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Tall, Dark and Handsome

  • 1941
  • Approved
  • 1h 18m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
295
YOUR RATING
Cesar Romero and Virginia Gilmore in Tall, Dark and Handsome (1941)
ComedyCrime

Robin Hoodish gangster in 1929 Chicago is an object of affection, kind to New York hood and bad to a bad crook.Robin Hoodish gangster in 1929 Chicago is an object of affection, kind to New York hood and bad to a bad crook.Robin Hoodish gangster in 1929 Chicago is an object of affection, kind to New York hood and bad to a bad crook.

  • Director
    • H. Bruce Humberstone
  • Writers
    • Karl Tunberg
    • Darrell Ware
  • Stars
    • Cesar Romero
    • Virginia Gilmore
    • Milton Berle
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    295
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • H. Bruce Humberstone
    • Writers
      • Karl Tunberg
      • Darrell Ware
    • Stars
      • Cesar Romero
      • Virginia Gilmore
      • Milton Berle
    • 9User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos10

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    Top cast61

    Edit
    Cesar Romero
    Cesar Romero
    • J.J. 'Shep' Morrison
    Virginia Gilmore
    Virginia Gilmore
    • Judy Miller
    Milton Berle
    Milton Berle
    • Frosty Welch
    Charlotte Greenwood
    Charlotte Greenwood
    • Mrs. Winnie Sage
    Sheldon Leonard
    Sheldon Leonard
    • Pretty Willie Williams
    Stanley Clements
    Stanley Clements
    • Detroit Harry Morrison Jr.
    Frank Jenks
    Frank Jenks
    • Puffy
    Barnett Parker
    Barnett Parker
    • Quentin, the Butler
    Marc Lawrence
    Marc Lawrence
    • Louie
    Paul Hurst
    Paul Hurst
    • Biff Sage
    Frank Bruno
    • Chick - Driver…
    Anthony Caruso
    Anthony Caruso
    • Gunman
    Marion Martin
    Marion Martin
    • Dawn
    Leon Belasco
    Leon Belasco
    • Alfredo Herrera
    Charles D. Brown
    • District Attorney
    Addison Richards
    Addison Richards
    • Commandant of Military Academy
    George Watts
    • Joe Brady, Cigar Stand Proprietor
    Stanley Blystone
    Stanley Blystone
    • Policeman in Cigar Store
    • Director
      • H. Bruce Humberstone
    • Writers
      • Karl Tunberg
      • Darrell Ware
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    6.6295
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    Featured reviews

    6Doylenf

    Cesar Romero and Sheldon Leonard brighten up good gangster comedy...

    CESAR ROMERO is the TALL, DARK AND HANDSOME gent in the title role with VIRGINIA GILMORE, MILTON BERLE, SHELDON LEONARD and CHARLOTTE GREENWOOD in good supporting roles.

    The story started seeming familiar to me when I realized it was remade in the '50s as LOVE THAT BRUTE with Paul Douglas and Jean Peters.

    The real scene stealer here is STANLEY CLEMENTS, the tough little guy whom Romero gets to pose as his son in order to hire Gilmore as the governess for his "children." The story is completely unpredictable with a wacky sense of humor and some clever plot twists.

    It's briskly directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and was a surprise hit at the box-office, even nabbing a nomination for Best Original Script. Plenty of humorous lines and situations, even if none of it is quite believable. A fun film to watch around the holidays.
    7HotToastyRag

    Funny and charming

    This is such a cute movie, and such a sweet story straight out of the silver screen charm. Starring Cesar Romero as a lovable gangster with a heart of gold, it's set in Chicago in the middle of a turf war between Cesar and rival gangster Sheldon Leonard. With dead bodies popping up around every corner, the police can't pin a thing on either mob boss. It's sheer coincidence that Cesar meets daytime nanny Virginia Gilmore at the mall during Christmastime - and after buying lingerie for a string of his girlfriends. He's charmed by her, but quickly sees she's different from his usual fare; she needs a classy approach. So, he thinks up a quick lie: he's a father in desperate need of a nanny. Cesar's funny sidekick, Milton Berle, and his goofy pal, Charlotte Greenwood, are recruited to back up his lie. They find an orphan child, fill a nursery with toys, and hope for the best.

