Le rescapé

Amazing how as soon as you take Busby B out of a theatrical setting and plunk him down in a standard drama like this the guy turns into...Archie Mayo.

Bill Austin (George Brent) is a crew member of the US Navy airship Macon. He loses a leg as one of the last man to leave his post after its crash. Next, he gets a job from old school owner Cappy Ricks who is supposedly retired. Cappy is not happy with the new management of Lloyd Skinner. Despite being initially dismissed by Skinner, Bill ends up being their best salesman. Cappy's daughter Margaret takes a liking to the go getter. When Bill asks for Margaret's hand, Cappy disapproves and sets him up with an impossible task.

I don't really understand Cappy's disapproval of the couple's relationship. It would be more likeable for the test to be for Bill to take over the company. That way, Skinner would be working the hardest against him. He could do all kinds of dastardly deeds against him. This needs a bit of recalibration of Cappy.

Would be interesting to know the real timing of this film... released JUST after the crash of the Hindenburg. Was it just a coincidence... that the film talks about the crash of a zeppelin? Acc to imdb, production was occurring December of 1936, which makes it look like it was all in the works prior to the real life disaster, but I guess they could have still added that on to the beginning. That's the opening scene, then the story moves on from there. George Brent is Bill Austin, injured and retired from the Navy, looking for work. Anita Louise is Margaret, daughter of the ornery lumber company president. Austin lands a job, and starts dating Margaret... hijinx ensue. This one goes all around the mulberrry bush; Lots of executive office politics. Tests. Silliness. We admire the lengths he goes to for the girl he loves, but who would put up with all that?? Austin sounds too good to be true. Will it work out, or will it come crashing down? It's all okay. The main attraction here is director Busby Berkeley.. this was one of his films that DIDN'T have the elaborate dance numbers that made him so famous. Plot is a little goofy, but we go on a journey with Austin that may or may not work out in the end.

Sadly, this is the kind of movie that Hollywood has forgotten how to make. It's filled with quirky character bits and plot reversals. Briefly, George Brent plays an earnest and unstoppable salesman working for an incendiary boss, and in love with the boss's daughter. I've worked with salesman like this before. They'll go to insane lengths to get the job done. It was fun to see one portrayed on the screen. This was the kind of movie that Hollywood once made that made the public fall in love them. Regrettably, if you want to see this sort of movie now, don't bother going to the local megaplex. Stay home and check out Turner Classic Movies. I'll take a dozen showings of THE GO-GETTER over a single $100,000,000 effects-jammed swollen monstrosity any day. The only special effects that I really want are great writing and great acting. THE GO-GETTER has both.

Just a heartwarming story that make you smile from beginning to end.