She Couldn't Take It
{{short description|1935 film by Tay Garnett}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = She Couldn't Take It
| image = SHE COULDN'T TAKE IT.jpg
| caption =
| director = Tay Garnett
| producer = B. P. Schulberg
| writer = Oliver H.P. Garrett
| based_on = story by C. Graham Baker
Gene Towne
| starring = George Raft
Joan Bennett
Walter Connolly
Billie Burke
Lloyd Nolan
Wallace Ford
| music = Howard Jackson
Louis Silvers
| cinematography = Leon Shamroy
| editing = Gene Havlick
| studio = Columbia Pictures
| distributor = Columbia Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1935|10|08}}
| runtime = 77 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
}}
She Couldn't Take It is a 1935 American screwball comedy film made at Columbia Pictures, directed by Tay Garnett, written by C. Graham Baker, Gene Towne and Oliver H.P. Garrett, and starring George Raft and Joan Bennett. It was one of the few comedies Raft made in his career.Everett Aaker, The Films of George Raft, McFarland & Company, 2013 p 66{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/stars-stop-stars-george-raft/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Why Stars Stop Being Stars: George Raft|date=February 9, 2020}}
Plot
The film tells the story of the wealthy family Van Dyke: a frustrated patriarch Dan (Walter Connolly); his self-centered wife (Billie Burke); and his spoiled children Tony (James Blakeley) and Carol (Joan Bennett). They have constant run-ins for outrageous behavior.
Dan Van Dyke is sent to prison for tax evasion. His cellmate is bootlegger and fellow convicted tax evader Ricardi. The two men become friends and when Van Dyke dies from a poor heart, he puts Ricardi in charge of his interests.
Cast
- George Raft as Ricardi
- Joan Bennett as Carol Van Dyke
- Walter Connolly as Mr. Van Dyke
- Billie Burke as Mrs. Van Dyke
- Lloyd Nolan as Tex
- Wallace Ford as Finger Boston
- Alan Mowbray as Alan Hamlin
- Donald Meek as Uncle Wyndersham
- James Blakely as Tony Van Dyke
- William Tannen as Cesar
- Donald Meek as Uncle Wyndersham
- Frank Rice as Milkman
- Frank Conroy as Raleigh
Production
The film is based on a story by writers C. Graham Baker and Gene Towne, with the screenplay by Oliver H.P. Garrett.{{cite news|title=Columbia News|work=Tensas Gazette|date=September 13, 1935|page=1}}
Raft was loaned to Columbia by Paramount Pictures to make the film.{{sfn|Parish|Whitney|1973|page=101}} Writers Baker and Towne and actress Joan Bennett were under contract to Walter Wanger,{{sfn|Bernstein|1994|page=111}} and Wanger had an agreement to distribute his films through Paramount.{{sfn|Bernstein|1994|pages=94–95}} Bennett was thus considered on loan-out as well.{{cite news|last=Parsons|first=Louella|title=Snapshots From Hollywood|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=July 5, 1935|page=D2|postscript=none}}; {{cite news|last=Skolsky|first=Sidney|title=Hollywood|work=New York Daily News|date=July 30, 1935|page=32}} Walter Byron was originally cast as Alec Hamlin, but was replaced by Alan Mowbray two weeks into filming.{{cite news|last=Adams|first=Marjory|title=Movie Facts and Fancies|work=The Boston Globe|date=August 3, 1935|page=11}} Donald Meek and James Blakely were added to cast the third week of August.{{cite news|title=Picture Parade|work=Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=August 20, 1935|page=6}} Wallace Ford replaced Raymond Walburn a day later.{{cite news|title=Picture Parade|work=Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=August 21, 1935|page=8}}
