''Piccadilly Jim'' is a 1936

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film directed by

Robert Z. Leonard Robert Zigler Leonard (October 7, 1889 – August 27, 1968) was an American film director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. Biography He was born in Chicago, Illinois. At one time, he was married to silent star Mae Murray with the two formin ...

. The film is based on the 1917 novel '' Piccadilly Jim'' written by

P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, ( ; 15 October 188114 February 1975) was an English author and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Jeeve ...

Plot

In London, American

caricaturist A caricaturist is an artist who specializes in drawing caricatures. List of caricaturists * Abed Abdi (born 1942) * Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003) * Alex Gard (1900–1948) * Alexander Saroukhan (1898–1977) * Alfred Grévin (1827–1892) * Alf ...

Jim Crocker ( Robert Montgomery) is a popular man-about-town, known by his pen name 'Piccadilly Jim'. He supports his father James (

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

), an out-of-work actor with a great admiration for Shakespeare, but also with an inability to remember lines from the Bard's work. Most characters in the film describe James as a ham. Jim lives with his impeccable

valet A valet or varlet is a male servant who serves as personal attendant to his employer. In the Middle Ages and Ancien Régime, valet de chambre was a role for junior courtiers and specialists such as artists in a royal court, but the term "valet ...

, Bayliss (

Eric Blore Eric Blore Sr. (23 December 1887 – 2 March 1959) was an English actor and writer. His early stage career, mostly in the West End of London, centred on revue and musical comedy, but also included straight plays. He wrote sketches for and appe ...

). Jim is happy when he finds out that his father is to be engaged to Eugenia Willis (

Billie Burke Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...

), until Eugenia's overbearing married sister, Nesta Pett (

Cora Witherspoon Cora Witherspoon (January 5, 1890 – November 17, 1957) was an American stage and film character actress whose career spanned nearly half a century. She began in theatre where she remained rooted even after entering motion pictures in the ...

), refuses to give permission for the marriage because she has doubts about James' sincerity and financial background. One morning, James tries to introduce the Petts to his son, whom he describes as an artist; but Jim, who has stayed out all night drinking, comes staggering in to find that Nesta Pett has discovered that the "artist" is a caricaturist, which does not impress her. Meanwhile, Jim meets Nesta Pett's niece, Ann Chester (

Madge Evans Madge Evans (born Margherita Evans; July 1, 1909 – April 26, 1981) was an American stage and film actress.Obituary ''Variety'', April 29, 1981. She began her career as a child performer and model. Biography Child model and stage actress B ...

), in a

nightclub A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

and falls in love with her. Ann is engaged to Lord Frederick 'Freddie' Priory (

Ralph Forbes Ralph Forbes (born Ralph Forbes Taylor; 30 September 1904 – 31 March 1951) was an English film and stage actor active in Britain and the United States. Early life Forbes was born in Wandsworth, London, the son of Ernest John "E.J." and Eth ...

) and, therefore, keeps her distance from Jim, despite his several attempts to get to know her better and to woo her. To worsen matters, Jim finds out he is fired because he missed numerous deadlines, and the Petts take Eugenia and Ann with them to the French Riviera for a month, leaving James sad and Jim, who is clueless about Ann's family connection, wondering where she has disappeared to. Jim then develops a comic strip based on the Petts, mainly Nesta, her husband Herbert ( Grant Mitchell), and her son Ogden (Tommy Bupp); and it is a huge hit in England. The strip is titled "From Rags to Riches" and features the Richswitch Family. The strip is an instant success, making Jim financially secure: he uses his new wealth to hire a team of detectives to find Ann. When the Petts return to England, they are recognized as the people from the drawings and are soon the joke of the town, which infuriates them and Ann. Jim, upon learning Ann is the niece of the Petts, hides his identity and poses as the son of his valet Bayliss. He finagles a way to spend a few hours with Ann before her family flees England for the United States, and he works out a way to cross to New York City on the same ship as Ann and Lord Priory. Before leaving England, he tries to cancel the comic strip but learns he doesn't own the rights to it. He also learns that the strip has been picked up by newspapers in the States. Even though Jim makes the Richwitch Family characters more benevolent, Ann is furious when she finds out that 'Bayliss' son' is actually Piccadilly Jim. The Petts are, on the other hand, enjoying their popularity and welcome Jim. Meanwhile, James poses as the Danish

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

Olav Osric to impress the family as Eugenia's lover. Meanwhile, Bayliss suspects that Ann's fiancée Freddie is not a descendant of the wealthy Priory family as he insists, so Jim tries to discredit Freddie. At a party, he announces that he will "unmask the imposter." James – as count Osric – feels this is addressed to him, so he reveals his true identity and is immediately rejected by the Petts. When he finds out that Freddie is not the liar Bayliss claimed he was, Jim decides to give up his hope of winning Ann's heart and to return to London. On the

ship A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...

, when Bayliss encourages him not to give up, Jim realizes Bayliss is right and runs for shore, leaping onto the lowering

gangplank A gangway is a narrow passage that joins the quarterdeck to the forecastle of a sailing ship. The term is also extended to mean the narrow passages used to board or disembark ships. Modern shipping uses gangways to embark and disembark passeng ...

, where he bumps into Ann, who by then also realized that she is in love with him. In the end, they kiss.

Cast

* Robert Montgomery as James 'Piccadilly Jim' Crocker, Jr. *

as James Crocker/Count Olav Osric *

as Ann Chester *

as Bayliss *

Robert Benchley Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at ''The Harvard Lampoon'' while attending Harvard University, thro ...

as Bill Macon *

as Eugenia Willis *

as Lord Frederick 'Freddie' Priory *

as Nesta Pett *Tommy Bupp as Ogden Pett * Aileen Pringle as Paducah Pomeroy * Grant Mitchell as Herbert Pett * Dennis Morgan as night club bandleader and vocalist (uncredited)

Production

David O. Selznick was initially set to produce the

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

musical adaptation of ''Piccadilly Jim'', and in late 1934, Robert Montgomery was assigned to be directed by

J. Walter Ruben Jacob Walter Ruben (August 14, 1899 – September 4, 1942) was an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He wrote for more than 30 films between 1926 and 1942. He also directed 19 films between 1931 and 1940. His great-grandson i ...

was hired to write the original screenplay, but Selznick replaced him with Rowland Lee in October 1934. The production was shelved for numerous months, until it was put on the schedule again in August 1935. In preparation, Montgomery visited the original location of the story to "catch the true spirit" and visited "tailor after tailor" for Piccadilly clothes, to wear in the film. Casting and crew assignings resumed until May 1936.

Reception

''Piccadilly Jim'' opened to positive reviews, and the film became a moderate success, but soon descended into obscurity due to MGM's refusal to promote the film.

Box office

The film grossed a total (domestic and foreign) of $1,272,000: $769,000 from the US and Canada and $503,000 elsewhere. It made a profit of $375,000.

References

External links

* * {{P. G. Wodehouse 1936 films 1936 romantic comedy films American romantic comedy films American black-and-white films Films about comics Films about fictional painters Films based on British novels Films based on works by P. G. Wodehouse Films directed by Robert Z. Leonard Films set in London Seafaring films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films produced by Harry Rapf 1930s English-language films 1930s American films