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poster of It's a Wonderful World
Rating: 6.4/10 by 41 users

It's a Wonderful World (1939)

Detective Guy Johnson's client, Willie Heywood, is framed for murder. While Guy hides him so he can catch the real killer, both of them are nabbed by the police, tried, convicted and sentenced to jail: Guy for a year with Willie to be executed. On the way to jail, Guy comes across a clue and escapes from the police.

Directing:
  • W.S. Van Dyke
  • Charles Dorian
  • Hugh Boswell
Writing:
  • Ben Hecht
  • Ben Hecht
  • Herman J. Mankiewicz
Stars:
Release Date: Fri, May 19, 1939

Rating: 6.4/10 by 41 users

Alternative Title:

Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 26 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0

Plot Keyword: escape, police, kidnapping, detective, murder

James Stewart
Guy Johnson
Guy Kibbee
Fred 'Cap' Streeter
Nat Pendleton
Sergeant Fred Koretz
Frances Drake
Vivian Tarbel
Edgar Kennedy
Lieutenant Miller
Ernest Truex
Willie Heyward
Richard Carle
Major I. E. Willoughby
Cecilia Callejo
Dolores Gonzales
Andy Clyde
'Gimpy' Wilson
Cliff Clark
Captain Haggerty
Cecil Cunningham
Madame J. L. Chambers
Leonard Kibrick
Herman Plotka
Hans Conried
Mr. Delmonico, Stage Manager
Grady Sutton
Lupton Peabody
Lowden Adams
Vivian's Butler (uncredited)
Murray Alper
Newspaper Man at Ferry Landing (uncredited)
Monya Andre
Guest (uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman
Guest (uncredited)
Harry Burns
Mike - the Nightclub Doorman (uncredited)
George Chandler
Photographer at Ferry Landing (uncredited)
Frank Coghlan Jr.
Elevator Boy (uncredited)
Hal Cooke
Gus - the Waiter (uncredited)
Maurice Costello
Guest (uncredited)
Rae Daggett
Hotel Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
Daisy
A Dog (uncredited)
Edgar Dearing
Actor as 'Captain Flagg' (uncredited)
John Dilson
Doctor (uncredited)
Peter Du Rey
Guest (uncredited)
Rex Evans
Scout Master (uncredited)
Frank Faylen
Peters - Stagehand (uncredited)
Jack Gardner
Reporter with Vivian (uncredited)
Tom Hanlon
Radio Announcer (voice)
Harold Hoff
Spike (uncredited)
Mike Lally
Reporter with Vivian (uncredited)
W.E. Lawrence
Guest (uncredited)
Wally Maher
Nate - Photographer at Ferry Landing (uncredited)
Fay McKenzie
Guest (uncredited)
Malcolm 'Bud' McTaggart
Georgie - Actor as 'Wounded Soldier' (uncredited)
George Meeker
Ned Brown (uncredited)
Harold Miller
Guest (uncredited)
Alberto Morin
Waiter (uncredited)
Philip Morris
Policeman on Train (uncredited)
Jack Mulhall
Reporter with Vivian (uncredited)
Louis Natheaux
Waiter (uncredited)
Jack Raymond
Lipinsky (uncredited)
Mary Louise Smith
Guest (uncredited)
William Tannen
Actor as 'Soldier' (uncredited)
Phillip Terry
Chauffeur (uncredited)
Monte Vandergrift
Police Officer Drivng Patrol Car (uncredited)
Ray Walker
Newspaper Man at Ferry Landing (uncredited)

CinemaSerf

This is a cracking, quickly paced little comedy thriller with Claudette Colbert really on form as the rather dreamy poet who finds herself caught up in James Stewart's murder shenanigans. He is a PI whose wealthy pal is held for murder. When Stewart ("Johnson") is offered $100k to get to the bottom of it all, he tries to investigate, gets arrested, escapes from the cops into a river and alights on poor old "Edwina Corday" (Colbert) whose car he hijacks. After a bumpy start to their relationship, the pair of them are soon on the case to solve the mystery. It moves along well, the two stars - along with Guy Kibbee as "Cap Streeter" - gel well with some pithy lines from Colbert and daft scenarios well executed by them both as they close in on their prey. In the end, it doesn't really matter who killed whom - it's just an enjoyable vehicle for the two stars who are having some fun - and it is contagious.


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