''The Palm Beach Story'' is a 1942

screwball comedy Screwball comedy is a subgenre of the romantic comedy genre that became popular during the Great Depression, beginning in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s, that satirizes the traditional love story. It has secondary characteristi ...

film written and directed by

Preston Sturges Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film '' The Great McGinty'' (1940), h ...

, and starring

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he bec ...

Mary Astor Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...

and

Rudy Vallée Hubert Prior Vallée (July 28, 1901 – July 3, 1986), known professionally as Rudy Vallée, was an American singer, musician, actor, and radio host. He was one of the first modern pop stars of the teen idol type. Early life Hubert Prior Vall ...

Victor Young Albert Victor Young (August 8, 1899– November 10, 1956)"Victor Young, Composer, Dies of Heart Attack", ''Oakland Tribune'', November 12, 1956. was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. Biography Young is commonly said to ...

contributed the musical score, including a fast-paced variation of the ''

William Tell Overture The ''William Tell'' Overture is the overture to the opera '' William Tell'' (original French title ''Guillaume Tell''), whose music was composed by Gioachino Rossini. ''William Tell'' premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini's 39 operas, a ...

'' for the opening scenes. Typical of a Sturges film, the pacing and dialogue of ''The Palm Beach Story'' are very fast.

Plot

Inventor Tom Jeffers and his wife Gerry are down on their luck financially. Married for five years, the couple are still waiting for Tom's ship to come in. Anxious for the finer things in a life she's no longer enjoying, Gerry decides that they both would be better off if they split. Before she can act she ends up entangled with the Wienie King, a strange old man being shown round her apartment with his wife by a building manager anxious to rent it out from beneath his delinquent tenants. Sympathetic to her plight - and utterly taken by her youth and charm - the man gives her $700 from the giant roll of cash he keeps in his pocket. This is enough to get their rent current, pay off their most urgent bills, buy a new dress, take Tom to an expensive dinner, and still leave $14 and change pocket money for him. In spite of a night of amour that followed their tipsy return home, she awakens early, packs a bag, and makes for the train station. Bound for Palm Beach, Florida, her plan is to get a divorce, meet a wealthy man who can both give her what she craves and also help Tom, and marry him. Penniless, and repeatedly escaping from Tom's clutches, she is invited to travel gratis as guest of the rich and soused Ale and Quail Club on their private car. When it proves too rowdy, she flees for an upper berth in a nearby

Pullman car In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars that were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company (founded by George Pullman) from 1867 to December 31, 1968. Other uses Pullman also refers to ra ...

, in the process meeting the meek, eccentric, but amiable John D. Hackensacker III, who begins to fall for her immediately. Left without even her clothes or purse in the chaos of her flight from the Ale and Quail reverie, she willingly accepts Hackensacker's initial chivalrous charity. Which takes a dramatic turn towards extravagance during a shopping spree for ladies finery he instigates in Jacksonville, swirling from trifles to ''haute couture'' and jewelry encrusted with precious stones. Only when he hands over a card upon telling the store manager to charge it all to him is it revealed he is one of the richest men in the world and owner of the ''Erl King'', a fabulous yacht which the twosome board for the final leg to Palm Beach. Back in New York the despondent Tom receives the same kind of generous no-strings-attached charity from the Wienie King he had accused Gerry of trading sexual favors for, helping clear his mind. The King encourages him to rent a plane, fly to Florida, and show up with a bouquet of roses to win back his bride. Arriving at the railhead in Palm Beach Tom is directed to the dock for Hackensacker's yacht, where he sees the affectionate new couple still aboard. Failing to run him off on shore, a flustered Gerry introduces Tom as her brother, Captain McGlue. Hackensacker's oft-married, man-hungry sister, Princess Centimillia, is immediately smitten with him, and dismisses her previous lover, still in tow, Toto, as a valet. When Gerry tells Hackensacker, who is working his way round to propose to her, that her "brother" is partners with her husband in the same investment, Hackensacker agrees to back it, saying he likes the Captain and it will keep it "all in the family" once they are married. Invited to stay at the Princess' estate, the Jeffers try valiantly to maintain their farce – Tom reluctantly, wrangling to win Gerry back, and Gerry determinedly seeking to stick to her original plan. Until, to the strains of Hackensacker crooning love songs over a rented orchestra assembled beneath their windows, the couple end up romantically entangled the same way they had their very last night together. With the same impassioned result. Unmasked the next morning, they are reunited as one and confess the ruse to the Hackensackers. After John agrees to finance Tom's invention as simply a "good investment", sans sentimentality, the matter is begged whether Tom and Gerry have a brother and sister. They do...''twins!'' There is an elaborate dual wedding, with Tom as best man and Gerry as matron of honor, John hand-in-hand with Gerry's sister and the Princess with Tom's brother. A title card tells us that they "lived happily ever after...or did they?", before credits roll.

