''New York Town'' is a 1941 American

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film directed by Charles Vidor and starring Fred MacMurray,

Mary Martin Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in '' South Pacific'' (194 ...

, Akim Tamiroff, and Robert Preston. The film was written by Lewis Meltzer and an uncredited

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 ...

based on a story by

Jo Swerling Jo Swerling (April 8, 1897 – October 23, 1964) was an American theatre writer, lyricist and screenwriter. Early life and early career Born Joseph Swerling in Berdichev, Ukraine, Swerling was one of a number of Jewish refugees from the Tsarist ...

. The film is notable for a long opening " single take" shot which establishes the personalities of several New York City apartment residents.

Plot

Victor Ballard ( Fred MacMurray) is a poor but happy-go-lucky New York sidewalk photographer who shares a studio apartment with a painter from Poland, Stefan Janowski ( Akim Tamiroff). When Victor shoots a photo of Alexandra Curtis (

), he realizes she is desperate and in need of a friend who can guide her through the ways and means of surviving in Manhattan with no money. Alexandra moves in as a third roommate and helps out with Victor's

street photography Street photography (also sometimes called candid photography) is photography conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places. Although there is a difference between street and ca ...

. Victor attempts to help ''her'' by getting her hooked up with a rich Park Avenue swell, but Alexandra accidentally meets his handsome son, Paul Bryson ''Jr.'' ( Robert Preston) instead, and Victor, to his own surprise, becomes jealous. Before Victor and Alexandra come together as a couple, there are (of course) further misunderstandings and fisticuffs and the like.Erickson, Ha
Plot synopsis (Allmovie)
/ref>

Cast

* Fred MacMurray as ''Victor Ballard'' *

as ''Alexandra Curtis'' * Akim Tamiroff as ''Stefan Janowski'' * Robert Preston as ''Paul Bryson, Jr.'' *

Lynne Overman Lynne may refer to: * Lynne (surname) * Lynne (given name) * Lynne, Florida, an unincorporated community * Lynne, Wisconsin, a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States {{Disambig ...

as ''Sam'' *

Eric Blore Eric Blore Sr. (23 December 1887 – 2 March 1959) was an English actor and writer. His early stage career, mostly in the West End of London, centred on revue and musical comedy, but also included straight plays. He wrote sketches for and appe ...

as ''Vivian'' *

Fuzzy Knight John Forrest "Fuzzy" Knight (May 9, 1901 – February 23, 1976) was an American film and television actor. He was also a singer, especially in his early career. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1928 and 1967, usually as a cowboy h ...

as ''Gus Nelson'' *

Cecil Kellaway Cecil Lauriston Kellaway (22 August 1890 – 28 February 1973) was a South African character actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice, for '' The Luck of the Irish'' (1948) and '' Guess Who's Coming to Dinner ...

as ''Shipboard Host'' * Edward McNamara as ''Brody'' * Oliver Blake as ''Bender, the lawyer'' * Ken Carpenter as ''Master of Ceremonies'' * Sam McDaniel as ''Henry'' *

Iris Adrian Iris Adrian Hostetter (May 29, 1912 – September 17, 1994) was an American stage, film actress and dancer. Life and career Adrian was an only child, born in Los Angeles, California, to Florence (née Van Every) and Adrian Earl Hostetter, who ...

as ''Toots O'Day'' (uncredited)

Production

''New York Town'', based on the story, "Night Time" by

, was originally to have been directed by

Mitchell Leisen James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He directed his f ...

, but when he was assigned to do ''

I Wanted Wings ''I Wanted Wings'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and based on a book by Lieutenant Beirne Lay Jr. The film stars Ray Milland and William Holden. The supporting cast includes Wayne Morris, Brian Donlevy, Constance Mo ...

'', Charles Vidor was borrowed from Columbia.TC
Notes
/ref> The film was in production from early November to late December 1940. The original ending of the film featured a parade of the

German-American Bund The German American Bund, or the German American Federation (german: Amerikadeutscher Bund; Amerikadeutscher Volksbund, AV), was a German-American Nazi organization which was established in 1936 as a successor to the Friends of New Germany (FoN ...

, but this was re-shot. The film was released on 31 October 1941, a full 10 months after the completion of principal photography.IMD
Release dates
/ref>

Notes

External links

* * * {{Preston Sturges 1941 films 1941 romantic comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Charles Vidor Paramount Pictures films American romantic comedy films 1940s American films Films set in New York City