Lady in a Jam (1942)

81 or 83 mins | Screwball comedy | 19 June 1942

Full page view
HISTORY

The working titles of this film were The Sheltered Side and Sheltered Lady. The film was planned as a follow-up to Universal's successful 1941 teaming of actress Irene Dunne and producer-director Gregory LaCava in Unfinished Business (see entry). LAEx reported in Sep 1941 that the film's original story was being written by LaCava himself. Universal publicity materials claim that the film was shot without a finished script. According to HR, the film shot on location at the Superstition Mountains, thirty-five miles east of Phoenix, AZ. Universal press materials state that this site was an actual "ghost town," with eight functioning buildings including the "Last Hope Saloon." According to HR, this was Universal's largest "on-location shoot" since the outbreak of World War II, with a crew of three hundred. The entire production took nine weeks to film, with five of those weeks on location in Arizona. HR claims that eight-year-old Jane Garland, the stepdaughter of Gregory LaCava, made her screen debut in the production. Universal press materials state that the jewelry borrowed for the film was worth over $100,000. ...

More Less

The working titles of this film were The Sheltered Side and Sheltered Lady. The film was planned as a follow-up to Universal's successful 1941 teaming of actress Irene Dunne and producer-director Gregory LaCava in Unfinished Business (see entry). LAEx reported in Sep 1941 that the film's original story was being written by LaCava himself. Universal publicity materials claim that the film was shot without a finished script. According to HR, the film shot on location at the Superstition Mountains, thirty-five miles east of Phoenix, AZ. Universal press materials state that this site was an actual "ghost town," with eight functioning buildings including the "Last Hope Saloon." According to HR, this was Universal's largest "on-location shoot" since the outbreak of World War II, with a crew of three hundred. The entire production took nine weeks to film, with five of those weeks on location in Arizona. HR claims that eight-year-old Jane Garland, the stepdaughter of Gregory LaCava, made her screen debut in the production. Universal press materials state that the jewelry borrowed for the film was worth over $100,000.

Less

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
PERSONAL & COMPANY INDEX CREDITS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
4 Jul 1942
---
Daily Variety
26 Jun 1942
p. 3
Film Daily
29 Jun 1942
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
19 Nov 1941
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
5 Dec 1941
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
12 Dec 1941
p. 2
Hollywood Reporter
9 Jan 1942
p. 6
Hollywood Reporter
12 Jan 1942
pp. 6-7
Hollywood Reporter
13 Jan 1942
p. 1
Hollywood Reporter
16 Jan 1942
p. 15
Hollywood Reporter
20 Jan 1942
p. 1
Hollywood Reporter
23 Jan 1942
p. 9
Hollywood Reporter
4 Feb 1942
p. 2
Hollywood Reporter
6 Feb 1942
p. 8, 11
Hollywood Reporter
16 Mar 1942
p. 1
Hollywood Reporter
26 Jun 1942
p. 3
Los Angeles Examiner
15 Sep 1941
---
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
4 Jul 1942
p. 749
New York Times
11 Sep 1942
p. 25
Variety
1 Jul 1942
p. 8
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION TEXT
A Gregory LaCava Production
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Gregory LaCava
Dir
WRITERS
Eugene Thackrey
Scr
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
SET DECORATOR
R. A. Gausman
Set dec
COSTUMES
Miss Dunne's gowns
of I. Magnin & Co.
Jewelry furnished by
MUSIC
Mus dir
Mus score
SOUND
[Sd] tech
PRODUCTION MISC
Asst to prod-dir
Asst to prod-dir
Mervin Houser
Unit pub wrt
DETAILS
Alternate Titles:
Sheltered Lady
The Sheltered Side
Release Date:
19 June 1942
Production Date:
12 Jan--16 Mar 1942
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Universal Pictures Co., inc.
29 June 1942
LP11433
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
81 or 83
Length(in feet):
7,441
Country:
United States
PCA No:
8262
SYNOPSIS