Cast

as Geraldine "Gerry" Jeffers *

as Tom Jeffers (alias "Captain McGlue") *

as The Princess Centimillia (Maud) *

as John D. Hackensacker III *

Sig Arno Sig Arno (born Siegfried Aron, 27 December 1895 – 17 August 1975) was a German-Jewish film actor who appeared in such films as '' Pardon My Sarong'' and '' The Mummy's Hand''. He may be best remembered from '' The Palm Beach Story'' (1942) as T ...

as Toto * Robert Dudley as Wienie King *

Esther Howard Esther Howard (April 4, 1892 – March 8, 1965) was an American stage and film character actress who played a wide range of supporting roles, from man-hungry spinsters to amoral criminals, appearing in 108 films in her 23-year screen career ...

as Wife of Wienie King *

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 ...

as Apartment Manager * Arthur Hoyt as Pullman Conductor *

Al Bridge Alfred Morton Bridge (February 26, 1891 – December 27, 1957) was an American character actor who played mostly small roles in over 270 films between 1931 and 1954. Bridge's persona was an unpleasant, gravel-voiced man with an untidy mous ...

as Conductor *

Fred "Snowflake" Toones Fred "Snowflake" Toones (January 5, 1906 – February 13, 1962) was an American actor and comedian. He appeared in over 200 films in his career spanning 23 years. Career He appeared in over 200 films between 1928 and 1951. His standard cha ...

as George, Club Car Bartender * Charles R. Moore as Train Porter *

Frank Moran Francis Charles Moran (18 March 1887 – 14 December 1967) was an American boxer and film actor who fought twice for the Heavyweight Championship of the World, and appeared in over 135 movies in a 25-year film career. Sports career Born ...

as Brakeman * Harry Rosenthal as Orchestra Leader *

J. Farrell MacDonald John Farrell MacDonald (June 6, 1875 – August 2, 1952) was an American character actor and director. He played supporting roles and occasional leads. He appeared in over 325 films over a four-decade career from 1911 to 1951, and directed fort ...

as Officer O'Donnell ''The Ale and Quail Club:'' *

Robert Warwick Robert Warwick (born Robert Taylor Bien, October 9, 1878 – June 6, 1964) was an American stage, film and television actor with over 200 film appearances. A matinee idol during the silent film era, he also prospered after the introduction ...

as Mr. Hinch * Arthur Stuart Hull as Mr. Osmond *

Torben Meyer Torben Emil Meyer (1 December 1884 – 22 May 1975) was a Danish-American character actor who appeared in more than 190 films in a 55-year career. He began his acting career in Europe before moving to the United States. Early life Meyer was ...

as Dr. Kluck *

Victor Potel Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in more than 430 films in his 38-year career. Career Victor Potel was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1889, and hi ...

as Mr. McKeewie *

Jimmy Conlin Jimmy Conlin (October 14, 1884 – May 7, 1962) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 150 films in his 32-year career. Career Conlin was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1884, and his acting career started out in vaudeville, ...

as Mr. Asweld * Unnamed members played by: **

William Demarest Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 27, 1983) was an American character actor, known especially for his roles in screwball comedies by Preston Sturges and for playing Uncle Charley in the sitcom '' My Three Sons'' Demarest, ...

Jack Norton Jack Norton (born Mortimer John Naughton; September 2, 1882 – October 15, 1958) was an American stage and film character actor who appeared in more than 180 films between 1934 and 1948, often playing drunks, although in real life he was a ...

Robert Greig Robert Greig (December 27, 1879 – June 27, 1958) was an Australian-American actor who appeared in more than 100 films between 1930 and 1949, usually as the dutiful butler. Born Arthur Alfred Bede Greig, he was the nephew of Australian pol ...

Roscoe Ates Roscoe Blevel Ates (January 20, 1895 – March 1, 1962) was an American vaudeville performer, actor of stage and screen, comedian and musician who primarily featured in western films and television. He was best known as western character S ...

Dewey Robinson Dewey Robinson (August 17, 1898 – December 11, 1950) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 250 films made between 1931 and 1952. Career Dewey Robinson was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1898, and made his Br ...

Chester Conklin Chester Cooper Conklin (January 11, 1886 – October 11, 1971) was an early American film comedian who started at Keystone Studios as one of Mack Sennett’s Keystone Cops, often paired with Mack Swain. He appeared in a series of films with Ma ...