    I'm an old movie buff, and before Cesar Romero's time as Star of the Week on Hot Toasty Rag, I'd never heard of this one. It's so cute, and so funny; I highly recommend it. Cesar looks absolutely gorgeous, so it's no wonder Virginia falls for him so quickly. And he's hilarious, as always. "You dance like a professional," a floozy coos after cutting in on him and Virginia. "So do you," Cesar replies, slipping an insult past the censors. It's a laugh a minute, and with a cute twist: nine years later Hollywood made a word-for-word remake starring Paul Douglas in Love That Brute, and Cesar Romero played the Sheldon Leonard part.
    7jotix100

    A gangster with a heart

    This 1941 film was shown recently at a local cable channel. Not having seen it before, we took a chance that paid off in many surprising ways. H. Bruce Humberstone directed one of his best films in this enjoyable comedy about gangsters in Chicago. The movie was written by Karl Tunberg and Darrell Ware. The film has a lot going for it.

    Best of all was Cesar Romero, as Shep Morrison, he had one of the best roles of his career. He was a versatile man, as he proves with his take on the Chicago mobster with qualities that endeared to many, even his enemies. Virginia Gilmore plays Shep's love interest. A real surprise was Sheldon Leonard, playing a type for whom he was famous in the film industry. Also on hand the great Charlotte Greenwood and Milton Berle in a small part plus a great supporting cast.

    This is a light comedy to enjoy by all ages.
    8planktonrules

    I am pretty sure most mob bosses are just this nice....

    While he is billed sixth, I think the real star of this picture was young Stanley Clements as 'Detroit' Harry! Clements' character was a hilariously terrible little juvenile delinquent and based on this worldy-wise and smart-mouthed character, I can understand why Monogram Studios decided to use him for a replacement when Loe Gorcey left the Bowery Boys late in their run. The series was nearly dead...but Clements did as good a job as he could as a guy much like Gorcey's character. I say watch the film for him alone...though overall it's a fun little gangster comedy.

    Cesar Romero is Shep...a gangland boss who is very elegant and nice. How nice? It turns out he simply doesn't have the heart to kill his enemies and he keeps them all in a small jail he's had built in his basement! If his rival, Willie (Sheldon Leonard) finds out he's just a softy down deep, Shep will be pushing up the daisies. But, he might anyway when Willie decides to court Shep's fiancé! What comes of all this? See the film.

    The script is funny and clever and the characters memorable. It's among Romero's better films and a nice little sleeper comedy anyone could enjoy.
    6bkoganbing

    No homicides, no bodies

    From 20th Century Fox's B picture unit comes this little comic gem about a gangster who couldn't kill. Cesar Romero just can't quite bring himself to rub out rival Sheldon Leonard's many torpedoes sent against him. What he has is a private jail in the basement of his large estate where he just keeps them prisoners and treated pretty well at that. No homicides, no bodies.

    He's also putting on a big campaign to win Virginia Gilmore complete with housekeeper Charlotte Greenwood and borrowed son Stanley Clements. It goes in fits and starts.

    Sadly though Sheldon Leonard does kill rivals, but Romero's policy pays off in the end big time. The henchmen for both get some laughs with Milton Berle as Romero's top non-trigger man and Franks Jenks and Marc Lawrence as a pair of Leonard's hoods who benefit greatly from Romero's no homcide policy.

    Tall, Dark, And Handsome got a Best Original Screenplay Oscar and I will say this one is most original.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Swedish Censor Board no 64.154. This movie is totally forbidden to be shown to Swedish audiences - at least in 1942.
    • Quotes

      Pretty Willie Williams: I warned him not to go walking in the woods all alone. I had a sorta premonition. But You can't prove a thing.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Tall, Dark and Gruesome (1948)
    • Soundtracks
      Hello Ma! I Done It Again
      Lyrics by Leo Robin

      Music by Ralph Rainger

      Copyright 1940 Twentieth Century Music Corporation

      Sung by Virginia Gilmore

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 24, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Alto, moreno y buen mozo
    • Filming locations
      • 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 18 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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