509 - One Night in the Tropics, United States, 1940. Dir. A. Edward Sutherland.

Thursday, May 24, 2018

509 - One Night in the Tropics, United States, 1940.  Dir. A. Edward Sutherland.

Love Insurance.

Steve is in love.  He is so in love that his best friend, Jim Lucky Moore, cannot believe his eyes.  Jim considers Steve a chaser.  He has never known him to be ready to settle down.

But sure enough, Steve is ready to tie the knot.  To marry Cynthia.

But Steve has a problem with aunt poison.  Aunt Kitty Marblehead, that is.

Aunt Kitty dislikes Steve from the moment she meets him.  It starts when he runs into her on the sidewalk and knocks her over.  Then she accuses him of breaking the elevator

And to top it all off, he was born on May 12.

Aunt Kitty does the numbers, and the numbers do not add up.  That is, his numbers to not add up to hers, according to the way she counts birthdays.

So of course he has to go.

Steve is discouraged.

But Jim knows just what to do.  After all, he is Lucky.

Jim works for his father's insurance company, and like many good insurance experts, he is a natural born gambler.

He has written insurance on just about everything.  And he has never had to pay out on a policy.  He is batting a thousand.

So to reassure his buddy Steve, Jim comes up with Love Insurance.  Steve pays the premium, and it gives him the confidence that Cynthia will walk down the aisle with him.

If they do not make it to the altar on their wedding day, then Jim will have to pay Steve one million dollars.

Yes, some of you reading may be wondering why not just break up and take the money.  Especially when considering that $1 million in 1940 is worth $18 million today.

But Steve is in love.  And he would rather marry Cynthia than have all the money in Manhattan.

But something else is trying to stand in Steve's way besides Aunt Kitty.

A woman named Mickey.

Steve's ex-girlfriend.

She still loves him and she is determined to win him back.

So we have a romantic triangle.  Steve and Cynthia and Mickey.

But we need another one.  Enter Mickey and Steve and Jim.

It all goes South when they all go South.

To San Marcos.

And things get hairy in this lush romantic comedy musical which also introduces Abbott and Costello as they perform five of their most classic routines.  Including "Who's on First?"

Steve has followed Jim's advice: "To be sure, insure."

But now, Steve is less sure than ever.  And it puts the insurance policy in jeopardy.  They may have to pay out.

So Roscoe, the policy's backer, played by William Frawley of I Love Lucy fame, sends his two strong men down to make sure the bride and groom make it to the altar.

And who is the muscle?

Why, Abbott and Costello, of course.

So the viewer is thinking, If Roscoe really wants to protect his investment, he might begin by eliminating these two salaries.

But so be it.  They are there for comic relief.  And their appearance grounds the film and adds to our enjoyment.

How will it all end?  And will our man Steve finally get the girl of his dreams?  And cover the spread?

Or will he continue to make mistakes and drive her farther away from him--and others?

Allan Jones and Nancy Kelly provide the film with singing to round out the action.

Now if Steve can just make it to the altar before his time is up.

When he would have to cash in his Love Insurance.


*                             `*                             `*                             `*                             `*


A man who leads a double life shouldn't have two telephones.

The last time I saw you you were wearing a very becoming phone booth, trimmed with Steve.

I'm going to give him a taste of his own love insurance.