El árbol del dinero

This is one of those movies I saw YEARS and YEARS ago...and have been trying to find it ever since. It was really cute - a great little family piece. I would love to be able to show it to my kids...who seem to think that money DOES grow on trees! (Boy, wouldn't it BE great if it did!)

In the 1930s and 40s, Irene Dunne was one of the top actresses in Hollywood. However, by the time she made "It Grows on Trees" she was older and her prospects a bit dimmer. In fact, it would turn out to be her final movie and the rest of her career she'd appear in a few television productions. It's sad, though, that this final film appearance was in such a dopey production. Why is it dopey? Well, just listen to the plot...the Baxter family have a tree that begins growing money...money that appears to be 100% REAL!

When the picture begins, Phil and Polly Baxter (Dean Jagger and Irene Dunne) are arguing over money. It seems it's really tight in their household and Phil is trying to get Polly to live within their means. But she keeps wanting to spend it on various things for the kids...even though they cannot afford it. Suddenly, as if an answer to prayer, money starts appearing around their property and it takes a while for them to realize that they've got a money tree!

The plot to this film is pretty stupid...that's hard to deny. The actors seem to try their best to make it work, though with such a ridiculous plot even the greatest actors in history couldn't make much of this fluff. And, in this case, Dunne in particular is NOT very good...mostly because her character is pretty annoying.

I still think back to this film and how delightful it was.

A common American housewife (Dunne) finds two trees that grow money in a yard sale, I believe my brother and sister said.

I erroneously believed the woman was Gracie Allen. Later I would learn it was Dunne.

Wonderful what became of the money, Dunne's husband, the nosy neighbor, everything.

I wish I remembered Richard Crenna in this, but I do remember the ending very well; what became of the money trees and then the overall ending of the film.

I had read once that Dunne regretted making this movie and it is surprising to see it was her final film as well.

She may not have liked it, but we sure did.

This silly film is worth seeing for Irene Dunne devotees only -- and barely so. It's a triple stinker with a bad script, sub-par production values and the two stars -- Dunne and Jagger -- have ZERO chemistry. Did they really made children together? Doubtful. And what the heck did Dunne do to squirrel up her voice? It's shrill and jacked up higher than usual and her over-emphasis of the consonant "R" quickly wore out its welcome.

The only saving grace is the film's ending. The last minute of the film is the best minute of the whole thing. It was completely unexpected and perfectly executed. Still, it can't make up for the drudgery that came before.

Irene Dunne finished her illustrious career with this so-so movie. She should have gone out with a bang, being the classy actress she was, not in this unmemorable, almost unknown film.

This lightweight comedy is okay, but nothing special. The first half of it is far better as it gets pretty stupid in the second half. Maybe Irene could see the handwriting on the wall and quit. Even her high-pitched voice got a bit annoying in here. Rumor has it she was not happy with this film. One can see why.

The story reminded me of a 1950s television sitcom. Speaking of that, I thought David Nelson from the Ozzie & Harriet TV show was in this movie but it turned out to be a very young Richard Crenna. He looked and sounded just like Nelson.

Overall, so-so at best and a sub-par ending for a great actress.