The Jones Family in Big Business (1937)

61 mins | Comedy | 18 June 1937

Director:

Frank R. Strayer

Cinematographer:

Edward Snyder

Production Designer:

Chester Gore

Production Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
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HISTORY

This film was also known as Big Business. For information on the Jones Family series, please see the entry below for Every Saturday Night. ...

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This film was also known as Big Business. For information on the Jones Family series, please see the entry below for Every Saturday Night.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
24-Apr-37
---
Daily Variety
10 Apr 1937
p. 3
Film Daily
13 Apr 1937
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
24 Feb 1937
p. 6
Hollywood Reporter
1 Mar 1937
p. 11
Hollywood Reporter
22 Mar 1937
p. 11
Hollywood Reporter
10 Apr 1937
p. 3
Motion Picture Daily
16 Apr 1937
p. 9
Motion Picture Herald
3 Apr 1937
p. 35
Motion Picture Herald
17 Apr 1937
p. 44, 46
New York Times
1 Jun 1937
p. 27
Variety
2 Jun 1937
p. 23
DETAILS
Series:
Alternate Title:
Big Business
Release Date:
18 June 1937
Premiere Information:
Brooklyn, N.Y. opening: 28 May 1937
Production Date:
25 Feb--late Mar 1937
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
18 June 1937
LP7298
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
61
Length(in feet):
5,514
Length(in reels):
6
Country:
United States
PCA No:
3222
SYNOPSIS

Florist Herbert Thompson is engaged to Bonnie Jones, but he won't set a date until he is in better financial shape. Bonnie is frustrated with the delays and his conservative attitudes, and she becomes interested in former college football hero, Ted Hewett, when he returns to town. Hewett is invited to the Jones's, and he offers to buy Granny's old Eureka oil stock certificates for double what they are worth. She refuses to sell, however, and word of the potential for the stock spreads. Hewett, in actuality, has returned to town with his partner, Leland Whitney, to set up a stock swindle and plans to use Eureka stock as the bait. The price of the stock climbs as everyone in town calls on druggist John Jones to get in on the deal. Unknown to the swindlers, the company really does begin to drill for oil, and as the stock prices rise legitimately, they can no longer get stock to meet the demand. The partners decide to buy land near the drilling site, and they set up their own drilling company headed by Jones, which will leave them in the clear with the stockholders whatever happens. Granny is suspicious of the financial dealings when Jones decides to mortgage the drugstore to invest in the new drilling company, and she asks Herbert to find out what's really going on. As Herbert continues to resist the oil deals, Bonnie finally breaks their engagement. He has decided to back Bonnie's brother Jack's invention of a supercharger for engines. Jack's little brother Roger has applied for a patent, and they are ready to sell the invention. While the boys demonstrate the supercharger ...

More Less

Florist Herbert Thompson is engaged to Bonnie Jones, but he won't set a date until he is in better financial shape. Bonnie is frustrated with the delays and his conservative attitudes, and she becomes interested in former college football hero, Ted Hewett, when he returns to town. Hewett is invited to the Jones's, and he offers to buy Granny's old Eureka oil stock certificates for double what they are worth. She refuses to sell, however, and word of the potential for the stock spreads. Hewett, in actuality, has returned to town with his partner, Leland Whitney, to set up a stock swindle and plans to use Eureka stock as the bait. The price of the stock climbs as everyone in town calls on druggist John Jones to get in on the deal. Unknown to the swindlers, the company really does begin to drill for oil, and as the stock prices rise legitimately, they can no longer get stock to meet the demand. The partners decide to buy land near the drilling site, and they set up their own drilling company headed by Jones, which will leave them in the clear with the stockholders whatever happens. Granny is suspicious of the financial dealings when Jones decides to mortgage the drugstore to invest in the new drilling company, and she asks Herbert to find out what's really going on. As Herbert continues to resist the oil deals, Bonnie finally breaks their engagement. He has decided to back Bonnie's brother Jack's invention of a supercharger for engines. Jack's little brother Roger has applied for a patent, and they are ready to sell the invention. While the boys demonstrate the supercharger to Mr. Rodney, the swindlers prepare the final papers for the new oil company. An informant from the Eureka well calls them when the well is a failure. To prevent the information from getting to the investors, Whitney has the phone lines cut. Herbert and the boys see the well come in dry, and with an outraged Mr. Rodney in tow, they return to town, arriving just in time to prevent the exchange of funds for the new corporation. As the investors blame Jones, Herbert arranges for the payment for the supercharger to be in stocks to be given to the investors. Herbert redeems himself when he punches Hewett, and he then asks Bonnie to marry him.

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GENRE
Genre:
Sub-genre:
Domestic


Subject

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

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