''Molly and Me'' is a 1945 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

Lewis Seiler Lewis Seiler (September 30, 1890 – January 8, 1964) was an American film director. He directed more than 80 films between 1923 and 1958. Seiler was born in New York City and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography *''A Bankru ...

and starring

Monty Woolley Edgar Montilion "Monty" Woolley (August 17, 1888May 6, 1963) was an American film and theater actor.Obituary '' Variety'', May 8, 1963, page 223. At the age of 50, he achieved a measure of stardom for his role in the 1939 stage play '' The Man ...

Gracie Fields Dame Gracie Fields (born Grace Stansfield; 9 January 189827 September 1979) was an English actress, singer, comedian and star of cinema and music hall who was one of the top ten film stars in Britain during the 1930s and was considered the h ...

Reginald Gardiner William Reginald Gardiner (27 February 1903 – 7 July 1980) was an English actor on the stage, in films and on television. Early years Gardiner was born in Wimbledon, England, and he was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.Katz, ...

and

Roddy McDowall Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 4 October 1998) was a British actor, photographer and film director. He began his acting career as a child in England, and then in the United States, in ''How Green Was My Valley'' (1 ...

and released by

20th 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 ...

. The screenplay was based on the novel written by

Frances Marion Frances Marion (born Marion Benson Owens, November 18, 1888 – May 12, 1973) was an American screenwriter, director, journalist and author often cited as one of the most renowned female screenwriters of the 20th century alongside June Mathis a ...

and adapted by Roger Burford.

Plot

In 1937

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, struggling

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

actress Molly Barry grows tired of searching for roles and applies for a job as housekeeper for upper class gentleman John Graham. She informs her friends and fellow actors, Lily and Julia, about her plans, and persuades former exotic dancer Kitty Goode, who has married into the

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks. Peerages include: Australia * Australian peers Belgium * Be ...

, to provide a fake reference. Graham's butler, Peabody, interviews Molly. But when Kitty shows up, Peabody recognises her, as he himself is really former actor Harry Phillips. Harry had given up acting because of a drinking problem, which he has since conquered. He does not want another former actor in the household. Desperate, Molly persuades Peabody to join a party at a pub, where he falls off the wagon. She brings the half-unconscious man back to the Graham house, occupies the housekeeper's room, and in the morning informs Mr. Graham that Peabody has hired her. Peabody has no other alternative but to go along. Graham's old friend, Jamie McDougall, asks him to stand again for

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

. Graham is reluctant to do so and shows an old newspaper clipping to McDougall, reminding him that Graham ended his political career to avoid public disgrace after his wife ran off with a "sportsman." McDougall burns the clipping in the fireplace and tells Graham it all happened 15 years ago and will not be remembered. Graham is convinced to travel to

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include ...

to meet a man who could be of great help in his election bid. While they are gone, Molly discovers that the domestic staff all steal from the household. When she confronts them, they threaten to quit en masse, but she sacks them instead. Molly puts the house in order by herself. From a fragment of the clipping she finds, Molly learns the truth about Graham's ex-wife, who went abroad because of the scandal. That night, Graham's teenage son Jimmy unexpectedly returns home from prep school. Jimmy suffers from a fever and Molly takes care of him. Jimmy confides in Molly his difficulties with his father. While he was young, Jimmy was told that his mother died and is convinced that Graham does not like him because he is a constant reminder of it. The next day, Peabody sends Molly a telegram telling her to prepare a formal dinner to which influential Sir Arthur Burroughs, publisher of a big London newspaper, will be a guest. Unable to find professional help on short notice, Molly hires her theatre friends. Despite their numerous mistakes, the dinner is a success. The new staff celebrate in the kitchen, particularly pleased that the common English fare Molly improvised for dinner impressed Sir Arthur much more than food "of subtlety and distinction". Graham goes to the kitchen to congratulate them, but overhears Jimmy imitating his gruff pomposity and sour outlook. He sends Jimmy to bed and sacks the staff, including Peabody, when he learns from Molly that they are former entertainers. Molly then scolds Graham for being a poor father to his teenage son. By the next morning, Graham has reconsidered and gives his son permission to re-hire the staff. The former Mrs. Graham resurfaces to try to extort £1000 from her former husband. Molly tells her he is asleep, but promises to inform him of the sum she wants. Molly tells Graham that "something has happened," but before she can go into detail, he assures her that he has full confidence in her ability to fix any problem. Molly uses her friends to fool Mrs. Graham into thinking that she has been a participant in a shooting death. Mrs. Graham flees the country. Later that same evening, Graham and Jimmy return home after attending a theater performance. Graham later remarks that he has been spoiled by Mrs. Barry’s late night snacks and wonders if she could fix him another one, preferably in the kitchen. They sit down together, happily singing a song.

Cast

as John Graham *

as Molly Barry *

as Harry Phillips/Peabody *

as Jimmy Graham *

Natalie Schafer Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) was an American actress, known for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom ''Gilligan's Island'' (1964–1967). Early life and career Natalie Schafer was born on November 5, 1900, in Manhatta ...

as Kitty Goode-Burroughs *

Edith Barrett Edith Barrett (born Edith Barrett Williams; January 19, 1907 – February 22, 1977) was an American actress. She was a romantic star on Broadway and in the Little Theatre Movement in New England summer stock from the mid-1920s to the late 1930s ...

as Julia *

Clifford Brooke Clifford may refer to: People *Clifford (name), an English given name and surname, includes a list of people with that name *William Kingdon Clifford *Baron Clifford *Baron Clifford of Chudleigh *Baron de Clifford *Clifford baronets * Clifford fam ...

as Pops *

Aminta Dyne ''Aminta'' is a play written by Torquato Tasso in 1573, represented during a garden party at the court of Ferrara. Both the actors and the public were noble persons living at the Court, who could understand subtle allusions the poet made to tha ...

as Musette *

Queenie Leonard Queenie Leonard (born Pearl Walker; 18 February 1905 – 17 January 2002) was a British actress. She was the last surviving cast member of ''And Then There Were None'' (1945) until her death in 2002. Biography She was born as Pearl Walk ...

as Lily * Doris Lloyd as Mrs Graham *

Patrick O'Moore Patrick O'Moore (1909–1983) was an Irish actor who appeared in a variety of American films and television shows. Keaney p.445 A character actor, he appeared in a number of Hollywood's British-themed films during the 1940s and 1950s. Selected fi ...

as Ronnie * Lewis L. Russell as Sir Arthur Burroughs * David Clyde as Angus, the Gardener *

Matthew Boulton Matthew Boulton (; 3 September 172817 August 1809) was an English manufacturer and business partner of Scottish engineer James Watt. In the final quarter of the 18th century, the partnership installed hundreds of Boulton & Watt steam engin ...

as Sergeant * Gordon Richards as Jamie McDougall

References

External links

* * * * * {{Lewis Seiler 1945 films 1945 comedy films American comedy films American black-and-white films Films based on American novels 20th Century Fox films Films directed by Lewis Seiler Films scored by Cyril J. Mockridge Films set in 1937 Films set in London 1940s English-language films 1940s American films