''Not So Dumb'' is a 1930

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

comedy motion picture starring

Marion Davies Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies fled the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...

, directed by

King Vidor King Wallis Vidor (; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...

, and produced for Cosmopolitan Productions for

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

. It is based on the stage play ''Dulcy'' by George S. Kaufman and

Marc Connelly Marcus Cook Connelly (December 13, 1890 – December 21, 1980) was an American playwright, director, producer, performer, and lyricist. He was a key member of the Algonquin Round Table, and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1930. Biogra ...

that starred

Lynn Fontanne Lynn Fontanne (; 6 December 1887 – 30 July 1983) was an English actress. After early success in supporting roles in the West End, she met the American actor Alfred Lunt, whom she married in 1922 and with whom she co-starred in Broadway and We ...

. The film resulted in a financial loss for the studio of $39,000.Nasaw, David. ''The Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst'', Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. pg. 411. This is a re-make of the 1923 film ''Dulcy''. See also the 1940 film of the same name ( ''Dulcy'').

Plot summary

Dulcinea Parker (

) goes to the train station to meet the Forbes: mother Eleanor (

Julia Faye Julia Faye Maloney (September 24, 1892 – April 6, 1966), known professionally as Julia Faye, was an American actress of silent and sound films. She was known for her appearances in more than 30 Cecil B. DeMille productions. Her various roles ...

), father Charles (

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

), and daughter Angela ( Sally Starr), whom she has invited to spend the weekend. We are also introduced to her new butler Perkins ( George Davis), who is an ex-convict on parole. Dulcinea, ever the "dumb blonde", has a habit of doing the wrong thing. She misquotes common expressions and butchers the King's English. She and her brother Bill, whom she calls Willie (

Raymond Hackett Raymond Hackett (July 15, 1902 – July 7, 1958) was a stage and screen actor. He had been a child actor on the Broadway stage and was the brother of Albert Hackett. He was born in New York City the son of Maurice Hackett and Florence Hackett (n ...

), who's in love with Angela, host the Forbes and several other guests for the weekend. Dulcinea is scheming to get Mr. Forbes to invest in her fiance' Gordon's (

Elliott Nugent Elliott Nugent (September 20, 1896 – August 9, 1980) was an American actor, playwright, writer, and film director. Biography Nugent was born in Dover, Ohio, the son of actor J.C. Nugent. He successfully made the transition from silent film ...

) costume jewelry business. She plays matchmaker to Angela by pairing her with the flamboyant "scenario writer" Vincent Leach (

Franklin Pangborn Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Interna ...

), who enthusiastically tells his latest story for over two hours. Dulcinea's matchmaking efforts are fruitful, and Angela plans to elope with Vincent. Willie, still carrying a torch for Angela, offers to drive the clandestine couple to their wedding. Later, only Angela & Willie return, married. Dulcinea also entertains a golf enthusiast, Schuyler Van Dyke, who offers to fund Gordon's enterprise (and shamelessly flirts with Mrs. Forbes). Emboldened, Gordon tells off Mr. Forbes. All is well until a man named Patterson arrives; the brother of "Van Dyke", who apparently suffers from delusions of grandeur. Realizing that Gordon's funding is a fantasy, panic ensues. But, since Mr. Forbes recognizes Mr. Patterson as the ''real'' Schuyler Van Dyke's attorney, he doesn't believe Van Dyke's a fake. So, fortunately for all, Mr. Forbes outbids Van Dyke's investment, thus making Dulcinea an accidental hero and a not-so-dumb blonde.

Cast

as Dulcinea Parker *

as Gordon Smith *

as Willie Parker *

as Vincent Leach *

as Eleanor Forbes *

as Charles Roger Forbes *

Donald Ogden Stewart Donald Ogden Stewart (November 30, 1894 – August 2, 1980) was an American writer and screenwriter best known for his sophisticated golden age comedies and melodramas such as '' The Philadelphia Story'' (based on the play by Philip Barry), '' T ...

as Skylar Van Dyke/Horace Patterson * Sally Starr as Angela Forbes * George Davis as Perkins *

Ruby Lafayette Ruby Lafayette (July 22, 1844 – April 3, 1935) was an American film actress, known for ''Sue of the South'' (1919), ''Big Bob'' (1921) and ''The Man Trap'' (1917). She was married to John T. Curran. At age 82, Lafayette nearly died from inju ...

as Grandma (uncredited)

References

"The Screen" by Mordaunt Hall. ''The New York Times'', February 8, 1930.

External links

* * * * 1930 films 1930 comedy films American black-and-white films American comedy films 1930s English-language films American films based on plays Films directed by King Vidor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films with screenplays by Wanda Tuchock 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub