''One Too Many'' is a 1951 film produced by

Kroger Babb Howard W. "Kroger" Babb (December 30, 1906 – January 28, 1980) was an American film producer and showman. His marketing techniques were similar to a travelling salesman's, with roots in the medicine show tradition. Self-described as "America's ...

and directed by

Erle C. Kenton Erle C. Kenton (August 1, 1896 – January 28, 1980) was an American film director. Kenton was director of B films, with his most famous film being ''Island of Lost Souls (1932 film), Island of Lost Souls'' starring Charles Laughton. Biogr ...

. The film tells the story of Helen Mason (

Ruth Warrick Ruth Elizabeth Warrick (June 29, 1916 – January 15, 2005) was an American singer, actress and political activist, best known for her role as Phoebe Tyler Wallingford on '' All My Children'', which she played regularly from 1970 until her ...

), who is slowly revealed during the course of the film to be an

alcoholic Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...

, destroying her career as a concert

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and her family in the process.

Production

The film's story author and producer was

, who worked primarily on making films about fringe subjects, such as the anti-drug film '' She Shoulda Said No'' (1949) and a film about the life of Jesus Christ titled ''

The Lawton Story ''The Lawton Story of "The Prince of Peace"'', originally released as ''The Lawton Story'' and later reissued as ''The Prince of Peace'', is a religious-themed film that later made the Roadshow theatrical release, roadshow rounds presented by exp ...

'' (1949). Production began on the film on August 1950.

Release

''One Too Many'' had it's world premiere on January 1, 1951 at the Murphy Theatre in Wilmington, Ohio. The manager of the theatre, Joe R. Murphy stated that the film had to be shown on January 1, at 12:01 a am as the film carries a 1951 copyright, and cannot be released before January 1. In October 1951, ''The Daily Variety'' wrote that producer

changed the title from ''One Too Many'' to ''The Best is Yet To Come'' as the original title "failed to attract a significant audience." The ''

Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...

'' noted in January 1955 that the film had been market-tested, but still was held back from releasing nationally and again wrote in August 1955 that the film was re-released inin 1955 under the title ''Mixed-Up Women''.

References

External links

* 1951 films Films directed by Erle C. Kenton 1951 drama films American drama films 1950s educational films American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{exploitation-film-stub