes (25 March 1903 – 27 July 1998), known professionally as Binnie Barnes, was an English actress whose career in films spanned from 1923 to 1973. Early life Barnes was born in Islington, London, the daughter of Rosa Enoy ...

) becomes jealous of them when she sees them in the barn. The butler has gotten hold of the garter and wants to use it to blackmail Kenneth. Eventually Ted sees Kenneth and Gertie together, and later Kenneth finds Patty with no clothes in the barn, and Barbara discovers Billy covered only in hay. In vain, Kenneth and Gertie try to explain about the jewelry theft investigation. Everyone is jealous of everyone else, and no one trusts their respective partners anymore. Then the butler appears with the garter, and everyone believes Kenneth and Gertie. Everyone makes up with their partner and all is well.

Cast

as Dr. Kenneth B. Ford *

as Gertie Kettering *

as Ted Dalton *

as Barbara * J. Carrol Naish as Charles, the butler *

as Patty Ford *

as Billy * Frank Fenton as Winters

Production notes

Filming was due to begin March 22, 1945. However, this was postponed due to a labor strike in Hollywood at the time.

References

External links

* * * {{Edward Small 1945 films 1945 comedy films American slapstick comedy films American black-and-white films American films based on plays United Artists films Films directed by Allan Dwan Films produced by Edward Small Sound film remakes of silent films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films