IMDb RATING
6.9/10
3.9K
YOUR RATING
A financially-strapped charter pilot hires himself to an oil tycoon to kidnap his madcap daughter and prevent her from marrying a vapid band leader.A financially-strapped charter pilot hires himself to an oil tycoon to kidnap his madcap daughter and prevent her from marrying a vapid band leader.A financially-strapped charter pilot hires himself to an oil tycoon to kidnap his madcap daughter and prevent her from marrying a vapid band leader.
- Awards
- 2 wins total
Douglas Kennedy
- Second Reporter
- (as Keith Douglas)
William Hopper
- Keenan's Pilot
- (as DeWolf Hopper)
Sol Gorss
- Reporters' Pilot
- (scenes deleted)
Jean Ames
- Mabel - Hatcheck Girl
- (uncredited)
Peter Ashley
- Reporter in Amarillo
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
I had always avoided this flick because I love both its stars and had read and heard not-so-flattering things about it. Finally caught up with it on the beautiful DVD transfer, and was either laughing or smiling from beginning to end, and believe me that's a rarity! How nice to see all those naysayers proved wrong. Granted, this is one of the most contrived and tortured "meet cute" setups in screwball history, but the plot mechanics are dispensed with quickly and it's all Cagney and Davis at their most sparkling from there on. I actually think it's best to watch this not knowing what happens, so I'll just say WATCH IT if you have a liking for either -- or both -- of these stars. And the Epstein-brothers' script is hilarious; it should be studied by today's comedy writers.
Enjoyable screwball comedy with Bette Davis and James Cagney, helped out by a great supporting cast that includes Eugene Palette, Jack Carson, George Tobias, William Frawley, Harry Davenport, and many others. WB movies back in the day were more often than not defined by their supporting players. They had a premium stable of actors to choose from and many times they're more enjoyable to watch than the leads.
Davis has a lot of fun with this role and, while her comedic talents were always so-so, she shines here. This is also one of the movies where she looks prettiest and curviest. One dress in particular fits her just right.
The movie isn't perfect. It drags a bit more than a screwball comedy should. Davis and Cagney, while having nice comedic timing, don't really have much romantic chemistry. So the inevitable conclusion to a film like this might be a bit hard for some to buy. Still, I recommend it to any Bette Davis or James Cagney fan. Also to any fan of WB films from the 1930s and 40s.
Davis has a lot of fun with this role and, while her comedic talents were always so-so, she shines here. This is also one of the movies where she looks prettiest and curviest. One dress in particular fits her just right.
The movie isn't perfect. It drags a bit more than a screwball comedy should. Davis and Cagney, while having nice comedic timing, don't really have much romantic chemistry. So the inevitable conclusion to a film like this might be a bit hard for some to buy. Still, I recommend it to any Bette Davis or James Cagney fan. Also to any fan of WB films from the 1930s and 40s.
Bette Davis and Jimmy Cagney had been teamed once before in "Jimmy the Gent", also a comedy. That picture and this one are two of the relatively rare Bette Davis comedies. Jimmy the Gent was pleasant and fast moving, and featured the two stars relatively early in their career's. Here, they are both at the top of their game, and they elevate the mediocre material into something fast paced, fun, and easy to watch. It's a real pleasure to see two of the screen's greatest stars together. Nothing great, but definitely worth seeing for fans of the stars or of screwball comedies of that era.
When I watch a movie, I like to laugh, and that's why this is my favorite movie of all time.
It's the only pairing of James Cagney and Bette Davis, and the sparks do fly. You might call this a variation on the theme of "It Happened One Night." James Cagney plays a cargo pilot asked to aid in an elopement that would result in a disastrous marriage for an heiress. Her father offers him payment if he delivers her home unmarried. The ending is predictable, but the journey to it is not. Great fun.
Oh, I know there are so many other "important" and wonderful movies out there. I love a lot of them. But rarely has one tickled and surprised me the way this one did.
Let others favor the big famous movies. I'll take this little gem.
I'm surprised that more people haven't recognized its charm.
It's the only pairing of James Cagney and Bette Davis, and the sparks do fly. You might call this a variation on the theme of "It Happened One Night." James Cagney plays a cargo pilot asked to aid in an elopement that would result in a disastrous marriage for an heiress. Her father offers him payment if he delivers her home unmarried. The ending is predictable, but the journey to it is not. Great fun.
Oh, I know there are so many other "important" and wonderful movies out there. I love a lot of them. But rarely has one tickled and surprised me the way this one did.
Let others favor the big famous movies. I'll take this little gem.
I'm surprised that more people haven't recognized its charm.
Bette Davis, in her autobiography The Lonely Life, didn't have to much good to say about this film. It's true the critics thought that this film was beneath the talents of Davis and Cagney, but time proves otherwise. Some films just seem to age like a bottle of fine wine which makes this movie play better today than it did when it was first released. So, the story goes, our Bette was doing a lot of tear jerker's and I guess Warners thought it was time for her to take a breather and do a light comedy for a change of pace. What's amazing is that here we have two Acadamy Award winners playing hoke and camp with La Davis spending most of her time falling on top of cactus plants and screaming! The musical score by Max Stiener is just fine and dandy and the funniest part in the film is when Davis deiced she's going to run away from Cagney in an automobile that hardly can run after Henry Davenport locks Cagney up in the town jail. So, she and Davenport get in the car. The car starts down the hill with the song In My Merry Oldsmbile being played and Cagney laughing so bad that you have to laugh with him as the car makes all kinds of noise and sputtering when it finally turns over, and I'm surprised that somehow they didn't find a way for our Bette to fall on top of another cactus plant! Even though Davis said that they really didn't like making this movie, it seems to me, when viewing it, that Davis and Cagney, with the rest of the cast were having a lot of fun making it! You could never remake this film and make it work today. I mean, who would you get to play the roles? Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston? But, on second thought, it would be hilarious to see Aniston falling on top of cactus plants!
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough the movie was publicized as the first screen pairing of Warner Bros.'s two biggest stars, James Cagney and Bette Davis had co-starred in Jimmy the Gent (1934) seven years earlier and had wanted to find another opportunity to work together.
- GoofsThe American Airlines plane Brice is shown boarding in Los Angeles is not the same one he gets off at Amarillo. The registration of the departing plane is NC16006. The one that arrives in Amarillo is NC21752.
- Quotes
Joan Winfield: Don't you get lonesome being here all alone?
Pop Tolliver: No, I like people. Not seeing many of 'em keeps me liking 'em.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits appear on a series of luggage tags.
- Alternate versionsAlso available in a computer colorized version.
- ConnectionsFeatured in T'as pas 100 balles? (1975)
- SoundtracksOchi Tchornya (Dark Eyes)
(uncredited)
Traditional Russian ballad
Played by the orchestra at the Embassy Club for The Rogers Dancers act
- How long is The Bride Came C.O.D.?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime
- 1h 32m(92 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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