Pardon Our Nerve (1939)

65 or 67 mins | Comedy | 24 February 1939

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HISTORY

The working title for this film was Samson and the Ladies. Although the Box review noted that this was the "third" film in the "Big Town Girls" series, which starred Lynn Bari and June Gale, it was actually the second and last of the Big Town Girls films. HR production charts list Robert Allen in the cast, although his participation in the final film has not been confirmed. In addition, Virgil Miller is listed as cinematographer and Joseph Santley as director in HR production charts, though they received no onscreen credit. For more information on the proposed "Big Town Girls" series, See Entry for Meet the Girls. ...

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The working title for this film was Samson and the Ladies. Although the Box review noted that this was the "third" film in the "Big Town Girls" series, which starred Lynn Bari and June Gale, it was actually the second and last of the Big Town Girls films. HR production charts list Robert Allen in the cast, although his participation in the final film has not been confirmed. In addition, Virgil Miller is listed as cinematographer and Joseph Santley as director in HR production charts, though they received no onscreen credit. For more information on the proposed "Big Town Girls" series, See Entry for Meet the Girls.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
19-Nov-38
---
Daily Variety
12 Nov 1938
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
17 Sep 1938
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
12 Nov 1938
p. 3
Motion Picture Daily
28 Nov 1938
p. 6
Motion Picture Herald
19 Nov 1938
p. 42
Variety
8 Feb 1939
p. 17
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCER
Exec prod
WRITERS
Orig story
Orig story
PHOTOGRAPHY
Charles [G.] Clarke
Photog
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SET DECORATOR
Set dresser
COSTUMES
Cost
MUSIC
Mus dir
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
Samson and the Ladies
Release Date:
24 February 1939
Premiere Information:
Brooklyn (NY) opening: week of 2 Feb 1939
Production Date:
17 Sep--mid Oct 1938
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
24 February 1939
LP8832
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
65 or 67
Length(in feet):
6,011
Country:
United States
PCA No:
4713
SYNOPSIS

Terry Wilson and Judy Davis sit in their apartment desperately trying to come up with some money, as they have no cigarettes and have not eaten a real meal in a week. Mr. Flemingwell, their landlord, arrives to collect $210 in back rent, but the girls convince him that their Uncle Charlie will arrive with the money soon. They then get a call from the Elite Escort Service to go horseback riding with Kid Ramsey, a heavyweight boxing contender, as a publicity stunt. However, unable to control their horses, the two race past the photographers and loose their mounts. They walk to Ye Old Oaken Bucket restaurant where the busboy, Samson Smith, mistakes Judy for his fiancée Arabella. Conning Samson out of ten dollars, the two decide to play the slot machines. They hit the jackpot, but the woman who had previously played the machine claims the money for herself. A fight breaks out, and when club owner Lucky Carson gets rough with Judy, Samson punches him. Terry and Judy slip into a taxi to escape the melee. Unable to pay their fare, they convince the cab driver, Nosey Nelson, to come back later for the money. The next day, Nosey arrives with Samson, his now unemployed roommate, and the four go to the escort agency to get the girls' money. Refused their pay due to the damage they caused, the girls steal a client, Mrs. Burleigh, who wants two prizefighters for her party. Judy, playing on her similarity to Arabella, convinces Samson to play one fighter, and Terry sends Nosey out to find another "plug." At the party, Terry ...

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Terry Wilson and Judy Davis sit in their apartment desperately trying to come up with some money, as they have no cigarettes and have not eaten a real meal in a week. Mr. Flemingwell, their landlord, arrives to collect $210 in back rent, but the girls convince him that their Uncle Charlie will arrive with the money soon. They then get a call from the Elite Escort Service to go horseback riding with Kid Ramsey, a heavyweight boxing contender, as a publicity stunt. However, unable to control their horses, the two race past the photographers and loose their mounts. They walk to Ye Old Oaken Bucket restaurant where the busboy, Samson Smith, mistakes Judy for his fiancée Arabella. Conning Samson out of ten dollars, the two decide to play the slot machines. They hit the jackpot, but the woman who had previously played the machine claims the money for herself. A fight breaks out, and when club owner Lucky Carson gets rough with Judy, Samson punches him. Terry and Judy slip into a taxi to escape the melee. Unable to pay their fare, they convince the cab driver, Nosey Nelson, to come back later for the money. The next day, Nosey arrives with Samson, his now unemployed roommate, and the four go to the escort agency to get the girls' money. Refused their pay due to the damage they caused, the girls steal a client, Mrs. Burleigh, who wants two prizefighters for her party. Judy, playing on her similarity to Arabella, convinces Samson to play one fighter, and Terry sends Nosey out to find another "plug." At the party, Terry meets sportswriter Dick Malone. When Samson mistakes heavyweight champion Daniels for the other boxer and knocks him out, Dick plays up the story in his paper. Soon, Terry and Judy become Samson's boxing managers, with Flemingwell bankrolling the troupe. Judy convinces each of Samson's opponents to strike her, causing Samson to knock them out. A Labor Day fight is set up between Samson and Ramsey. Samson receives a letter from Arabella, telling him she is leaving him because he is a boxer. Terry convinces Samson she has smoothed things over with Arabella, and that she will be at the fight. Duke Page, the champ's manager who has been ducking Ramsey, places a $100,000 insurance policy on Judy, knowing she is the key to Samson's fighting success. Slipping away from their bodyguard, Terry, Judy and Flemingwell are kidnapped by Carson's men. Without Judy or Arabella, Samson has little will to fight and becomes a mere punching bag for Ramsey. The girls and Flemingwell escape their kidnappers, only to have a car accident with Malone and the police. As the girls race to the fight on police motorcycles, Arabella arrives. Samson is knocked down by Ramsey and when Arabella attacks Ramsey, he knocks her down. Samson gets up and knocks Ramsey out just as the girls arrive. After the fight, Samson and Arabella decide to go back to Minnesota together. Learning that Flemingwell made $6,000 on the fight, Terry and Judy go off with him, telling him about another money-making scheme they have.

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

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