''Dangerous Number'' is a 1937 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Richard Thorpe Richard Thorpe (born Rollo Smolt Thorpe; February 24, 1896 – May 1, 1991) was an American film director best known for his long career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Biography Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, Richard Thorpe began his ...

and written by Carey Wilson. The film stars Robert Young,

Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920 ...

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

, and

Cora Witherspoon Cora Witherspoon (January 5, 1890 – November 17, 1957) was an American stage and film character actress whose career spanned nearly half a century. She began in theatre where she remained rooted even after entering motion pictures in the ...

, and features

Dean Jagger Dean Jagger (November 7, 1903 – February 5, 1991) was an American film, stage, and television actor who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Henry King's ''Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949). Early life Dean Jeffrie ...

. The film was released on January 22, 1937, by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

Plot

A clothing manufacturer, Hank ( Robert Young) returns from a year in Japan, learning about a new formula for synthetic silk, to discover that his girlfriend Eleanor (

) is engaged to marry another man. Hank persuades her to jilt the new man at the altar. After he and Eleanor get married, Hank comes to dislike the show-business friends of his wife and mother-in-law Gypsy (

) who pop up at all hours. And a man named Dillman (

) turns up who claims that Eleanor is actually his legal wife, not Hank's. Hank is distracted by Vera (Maria Shelton), a friend of Eleanor's, but in the end pretends to be a cab driver and steers his taxi into a lake, with passenger Eleanor wearing a silk dress Hank gave her that disintegrates in the water.

Cast

Production

The role of "Eleanor" was originally slated to be played by

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. Trained as a dancer, Loy devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. ...

. In August 1936, it was reported that

Madge Evans Madge Evans (born Margherita Evans; July 1, 1909 – April 26, 1981) was an American stage and film actress.Obituary ''Variety'', April 29, 1981. She began her career as a child performer and model. Biography Child model and stage actress B ...

was taking the role,"Notes"
TCM.com but it eventually went to Ann Sothern, who was on loan from RKO.LeVoit, Violet
"Dangerous Number (1937)"
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References

External links

* * * 1937 films 1930s English-language films American comedy films 1937 comedy films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films directed by Richard Thorpe American black-and-white films 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub