''Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone'' is a 1950 comedy/murder mystery film set on board a train. It stars Marjorie Main and James Whitmore. It is based on the short story "Once Upon a Train (The Loco Motive)" by Stuart Palmer and Craig Rice.

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 Phyllis Kirk (born Phyllis Kirkgaard or Kirkegaard; September 18, 1927 October 19, 2006) was an American actress. Early life Kirk was born in Syracuse, New York, although some sources state her birthplace as Plainfield, New Jersey. She contra ...

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 Craig Rice, one of the leading mystery writers of the time. She was famous for her stories featuring fast-talking lawyer John J. Malone, who often cut ethical corners while solving crimes. MGM also approached Stuart Palmer, another famous mystery writer of the era. Together, Rice and Palmer wrote a short story titled "Once Upon a Train (The Loco Motive)", teaming Malone with Palmer's most famous character, Hildegarde Withers, who had appeared previously in films in the 1930s. However, MGM replaced the character of Withers with that of "Mrs. O'Malley" due to copyright issues with the publisher of Palmer's stories. Director

Norman Taurog Norman Rae Taurog (February 23, 1899 – April 7, 1981) was an American film director and screenwriter. From 1920 to 1968, Taurog directed 180 films. At the age of 32, he received the Academy Award for Best Director for ''Skippy (film), Skippy' ...

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.

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.

References

External links

* * * {{Norman Taurog 1950 films 1950s comedy mystery films American black-and-white films American comedy mystery films 1950s English-language films Films scored by Adolph Deutsch Films based on short fiction Films directed by Norman Taurog Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Rail transport films Films based on works by Craig Rice 1950 comedy films 1950s American films English-language comedy mystery films