''The Town Went Wild'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by

Ralph Murphy Ralph Murphy (May 1, 1895 – February 10, 1967) was an American film and television director. Born in Rockville, Connecticut, Murphy was active in films from 1931 through 1962, with some work in television. From 1941 to 1944 he was married to ...

and starring

Freddie Bartholomew Frederick Cecil Bartholomew (March 28, 1924 – January 23, 1992), known for his acting work as Freddie Bartholomew, was an English-American child actor. One of the most famous child actors of all time, he became very popular in 1930s Hollywood ...

and

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born in Kings County, ...

Plot

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

, next door neighbours David Conway and Carol Harrison are deeply in love with each other though their fathers have been feuding for a lifetime. With David due to go to the Alaskan Territory for engineering work for the United States Government, the pair decide to

elope Elopement is a term that is used in reference to a marriage which is conducted in a sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving a hurried flight away from one's place of residence together with one's beloved with the intention of getting m ...

. David gets his best friend, Carol's brother Bob to witness their wedding at a

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or '' puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the s ...

in a neighbouring town using Millie, who has an infatuation with Bob to drive them to the town in her car and act as another witness. Arriving at the Justice of the Peace, their wedding has to be delayed as state law requires the couple to post

banns of marriage The banns of marriage, commonly known simply as the "banns" or "bans" (from a Middle English word meaning "proclamation", rooted in Frankish and thence in Old French), are the public announcement in a Christian parish church, or in the town ...

in the local newspaper for three days prior to the wedding. Returning to their own town, David prepares the banns to be published as soon as possible and goes to the local town hall to obtain his birth certificate for his government posting. The clerks discover that due to the fathers of Bob and David fighting when the children were born, the two infants were mixed at the hospital with David being a Harrison and Bob being a Conway. Not only is Carol set to marry her brother, but the intention to do so faces a fifteen year prison sentence.

Cast

as David Conway *

Jimmy Lydon James Joseph Lydon (May 30, 1923 – March 9, 2022) was an American actor and television producer whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s. Early life Lydon was born in Harrington Park, New Jersey on May 3 ...

as Bob Harrison *

as Everett Conway *

Tom Tully Thomas Kane Tulley (August 21, 1908 – April 27, 1982) was an American actor. He began his career in radio and on the stage before making his film debut in ''Northern Pursuit'' (1943). Subsequently, he was nominated for an Academy Award for hi ...

as Henry Harrison * Jill Browning as Carol Harrison * Minna Gombell as Marian Harrison *

Maude Eburne Maude Eburne (born Maud Eburne Riggs, November 10, 1875 – October 15, 1960) was a Canadian character actress of stage and screen, known for playing eccentric roles. Early years Eburne was born the daughter of John and Mary Riggs, in Bront ...

as Judge Bingle *

Charles Halton Charles Halton (March 16, 1876 – April 16, 1959) was an American character actor who appeared in over 180 films. Life and career Halton trained at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. He made his Broadway debut in 1901, after which he ...

as Mr. Tweedle *

Ruth Lee Ruth Lee (September 14, 1895 – August 3, 1975) was an American stage and film actress. Early life and career Lee was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and she graduated from a dramatic school there. Lee acted in stock theater with the Natio ...

as Lucille Conway *

Roberta Smith Roberta Smith (born 1948) is co-chief art critic of ''The New York Times'' and a lecturer on contemporary art. She is the first woman to hold that position. Early life Born in 1948 in New York City and raised in Lawrence, Kansas. Smith studied a ...

as Millie Walker *

Ferris Taylor Robert Ferris Taylor (March 25, 1888 – March 7, 1961) was an American film actor and vaudeville performer. Biography Taylor owned a vaudeville company, the Taylor Players. Besides his acting, Taylor sometimes sang in vaudeville programs. ...

as Mr. Walker *

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 Lemuel Jones, Justice of the Peace *

Monte Collins Monte Collins (also credited as Monty Collins; December 3, 1898 – June 1, 1951) was an American film actor and screenwriter. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1920 and 1948. He also wrote for 32 films between 1930 and 1951. Career ...

as Oscar, Public Defender *

Olin Howland Olin Ross Howland (February 10, 1886 – September 20, 1959) was an American film and theatre actor. Life and career Howland was born in Denver, Colorado, to Joby A. Howland, one of the youngest enlisted participants in the Civil War, an ...

as Bit Part * Charles Middleton as Sam, Midvale District Attorney *

Emmett Lynn Emmett Earl Lynn (February 14, 1897 – October 20, 1958) was an American actor of the stage and screen. Early life Lynn was born in Muscatine, Iowa. When he was nine years old, Lynn became a song plugger in Denver, Colorado. From that ...

as The Watchman *

Dorothy Vaughan Dorothy Jean Johnson Vaughan (September 20, 1910 – November 10, 2008) was an American mathematician and human computer who worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and NASA, at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virg ...

as Nurse Irma Reeves

Soundtrack

External links

* * 1944 films American black-and-white films 1944 romantic comedy films Films directed by Ralph Murphy Producers Releasing Corporation films American romantic comedy films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{romantic-comedy-film-stub