Take a Chance
(1933)
80 mins | Musical | 27 October 1933
Cast:
James Dunn, June Knight, Lillian Roth [ More ]Directors:
Monte Brice, Laurence SchwabProducer:
Laurence SchwabCinematographer:
Joseph ValentineEditor:
Robert SnodyProduction Company:
Paramount Productions, Inc.According to the film's pressbook, scenes of the charity bazaar were shot on the estate of Charles E. Proctor near King's Point, Great Neck, Long Island, NY. In Jul 1933, HR and MPD reported that a screen adaptation of the stage musical was going to be produced by Rowland-Brice for Universal and that Lawrence Schwab, the co-producer of the stage version, was going to direct, but that Universal had called off the project because of insufficient story. Reportedly, the project was then considered and dropped by Fox. The onscreen credits on the viewed print did not include a screenwriter. According to a news item in HR on 21 Sep 1935, this film was rejected by censors in Johannesburg and was banned for South African release. Reportedly, no reason was given for the ban. HR noted that the incident marked the first time a musical had been banned in Johannesburg. Contemporary sources disagree on several of the film's credits. Copyright records give directing credit to songwriter Buddy De Sylva along with Brice and Schwab, although none of the reviews or the film credits De Sylva with direction. Both FD and Var credit William Steiner with photography, although he is not credited on the film. HR reported on 5 Jun 1933 that Sid Silvers had left the cast to be in My Weakness, a 1933 Fox film produced by De Sylva (see entry). On 14 Jul 1933, HR announced that Lillian Roth had replaced Ethel Merman in the cast. HR also announced on 11 Jul that Joan ...
According to the film's pressbook, scenes of the charity bazaar were shot on the estate of Charles E. Proctor near King's Point, Great Neck, Long Island, NY. In Jul 1933, HR and MPD reported that a screen adaptation of the stage musical was going to be produced by Rowland-Brice for Universal and that Lawrence Schwab, the co-producer of the stage version, was going to direct, but that Universal had called off the project because of insufficient story. Reportedly, the project was then considered and dropped by Fox. The onscreen credits on the viewed print did not include a screenwriter. According to a news item in HR on 21 Sep 1935, this film was rejected by censors in Johannesburg and was banned for South African release. Reportedly, no reason was given for the ban. HR noted that the incident marked the first time a musical had been banned in Johannesburg. Contemporary sources disagree on several of the film's credits. Copyright records give directing credit to songwriter Buddy De Sylva along with Brice and Schwab, although none of the reviews or the film credits De Sylva with direction. Both FD and Var credit William Steiner with photography, although he is not credited on the film. HR reported on 5 Jun 1933 that Sid Silvers had left the cast to be in My Weakness, a 1933 Fox film produced by De Sylva (see entry). On 14 Jul 1933, HR announced that Lillian Roth had replaced Ethel Merman in the cast. HR also announced on 11 Jul that Joan Marsh was to be in the cast, although she receives no credit on the screen.
Tired of performing striptease for small-town carnivals, Wanda Hill leaves her pickpocket boyfriend, Duke Stanley, and his partners, Louie Webb and Toni Ray, and heads for Broadway. Wanda advises Toni to drop her crooked partners, but they promise to "go straight," and become card dealers at Mike Caruso's club in Greenwich Village. Toni gets a job singing at Caruso's and all three split their earnings. Wanda brings her theatrical producer, Kenneth Raleigh, to the club to see Toni perform, and he immediately falls for her. Ken's father Andrew is backing his musical revue, Humpty Dumpty . That night, Caruso orders Duke and Louie to use loaded dice against Ken, and after Toni innocently suggests he play dice, Ken loses $600. Toni is mortified, but returns the money and regains Ken's admiration and a part in the revue. Duke and Louie then audition, but make fools of themselves. At a charity gala for homeless dogs hosted by Andrew, Ken proposes to Toni. Caruso arrives and scares Duke and Louie into paying off Toni's wardrobe debts and returning Ken's $600. To save Toni's romance, Duke and Louie stage a fixed raffle in which Wanda wins her own diamond brooch. When Wanda exposes the gag to Ken, he agrees to let them keep the money if they promise never to see Toni again. Raleigh then accuses Toni of being "in on the take," and she disappears before the revue's opening night. Duke and Louie retrieve Toni in time for her big number with Ken, and she and Ken kiss. An accident backstage during intermission wounds three actors, and Duke, Louie and Ken's little sister ...
Tired of performing striptease for small-town carnivals, Wanda Hill leaves her pickpocket boyfriend, Duke Stanley, and his partners, Louie Webb and Toni Ray, and heads for Broadway. Wanda advises Toni to drop her crooked partners, but they promise to "go straight," and become card dealers at Mike Caruso's club in Greenwich Village. Toni gets a job singing at Caruso's and all three split their earnings. Wanda brings her theatrical producer, Kenneth Raleigh, to the club to see Toni perform, and he immediately falls for her. Ken's father Andrew is backing his musical revue, Humpty Dumpty . That night, Caruso orders Duke and Louie to use loaded dice against Ken, and after Toni innocently suggests he play dice, Ken loses $600. Toni is mortified, but returns the money and regains Ken's admiration and a part in the revue. Duke and Louie then audition, but make fools of themselves. At a charity gala for homeless dogs hosted by Andrew, Ken proposes to Toni. Caruso arrives and scares Duke and Louie into paying off Toni's wardrobe debts and returning Ken's $600. To save Toni's romance, Duke and Louie stage a fixed raffle in which Wanda wins her own diamond brooch. When Wanda exposes the gag to Ken, he agrees to let them keep the money if they promise never to see Toni again. Raleigh then accuses Toni of being "in on the take," and she disappears before the revue's opening night. Duke and Louie retrieve Toni in time for her big number with Ken, and she and Ken kiss. An accident backstage during intermission wounds three actors, and Duke, Louie and Ken's little sister must stand in for them. Duke and Louie's hilarious performance turns a historical drama on Daniel Boone into slapstick. The press raves about the revue's unknown actors, and Duke and Louie finally win Ken's favor. Ken then builds a beach set for his and Toni's honeymoon. On the "beach," Duke kisses Wanda.
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