In New York, businessman Billingsley goes to see Dr. Brewster, the head of the Palmer Medical Foundation, to ask for psychiatric help for his ward, heiress Jane Palmer. The businessman is upset as Jane has managed to squander her entire inheritance, yet refuses to accept its consequences. Billingsley is sent to handsome young psychiatrist Dr. Enright, who states that he can easily cure the young lady of her spendthrift ways. Soon after, while Enright watches, Jane attempts to purchase some expensive jewelry, only to be told that her line of credit has been revoked. When Jane's chauffeur, Milton, quits outside the jewelry store, she has a series of automobile accidents while attempting to drive herself home. Enright comes to her aid, then offers himself as Milton's replacement. Jane returns home to discover that a police auction of her belongings is being planned. Refusing to accept the reality of her poor financial state, Jane agrees to hire Enright, but after all of her possessions have been sold, Enright admits his true profession and mission, and tells her that she must return to her childhood home in Arizona to face the long-repressed fears that have caused her condition. While Jane and Enright travel cross-country, her grandmother, Cactus Kate Palmer, receives a telegram telling of Jane's imminent arrival. Although Stanley Gardner, Jane's old boyfriend, believes that the young heiress is returning home to rekindle their relationship, Kate immediately surmises that Jane is in need of money, but refuses to give her a dime. Enright tells Kate of Jane's psychological problems, but the old woman simply dismisses them as an inherited family trait. Jane, in turn, ...

More Less

In New York, businessman Billingsley goes to see Dr. Brewster, the head of the Palmer Medical Foundation, to ask for psychiatric help for his ward, heiress Jane Palmer. The businessman is upset as Jane has managed to squander her entire inheritance, yet refuses to accept its consequences. Billingsley is sent to handsome young psychiatrist Dr. Enright, who states that he can easily cure the young lady of her spendthrift ways. Soon after, while Enright watches, Jane attempts to purchase some expensive jewelry, only to be told that her line of credit has been revoked. When Jane's chauffeur, Milton, quits outside the jewelry store, she has a series of automobile accidents while attempting to drive herself home. Enright comes to her aid, then offers himself as Milton's replacement. Jane returns home to discover that a police auction of her belongings is being planned. Refusing to accept the reality of her poor financial state, Jane agrees to hire Enright, but after all of her possessions have been sold, Enright admits his true profession and mission, and tells her that she must return to her childhood home in Arizona to face the long-repressed fears that have caused her condition. While Jane and Enright travel cross-country, her grandmother, Cactus Kate Palmer, receives a telegram telling of Jane's imminent arrival. Although Stanley Gardner, Jane's old boyfriend, believes that the young heiress is returning home to rekindle their relationship, Kate immediately surmises that Jane is in need of money, but refuses to give her a dime. Enright tells Kate of Jane's psychological problems, but the old woman simply dismisses them as an inherited family trait. Jane, in turn, tells Kate that she is trying to help Enright overcome his own bitterness toward women. Without money from her grandmother, Jane decides to mine for gold in her grandfather's deserted mine. Stanley then arrives and attempts to serenade Jane, who fails to recognize him at first. That night, Jane's romantic attentions are directed at Enright, who kisses her in the moonlight, but comes to his senses just as Stanley returns. After Jane confesses her attraction to Enright, Stanley challenges the "tenderfoot" to a duel, but is shocked to discover that the psychiatrist is an expert marksman. The next morning, Jane tells Kate that she is giving up on Enright and gold mining, but the old woman convinces her to give each a second chance. Digging exactly where her grandmother tells her, Jane strikes gold just before Enright is about to leave. Afraid that he will leave her forever, Jane tells Enright that she is having spells and strange dreams, but he recognize her ruse, and knows that Kate "salted" Jane's gold mine. Enright stays on, however, and news of Jane's gold strike soon fills the newspapers and causes a gold rush. In order to ripen Enright's jealousy, Jane tells the psychiatrist of her plans to marry Stanley. The plan fails when Enright attempts to sneak away on the night of Jane and Stanley's wedding. Enright is stopped by a shotgun-toting Kate, but is then saved when Kate mistakenly assumes that a government agent who wants to buy the "Lost Hope" mine for its silver reserve has come to arrest her for "salting" it with gold. Learning of Enright's departure, Jane leaves Stanley at the altar and goes after the psychiatrist. Back in New York, the staff of the Palmer Foundation becomes concerned with the listless behavior of Enright, but they soon realize its cause when Jane arrives with Billingsley. Jane then corners Enright in his laboratory and informs him that they are in love and meant to be together. Despite his years of medical study, the overwhelmed psychiatrist can do nothing but scream and accept his fate.

Less

Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

TOP SEARCHES

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

According to HR news items, "The Gentleman from Montana" (an unpublished story by Lewis R. Foster, alternately called "The Gentleman from Wyoming" by both contemporary and modern ... >>

Citizen Kane

This film's end credits begin with the statement, “Most of the principal actors in Citizen Kane are new to motion pictures. The Mercury Theatre is proud ... >>

The Grapes of Wrath

According to materials contained in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Fox paid John Steinbeck $70,000 for the rights to his ... >>

Casablanca

In the onscreen credits, actor S. Z. Sakall's name is incorrectly spelled "S. K. Sakall." HR news items add the following information about the production: ... >>

The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.