''Take It or Leave It'' is a 1944 American musical-comedy film directed by

Benjamin Stoloff Benjamin Stoloff (October 6, 1895 – September 8, 1960) was an American film director and producer. He began his career as a short film comedy director and gradually moved into feature film directing and production later in his career. Directo ...

and written by Mac Benoff, Harold Buchman, and Snag Werris. It was the screen version of the popular radio quiz show of the same name, whose main feature was "the $64 question." Master of ceremonies Phil Baker played himself in the movie.

Plot

Sailor Eddie Collins (Edward Ryan) needs $1,000 to pay his wife's

obstetrician Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surg ...

. He is selected as a contestant on a special edition of '' Take It or Leave It'', and works his way up to the top prize of $64. Emcee Phil Baker, sympathetic to the sailor's plight, allows him to earn more money by asking additional $64 questions.

Production and reception

''Take It or Leave It'' was produced on an exceptionally low budget for a major-studio motion picture.

Twentieth Century-Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

producer

Bryan Foy Bryan Foy (December 8, 1896 – April 20, 1977) was an American film producer and director. He produced more than 200 films between 1924 and 1963. He also directed 41 films between 1923 and 1934. He headed the B picture unit at Warner Bros ...

economized by casting inexpensive juveniles in principal roles (Edward Ryan, Marjorie Massow—later Madge Meredith—and

Stanley Prager Stanley Prager (January 8, 1917 – January 18, 1972) was an American actor and a television and theatre director. Life and career Born in New York City, Prager began his career as the stage manager for the Broadway production '' The Skin of ...

), with only a few character players in support and bit roles. The only then-current star was

Phil Silvers Phil Silvers (born Phillip Silver; May 11, 1911 – November 1, 1985) was an American entertainer and comedic actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah". His career as a professional entertainer spanned nearly sixty years. Silvers achieved major popu ...

, who appeared briefly in a pre-credits prologue explaining the film's premise. Bryan Foy slashed the budget even more by inserting entire chunks of old Fox movies into the narrative. Most of the film has Phil Baker asking contestant Edward Ryan questions about famous motion pictures of the past, and each question is accompanied by a production number shown on a screen. Thus Shirley Temple,

Alice Faye Alice Faye (born Alice Jeanne Leppert; May 5, 1915 – May 9, 1998) was an American actress and singer. A musical star of 20th Century-Fox in the 1930s and 1940s, Faye starred in such films as '' On the Avenue'' (1937) and '' Alexander's Ragtim ...

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reig ...

, Buster Keaton,

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

, The Ritz Brothers, and other Fox stars make appearances. Although three screenwriters are credited, the storyline is very slight. The three writers were really radio jokesmiths, hired to supply star Phil Baker with a running repertoire of puns and one-liners appropriate to each quiz question. The film was released on July 7, 1944. Fox did not publicize the star names in the cast, leaving the audience to play along with the quiz game and be surprised by the film clips. It was a shrewd strategy and a daring gamble, since such a mixture of old and new film footage was unprecedented. Movie trade papers were wary of the film's chances, and wondered whether audiences might feel cheated at having paid admission for a new film, only to be shown mostly old footage. But the film's audience-participation gimmick worked in the film's favor, and theater owners reported enthusiastic crowds. The film ultimately earned one million dollars.

Cast

* Phil Baker as himself *Edward Ryan as Eddie Collins * Madge Meredith as Kate Collins *

as Herb Gordon *Roy Gordon as Doctor Edward Preston *

Nana Bryant Nana Irene Bryant (November 23, 1888 – December 24, 1955) was an American film, stage, and television actress. She appeared in more than 100 films between 1935 and 1955. Biography Bryant was born 1888 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She appeared in ...

as Miss Burke *

Carleton Young Captain Carleton Scott Young (October 21, 1905 – November 7, 1994) was an American character actor who was known for his deep voice. Early years Born in Fulton, Oswego, New York, Young was the second and only surviving child of Sta ...

as Program Director *

as himself

References

External links

* 1944 films 20th Century Fox films American drama films 1944 drama films Films directed by Benjamin Stoloff American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-drama-film-stub