The Goose and the Gander - 1935 (or "Wow! A movie that doesn't star Dirk Bogarde!")

September 17, 2009

Two nights ago I watched The Goose and The Gander which starred Kay Francis, George Brent and Genevieve Tobin (NOT Dirk Bogarde! I know, shocking!)


This movie is really easy to follow but trying to explain it is like trying to explain War and Peace or The Brothers Karamazov. I feel like I need an elaborate family tree at the beginning to help me out..


RALPH SUMMERS (Ralph Forbes)
Husband
I..............................I
GEORGIANA SUMMERS ............... BETTY SUMMERS
(Kay Francis) .........................(Genevieve Tobin)
First Wife ............................ Second Wife
I..............................IBOB MCNEAR (George Brent)
Betty Summers' Lover
Also has eyes for Georgiana

LAWRENCE and CONNIE
(John Eldredge and Claire Dodd)
Thieves who steal jewels from Georgiana
and then try to pose as Ralph & Betty Summers

AUNT JULIA
(Helen Lowell)
Comic relief


Here's my best attempt at describing the plot!

GEORGIANA overhears BETTY and BOB planning a weekend getaway.
GEORGIANA still wants RALPH back.
GEORGIANA bribes a gas station attendant to tell BETTY and BOB that their weekend getaway spot is quarantined for smallpox, and drain their gas tank so that they simply have to stay at GEORGIANA's lodge, which is only a half mile away.
RALPH is planning to stop at the lodge in the morning.
BOB lies to GEORGIANA and says that BETTY is Mrs. BOB MCNEER.
The gas station attendant accidentally also directs a pair of jewel thieves, LAWRENCE AND CONNIE, to the lodge.
LAWRENCE and CONNIE arrive at the lodge and say they are Betty and Ralph Summers.
BETTY is passing herself off as Mrs. BOB MCNEER so she doesn't contest their identities.
HILARITY ensues.

Gosh, as hard as I tried I think this still doesn't make any sense! Too bad it isn't on DVD so you could just watch it for yourself...

OH WAIT!

That's right -- I just spent about three hours copying the movie to my computer and uploading it to YouTube!! So can just see for yourself how funny this movie is, regardless of how complicated I just made the plot sound!

8 comments:

Elsie said...

I love this movie! It shows how good Kay could be at comedy. Plus I'd watch anything with her and George- they are among my favorite on screen couples.
You did a good, amusing job at trying to explain the tangled plotline!

CagneyFan said...

Thanks so much for uploading this on YT. Can't wait to watch. I've never seen it, but since Kay Francis and George Brent are two of my favorites, I'm looking forward to it. Thanks again for taking the time to put it on YT.

Mary said...

It looks great! I'll have to watch it soon. I sure do love the cast! Thanks for making it available for us to watch.

CagneyFan said...

What a delightfully fun movie! Thanks again for loading it on YT. I'd have never seen it otherwise. HAGW!

Keith said...

Hey there. Great post. I hope you've been having a wonderful weekend. Take care. Cheers!

Terence Towles Canote said...

It is funny. And I think a lot of the reason it is so funny is that it is just so complicated!

Unknown said...

Elise- OH, I wish she had done more comedies. She's so fun and sly in this film!

CagneyFan- Your welcome, I hope you like it! (Just saw your second comment-- I'm glad you liked it!!) :D

Mary- It really is great, I hope you like it!

Keith- Thanks! I hope you're having a good week too!

Mercurie- YES! Exactly!!

Evangeline Holland said...

I watched this movie on a whim, feeling in the mood for a Kay Francis movie, and was subsequently blown away by how hilarious and sparkling it was. I was most surprised by George Brent, who usually garners an irritated reaction from me. I've never seen him this "loose" on-screen before--he's usually stiffly priggish or comically manic, rarely natural IMO. Makes me want to seek out the other movies he did with Kay.