''She Couldn't Take It'' is a 1935 screwball comedy film made at

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...

, directed by

Tay Garnett William Taylor "Tay" Garnett (June 13, 1894 – October 3, 1977) was an American film director and writer. Biography Early life Born in Los Angeles, Garnett attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as a naval aviator in Wo ...

, written by

C. Graham Baker Charles Graham Baker (July 16, 1883 – May 15, 1950) was an American screenwriter and director. He wrote for more than 170 films between 1915 and 1948. He and his father invented the game of Gin rummy in 1909. Biography He was born in Eva ...

Gene Towne Gene Towne (March 27, 1904 – March 17, 1979) was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 47 films between 1921 and 1958. He was born in New York, New York, and died in Woodland Hills, California from a heart attack. Partial filmography * ...

and Oliver H.P. Garrett, and starring George Raft and

Joan Bennett Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She came from a show-business family, one of three acting sisters. Beginning her career on the stage, Bennett appeared in more t ...

. It was one of the few comedies Raft made in his career.Everett Aaker, ''The Films of George Raft'', McFarland & Company, 2013 p 66

Plot

The film tells the story of the wealthy family Van Dyke: a frustrated patriarch Dan (Walter Connolly); his self-centered wife (Billie Burke); and his spoiled children Tony (James Blakeley) and Carol (Joan Bennett). They have constant run-ins for outrageous behavior. Dan Van Dyke is sent to prison for tax evasion. His cellmate is bootlegger and fellow convicted tax evader Ricardi. The two men become friends and when Van Dyke dies from a poor heart, he puts Ricardi in charge of his interests.

Cast

* George Raft as Ricardi *

as Carol Van Dyke *

Walter Connolly Walter Connolly (April 8, 1887 – May 28, 1940) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 50 films between 1914 and 1939. His best known film is '' It Happened One Night'' (1934). Early years Connolly attended St. Xavier Col ...

as Mr. Van Dyke *

Billie Burke Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...

as Mrs. Van Dyke *

Lloyd Nolan Lloyd Benedict Nolan (August 11, 1902 – September 27, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Among his many roles, Nolan is remembered for originating the role of private investigator Michael Shayne in a series of 1940s B movies. Bi ...

as Tex *

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English-born naturalized American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-face ...

as Finger Boston * Alan Mowbray as Alan Hamlin * Donald Meek as Uncle Wyndersham *James Blakely as Tony Van Dyke * William Tannen as Cesar * Donald Meek as Uncle Wyndersham *Frank Rice as Milkman *Frank Conroy as Raleigh

Production

The film is based on a story by writers

and

, with the screenplay by Oliver H.P. Garrett. Raft was loaned to Columbia by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

to make the film. Writers Baker and Towne and actress Joan Bennett were under contract to Walter Wanger, and Wanger had an agreement to distribute his films through Paramount. Bennett was thus considered on loan-out as well. Walter Byron was originally cast as Alec Hamlin, but was replaced by Alan Mowbray two weeks into filming. Donald Meek and James Blakely were added to cast the third week of August. Wallace Ford replaced Raymond Walburn a day later. The film was originally known as ''Rich Man's Daughter'', but was changed to ''She Couldn't Take It'' about August 22, 1935. It was B.P. Schulberg's first film in a six-picture deal he had with Columbia Pictures. Columbia Pictures, with little space at its

Gower Street studios Sunset Gower Studios is a television and movie studio at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street in Hollywood, California. Established in 1912, it continues today as Hollywood's largest independent studio and an active facility for telev ...

, leased California Studios, a single-soundstage motion picture production facility a block east of Gower Street just a few days before shooting on ''She Couldn't Take It'' began on July 16, 1935. The film was the first Columbia feature shot at California Studios. Columbia's chief costume and fashion designer,

Robert Kalloch Robert Mero Kalloch III (January 13, 1893 — October 19, 1947), often known by his professional mononym Kalloch, was an American fashion designer and, later, a costume designer for Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He worked on 105 film ...

, designed Bennett's wardrobe. Previously known for her demure and conservative appearance, Kalloch's gowns permanently transformed the actress into the epitome of chic. George Raft, Joan Bennett, Billie Burke, and Walter Connolly did an abbreviated version of the film's plot on Dick Powell's "Hollywood Hotel" radio program in late August 1935 to promote the film.

Reception

The ''New York Times'' said the film "has a clinical interest as an example of the confused resentment against the idle rich which Hollywood has been displaying lately" in which the opening scenes "offer considerable promise for a bright-faced comedy of society foibles" but which went downhill once Walter Connolly's character died. The ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "George Raft's best picture" with an "inventive scenario" and "unexpected twists". After making the film, Tay Garnett went on an around the world cruise.

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

*
She Couldn't Take It
' at the TCM Movie Database * *
Review of film
at Variety {{Tay Garnett 1935 films 1930s screwball comedy films American screwball comedy films Columbia Pictures films 1930s English-language films Films directed by Tay Garnett Films produced by B. P. Schulberg American black-and-white films Films scored by Louis Silvers 1935 comedy films 1930s American films