** Sheldon Jett

Production

At least part of the initial inspiration for ''The Palm Beach Story'' may have come to

from close to home. Not only had he shuttled back and forth to Europe as a young man, his ex-wife Eleanor Hutton was an heiress who moved among the European aristocracy, and had once been wooed by Prince Jerome Rospigliosi-Gioeni. One scene in the film is based upon an incident that had happened to Sturges and his mother while traveling by train to Paris, where the car with their compartment and baggage was uncoupled while they were in the dining car.Stafford, Jef
"The Palm Beach Story" (TCM article)
/ref> The story Sturges came up with was entitled ''Is Marriage Necessary?'', which, along with an alternative, ''Is That Bad?'', became a working title for the film. The original title was rejected by

Hays Office The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...

censors, who also rejected the script submitted by Paramount over its "sex suggestive situations...and dialogue." In spite of changes the script was still tabled because of its "light treatment of marriage and divorce" and overt parodying of John D. Rockefeller. More changes were made, including reducing Princess Centimillia's divorces from eight to three (plus two annulments), before the script finally was approved.TC
Notes
/ref> This was Sturges' second collaboration with Joel McCrea, following ''

Sullivan's Travels ''Sullivan's Travels'' is a 1941 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. A satire on the film industry, it follows a famous Hollywood comedy director (Joel McCrea) who, longing to make a socially relevant drama, sets out to ...

'' from the previous year and they worked again on '' The Great Moment'', filmed in 1942 (but released in 1944). Although Colbert and Sturges worked on ''

The Big Pond ''The Big Pond'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code romantic comedy film based on a 1928 play of the same name by George Middleton and A.E. Thomas. The film was written by Garrett Fort, Robert Presnell Sr. and Preston Sturges, who provided the dialo ...

'' (1930) and the first version of '' Imitation of Life'' (1934), ''The Palm Beach Story'' was the only time they worked on a movie Sturges wrote and directed. The movie was Rudy Vallee's first outright comedic role, and he gained a contract with Paramount, as well as an award for Best Actor of 1942 from the

National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...

. He appeared in Sturges' ''

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock ''The Sin of Harold Diddlebock'' is a 1947 comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring the silent film comic icon Harold Lloyd, and featuring a supporting cast including female protagonist Frances Ramsden, Jimmy Conlin, Raym ...

'', '' Unfaithfully Yours'' and ''

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend ''The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend'' is a 1949 romantic comedy Western film starring Betty Grable and featuring Cesar Romero and Rudy Vallee. It was directed by Preston Sturges and written by him based on a story by Earl Felton. The film ...

''. Many members of Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors appear in film, such as Al Bridges, Chester Conklin, Jimmy Conlin, William Demarest, Robert Dudley,

Byron Foulger Byron Kay Foulger (August 27, 1898 – April 4, 1970) was an American character actor who over a 50-year career performed in hundreds of stage, film, and television productions. Early years Born in Ogden, Utah, Byron was the second of four ...

, Robert Greig,

Harry Hayden Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

, Arthur Hoyt, Torben Meyer, Frank Moran, Charles R. Moore, Jack Norton, Franklin Pangborn, Victor Potel, Dewey Robinson, Harry Rosenthal,

Julius Tannen Julius Tannen (May 16, 1880 – January 3, 1965) was a monologist in vaudeville. He was known to stage audiences for his witty improvisations and creative word games. He had a successful career as a character actor in films, appearing in ove ...

and Robert Warwick. This was the seventh of ten films written by Preston Sturges in which William Demarest appeared. Claudette Colbert received $150,000 for her role, and Joel McCrea was paid $60,000. The second unit did background shooting at

Penn Station Pennsylvania Station is a name applied by the Pennsylvania Railroad to several of its grand passenger terminals. Pennsylvania Station or Penn Station may also refer to Current train stations * Baltimore Penn Station * Pennsylvania Station (Cinc ...

in Manhattan. The film went into general release on 1 January 1943. It was released on video in the U.S. on 12 July 1990 and re-released on 30 June 1993.

Reception

In 1998, Jonathan Rosenbaum of the ''Chicago Reader'' included the film in his unranked list of the best American films not included on the AFI Top 100. In 2000, the

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

included the film in AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs (#77).

References

External links

* * * *

Archival NYTimes Review By Bosley Crowther, December 11, 1942
Greatest Films- The Palm Beach Story
Critique and thorough plot description/analysis.

at Portico
''The Palm Beach Story''
on Screen Guild Theater: March 15, 1943
''The Palm Beach Story: Love in a Warm Climate''
an essay by Stephanie Zacharek for the

Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cine ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palm Beach Story, The 1942 films 1942 romantic comedy films 1940s screwball comedy films American romantic comedy films American screwball comedy films American black-and-white films Films about twins Films scored by Victor Young Films directed by Preston Sturges Films set in Florida Rail transport films Films with screenplays by Preston Sturges Paramount Pictures films 1940s American films