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 film starring the vaudeville team of
Smith & Dale
Smith and Dale were a famous American vaudeville comedy duo. They consisted of Joe Smith (born Joseph Sultzer on February 17, 1884February 22, 1981) and Charlie Dale (born Charles Marks on September 6, 1881November 16, 1971), who both grew up in th ...
and
George Sidney
George Sidney (October 4, 1916May 5, 2002) was an American film director and producer who worked primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His work includes cult classics ''Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963) and ''Viva Las Vegas'' (1964). With an extensive backgro ...
. It was directed by
Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy (; October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director and producer. In his youth he played juvenile roles in vaudeville and silent film comedies.
During the 1930s, LeRoy was one of the two great practitioners of ...
and based on the Broadway play ''Mendel, Inc.'' by
David Freedman
David Freedman (April 26, 1898 – December 8, 1936) (aged 38) was a Romanian-born American playwright and biographer who became known as the "King of the Gag-writers" in the early days of radio.
Biography
David Freedman was born in Botoşan ...
.
Plot
The plumber Mendel Marantz, a passionate inventor, hasn't much luck and a family that doesn't understand him. He finally strikes it rich with a dishwashing machine he invented. He finds an investor, Gassenheim, and begins to make his way up in the world. But Mendel's troubles are not over; his family doesn't share his dream to become the landlord of the house where they live on New York's Lower East Side. They prefer to move uptown to Park Avenue and adapt to how rich people live.
Mendel's ideas for the house are not forgotten. The men he once told how he wished to transform the building take on the work of renovating it, with every detail he planned. Neighbours and visitors come to see the house and the new, beautiful penthouse. His wife and his children are still in Park Avenue and when Gassenheim stops paying royalties to Mrs. Marantz, she and the children come home, to find that Mendel is close to losing everything.
Charles Dale
Charles Dale (born 4 February 1963) is a Welsh actor known for playing Big Mac in ''Casualty'', Dennis Stringer in ''Coronation Street'', Gary "Chef" Alcock in '' The Lakes'' and Clive Eustace in '' The Eustace Bros.'' He was born in Tenby, Pe ...
as Bernard Schnaps
*
George Sidney
George Sidney (October 4, 1916May 5, 2002) was an American film director and producer who worked primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His work includes cult classics ''Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963) and ''Viva Las Vegas'' (1964). With an extensive backgro ...
as Mendel Marantz
* Ruth Hall as Lillian Marantz
*
Aline MacMahon
Aline Laveen MacMahon (May 3, 1899 – October 12, 1991) was an American actress. Her Broadway stage career began under producer Edgar Selwyn in ''The Mirage'' during 1920. She made her screen debut in 1931 and worked extensively in film, thea ...
as Bessie, the Neighbor
* Anna Appel as Mrs. Zelde Marantz
* Donald Cook as Milton
*
Oscar Apfel
Oscar C. Apfel (January 17, 1878 – March 21, 1938) was an American film actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1913 and 1939, and also directed 94 films between 1911 and 1927.
Biography
Apf ...
as Otto Gassenheim
* Harold Waldridge as Jakie Marantz (as Harold Waldrige)
*
Marion Byron
Marion Byron (born Miriam Bilenkin; 1911 – 1985) was an American movie comedian.
Early years
Born in Dayton, Ohio, Byron was one of five daughters of Louis and Bertha Bilenkin.
Career
After following her sister into a short stage caree ...
as Mimi Marantz
*
George MacFarlane
George MacFarlane (November 17, 1878 – February 22, 1932) was a Canadian-born American actor of both the stage and screen. He began his stage career in Montreal, before moving to New York City. His short film career spanned both the sile ...
as Mr. Marshall
*
Ann Brody
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie.
Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...