The film was originally known as Rich Man's Daughter,{{cite news|last=Scheuer|first=P.K.|title=Roma Gabriel, European Songstress-Actress, Will Star in Herbert Operetta|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 21, 1935|page=9}} but was changed to She Couldn't Take It about August 22, 1935.{{cite news|title=New Title|work=Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=August 23, 1935|page=6}} It was B.P. Schulberg's first film in a six-picture deal he had with Columbia Pictures.{{cite news|title=Columbia Pictures Plans 52 Features|work=The New York Times|date=July 2, 1935|page=24}} Columbia Pictures, with little space at its Gower Street studios, leased California Studios, a single-soundstage motion picture production facility a block east of Gower Street{{sfn|Stephens|Wanamaker|2014|page=52}} just a few days before shooting on She Couldn't Take It began on July 16, 1935. The film was the first Columbia feature shot at California Studios.{{cite news|title=Studio Adds to Its Space|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=July 16, 1935|page=B2}} Columbia's chief costume and fashion designer, Robert Kalloch, designed Bennett's wardrobe. Previously known for her demure and conservative appearance, Kalloch's gowns permanently transformed the actress into the epitome of chic.{{cite news|last=Day|first=Sara (pseudonym of Sally Richards; née Sara Lou Dague; 1904–2001) |title=Joan Bennett Threatens the Laurels of Sister Connie With a New Flair for Elegance |department=The Fashion Parade|work=Screen & Radio Weekly |publisher= A nationally syndicated Sunday newspaper supplement published by the Free Press |date=October 13, 1935|page= 6 |via={{URL|https://www.newspapers.com/image/127448965|Newspapers.com}}; subscription required }}
George Raft, Joan Bennett, Billie Burke, and Walter Connolly did an abbreviated version of the film's plot on Dick Powell's "Hollywood Hotel" radio program in late August 1935 to promote the film.{{cite news|title=Introduces Movie Stars Over Radio|work=Minneapolis Star|date=August 23, 1935|page=8}}
Reception
The New York Times said the film "has a clinical interest as an example of the confused resentment against the idle rich which Hollywood has been displaying lately" in which the opening scenes "offer considerable promise for a bright-faced comedy of society foibles" but which went downhill once Walter Connolly's character died.{{cite news|newspaper=New York Times|title='She Couldn't Take It,' a Comedy of the Idle Rich, at the Center -- 'The Melody Lingers On.'|first=Andrew|last=Sennwalk|date=November 7, 1935|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F03E2D7123FEE32A25754C0A9679D946494D6CF}}
The Los Angeles Times called it "George Raft's best picture" with an "inventive scenario" and "unexpected twists".{{Cite news|author=Scheuer, P. K.|title=Raft star of clever tale at paramount.|date=Nov 8, 1935|work=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|164525085}}}}
After making the film, Tay Garnett went on an around the world cruise.{{Cite news|title=A film director of sea tales goes after his own firsthand. |date=Nov 3, 1935|work=The Washington Post|id={{ProQuest|150669900}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=Bernstein|first=Matthew|title=Walter Wanger, Hollywood Independent|location=Berkeley, California|publisher=University of California Press|date=1994|isbn=9780520081277|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w27EXh2bXCoC}}
- {{cite book|last1=Parish|first=James Robert|last2=Whitney|first2=Steven|title=The George Raft File: The Unauthorized Biography|location=New York|publisher=Drake Publishers|date=1973|isbn=9780877495208}}
- {{cite book|last1=Stephens|first=E.J.|last2=Wanamaker|first2=Marc|title=Early Poverty Row Studios|location=Charleston, South Carolina|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|date=2014|isbn=9781467132589|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oG3gBAAAQBAJ}}
External links
- [https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/89840/she-couldnt-take-it She Couldn't Take It] at the TCM Movie Database
- {{IMDb title|0026984|She Couldn't Take It}}
- [https://archive.org/details/variety120-1935-11/page/n79/mode/1up/search/%22george+raft%22?q=%22george+raft%22 Review of film] at Variety
{{Tay Garnett}}
Category:1930s screwball comedy films
Category:American screwball comedy films
Category:Columbia Pictures films
Category:1930s English-language films
Category:Films directed by Tay Garnett
Category:Films produced by B. P. Schulberg
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:Films scored by Howard Jackson (composer)