Thanks for the memories!

Fantastic!

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Jean Parker plays Sally Moore, a young dancer and instructor of children in her craft amid the theaters off Broadway in New York City. She's engaged to marry Joe Lacy (Paul Page). On the night before their wedding, their friends, including her roommate Joan (Una Merkel) and her boyfriend Gus (Stuart Erwin), throw a big party for them in the apartment that the girls share. Joe chases Jean around the apartment with a photographer trying to have a picture taken of them for the newspaper. Jean is resisting because she says it's bad luck to photograph the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding. When she runs out on the fire escape, it collapses and she falls several floors to the street below.Later at a hospital, Dr. Spear (Samuel Hinds) tells Jean that she'll have to wear a special shoe for the rest of her life because there is nothing more he can do for her. When she presses him, he admits that there is a doctor overseas who could operate on her so that she could dance again, but her financial situation makes that option impossible. Though Joe has paid for all her health-care, he also makes it clear that he no longer wants to be with Jean, even though he'll "go through with it" (their wedding) if she insists. She tearfully relieves him of his obligation and Joan makes him feel like the heel he is as he departs. Jean has learned a doll making & repairing skill while in the hospital which will provide her a means to make a living.Joan is a supportive roommate and friend whose boyfriend Gus is a schemer that's constantly trying to find an easy way to make money. She tries to get Jean to date again and "forces" her to accept an invitation from the local "Have a Heart" ice cream vendor Jimmie Flaherty (James Dunn), who so far doesn't know about Jean's condition. Jimmie is a nice Irishman, though he does have a tendency to let his temper get the best of him, causing him to be somewhat volatile in situations which get his dander up. For instance, he punches out a beer man who kicks Jean's dog after the dog had caused him to spill his load. However, Jimmie has impressed his boss Mr. Schauber (Willard Robertson) into promoting him to a management position. This happens on the same day on which he's made a date with Jean, who also finds out on that same day that the European doctor who can fix her leg is coming to America. Dr. Spear tells Jean and Joan that they'll need only $500 for hospital expenses to correct her handicap. Joan tells Jean that between them, and some money Gus has, they have enough for the operation.In order to take Jean out on the date, Jimmie gets a co-worker (Edward Brophy, uncredited) to lend him the keys to company car, a convertible. Joan provides Jean with galoshes to hide her unsightly shoe (and condition) from Jimmie and she successfully avoids dancing with him that night, on which they both fall in love for one another. However, when Jimmie returns the car to the garage, he discovers that Jean's dog is hiding in the back seat; it barks and alerts the night watchman. Jimmie retrieves the dog and tries to elude the night watchman by hiding in an office, which unbeknownst to him is being burglarized. While pursuing Jimmie, the night watchman is knocked out by a white shoed burglar, who is attacked by Jean's dog such that Jimmie notices a silver dollar tattoo on the back of the right hand of the man he assumed was the night watchman. So, he successfully escapes with the dog, unaware of the burglary.When returning the dog to Jean, Jimmie discovers her condition but vows his true love for her regardless of her condition. For some reason, Jean never tells Jimmie about her pending operation. The night watchman was able to identify Jimmie and, unable to convince Mr. Schauber of his innocence, he is arrested for stealing $400. Convinced of his innocence and out of her love for Jimmie, Jean takes her operation money to Schauber to ask that he have the charges against her boyfriend dropped such that he can be released. Even though Schauber agrees to her confidentiality agreement (she doesn't want Jimmie to know that she's bailed him out), Schauber's secretary (Muriel Evans) spills the beans to Jimmie, jealously telling him that Jean didn't even believe he was innocent. So, the volatile Jimmie breaks his relationship with Jean, vowing to repay the debt, and leaves on a ship to earn the dough.The rest of the film involves Joan finally agreeing to try one of Gus's get rich quick schemes so that they can raise the money for Jean's operation while the European doctor is still in the U.S., with comical results ... and, of course, the requisite Hollywood happy ending for all. Directed and co-written by David Butler.

I absolutely love early 1930s movies, but this one I thought was just awful. It has a quality of having been made up as the actors went along (perhaps it was made up as the writers went along!), and doesn't realistically address the problem of a disability, even for 1934. Jean Parker has a speech pattern similar to Una Merkel's, and in appearance reminds me of Mary Martin, but somehow her personality lacks the spark that would have made me care more about her character's plight. I've always loved Una Merkel, and the film would have been deadly without her, but this wasn't anyone's best performance. It certainly is a cornucopia of character actors, though, as an earlier commenter said.

This film is typical of the "little" productions that made up the double bills in theaters during the 30's and 40's. It's dated but enjoyable and is great for those rainy Saturdays when you are snuggled up on the couch. The stars are faces familiar to all movie buffs and of course, any film with Una Merkel is worth a watch. She plays the pal of Jean Parker and wisecracks her way through the movie in her own inimitable style. Along with Glenda Farrell and Joan Blondell, Merkel was tops at playing a "dame" with a quick answer and rapid fire repartee. James Dunn, who went on to play his greates part in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", is Parker's love interest, a breezy Irishman who gets himself in trouble but in the end, prevails. Stu Erwin plays.....well, Stu Erwin. His parts never varied much but he was always a welcome addition to any film. The story is a little forced but still provides a chuckle or two. This is the type of film that leaves you with a warm feeling and wondering why you never heard of it before. So if you like the era of the 1930s and don't expect a classic story with lavish sets and big name actors, this one's for you. It's fun!

This is a romantic comedy that is funny in parts, but the romance story does not hold up well. Jean Parker plays a young woman who has an accident which causes her fiance to run out on her. James Dunn is the hero who woos her next and is not turned off by her "handicap" (according to the film). A very busy plot that was too melodramatic to hold my interest all that well. Una Merkel (fast-talking cynical dame) and Stu Erwin (country bumpkin oaf) are the comic relief, and they are as good as ever. But otherwise poor acting. Still, well worth seeing once - I caught it on TCM.