539:(1941), which Brackett and Wilder had written. Unusually for an editor, Harrison was on the set for filming as well as working in the cutting room. Wilder later said, "I worked with a very good cutter, Doane Harrison, from whom I learned a great deal. He was much more of a help to me than the cameraman. When I became a director from a writer, my technical knowledge was very meagre." Harrison taught him how to "cut in the camera", a form of spontaneous editing that results in a minimal amount of film being shot and eliminates the possibility of studio heads later adding footage the director deemed unnecessary. In later years, Wilder commented, "When I finish a film, there is nothing on the
319:). When Philip phones from the train station, Susan identifies herself as Su-Su's mother; Su-Su is at a school play. He is on his way to San Diego to report for active duty; he has a frog from Lucy. At the house, he is astonished by Mrs. Applegate's resemblance to her daughter. He delivers best wishes from everyone at the school and tells her that Pamela married someone else. Pamela was right about one thing: A man heading into war has no right to marry. He tells her about an officer on his train who is traveling with his girl. They will stop in Nevada to be married, she will see him off, and he will be gone. Mrs Applegate tells him that he underestimates women.
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and that he would listen. He certainly understood how to pay attention to a woman." What also appealed to Rogers was the basic concept of the film. As a younger woman, she had pretended to be eligible for a child's fare when traveling by train with her cash-strapped mother on more than one occasion, so she easily identified with the plot and agreed to make the film. Wilder also agreed to her suggestion that he cast her own mother as her mother in the film.
564:, was used for exterior location shots. Principal photography was completed quickly and efficiently. Rogers later recalled, "We had a lot of fun making the picture. It was that kind of story. And even though it was his first film, from day one, I saw that Billy knew what to do. He was very sure of himself. He had perfect confidence ... I've never been sorry I made the film.
651:. And in those moments when romance brightly kindles, she is a soft and altogether winning miss. Put this down as one of the best characterizations of her career. Credit Mr. Milland, too, with making a warm and nimble fellow of the major, and all the rest of the cast for doing very well with lively roles."
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At the big school dance, Philip thanks Pamela: He reports for active duty in a week. She does not deny her role but refuses to marry him at such short notice. Cadet
Clifford Osborne introduces Susan to his parents: His father is the client whose behavior prompted her to quit her job. It takes a while
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where he teaches, drive to meet him. Pamela boards the train and finds Su-Su sleeping in the lower berth. Imagining the worst, she accuses Philip of being unfaithful and reports his transgression to her father and the board. Amused, Philip introduces Su-Su to the assembled authorities. Pamela insists
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the film during lunch at an
Italian restaurant, and Rogers later recalled Wilder "was charming, a European gentleman ... I've always been a good judge of character. I decided then and there that we would get along and that he had the qualities to become a good director ... I felt he would be strong,
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Susan arranges to meet Philip after the dance. She rushes back to Lucy's room to change. Pamela tells Philip that Su-Su is sick, and Susan finds Pamela waiting instead. Pamela threatens to create a public scandal that will destroy Philip's career, unless Susan leaves immediately. Susan makes Lucy
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said the Wilder-Brackett script "effervesces with neat situations and bright lines" and added, "The gentlemen have written – and Mr. Wilder has directed – a bountiful comedy-romance. And Miss Rogers and Mr. Milland have played it with spirit and taste. Never once does either permit the
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and return home to
Stevenson, Iowa. At the train station, she discovers she has only enough money to cover a half fare, so she disguises herself as a twelve-year-old girl named Su-Su. When two suspicious conductors catch her smoking, Su-Su takes refuge in the compartment of Major Philip Kirby
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Kathleen Applegate. She is going to marry a soldier—if he'll have her. She has a theory about the
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called the film a "sparkling and effervescing piece of farce-comedy" with a story that is "light, fluffy, and frolicsome ... Both script and direction swing the yarn along at a consistent pace, with the laughs developing naturally and without strain."
300:. Philip tries to explain to Susan why she should not encourage them, losing himself in a metaphor of lightbulbs and moths. At one point, he looks at her through his bad eye and tells her she will be a “knockout” one day.
285:), a student of biology, immediately sees through Susan's disguise. She promises to keep her secret if Susan will help her sabotage Pamela's efforts to keep Philip at the academy instead of allowing him to be assigned to
520:. Impulsively, he called out, "I'm doing a picture. Would you like to be in it?," and the actor responded, "Sure." Wilder sent him the script, which Milland liked. Three years later the two men would collaborate on
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represented both Rogers and Wilder, who asked him to intercede with her on his behalf, and
Brackett also urged her to meet the neophyte director. She agreed, and she and the screenwriters met during the filming of
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agreed to give him a chance. Wilder was determined to make a mainstream film that would be a box-office success so he would not be relegated to a typewriter for the rest of his career.
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Susan returns home, but continues to daydream about Philip, staring for hours at the moths fluttering around the porch light, much to the frustration of her fiancé, Will Duffy (
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As she draws nearer, he looks at her with his bad eye. They kiss. “Su-Su!” he cries. “Come Philip!” she replies, and they run for the train.
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Nobody's Perfect: Billy Wilder, A Personal Biography
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List of films with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
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223:Ray Milland
175:100 minutes
101:Ray Milland
83:Produced by
67:(1923 play)
39:Directed by
1229:1942 films
1223:Categories
677:References
647:imitating
589:Soundtrack
583:Diana Lynn
505:Roxie Hart
479:Cary Grant
436:Production
419:Boyd Irwin
356:Diana Lynn
283:Diana Lynn
196:Box office
159:1942-09-16
49:Written by
1045:Stalag 17
452:Ninotchka
428:Tom Dugan
201:(rentals)
117:Edited by
111:Leo Tover
861:AllMovie
664:See also
645:Quiz Kid
549:(1966).
188:Language
127:Music by
93:Starring
61:Based on
1175:Avanti!
1055:Sabrina
870:at the
848:at the
816:Variety
695:Variety
656:Variety
510:pitched
508:. They
191:English
180:Country
157: (
1208:(1981)
1198:(1978)
1195:Fedora
1188:(1974)
1178:(1972)
1168:(1970)
1158:(1966)
1148:(1964)
1138:(1963)
1128:(1961)
1118:(1960)
1108:(1959)
1098:(1957)
1088:(1957)
1078:(1957)
1068:(1955)
1058:(1954)
1048:(1953)
1038:(1951)
1028:(1950)
1018:(1948)
1008:(1948)
988:(1945)
978:(1944)
968:(1943)
958:(1942)
948:(1934)
775:
751:
718:
597:" by
496:Agent
839:IMDb
773:ISBN
749:ISBN
716:ISBN
621:and
613:and
601:and
488:for
455:and
331:Cast
245:Plot
221:and
883:on
859:at
837:at
636:of
560:in
237:by
1225::
814:.
796:.
730:^
692:,
625:.
914:e
907:t
900:v
800:.
781:.
724:.
262:(
161:)
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