''Somewhere I'll Find You'' is a 1942 film directed by

Wesley Ruggles Wesley Ruggles (June 11, 1889 – January 8, 1972) was an American film director. Life and work He was born in Los Angeles, California, younger brother of actor Charlie Ruggles. He began his career in 1915 as an actor, appearing in a do ...

and starring

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

and

Lana Turner Lana Turner ( ; born Julia Jean Turner; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over the course of her nearly 50-year career, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized pe ...

, released by

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 a ...

. The film took almost two years to complete and was the last film Gable starred in before he enlisted in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

for

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. His next film was the post-war ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

'' (1945).

Plot

In October 1941, war correspondents and brothers "Jonny" (

) and Kirk Davis (

Robert Sterling Robert Sterling (born William Sterling Hart; November 13, 1917 – May 30, 2006) was an American actor. He was best known for starring in the television series '' Topper'' (1953–1955). In 1960, Sterling was honored with a star on the Hollywoo ...

) return to the still-neutral United States after being kicked out of Germany. Jonny's boss, isolationist ''New York Daily Chronicle'' publisher George L. Stafford (

Charles Dingle Charles Dingle (December 28, 1887 – January 19, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early life Dingle was born December 28, 1887, in Wabash, Indiana. His father was John Crockett Dingle, and he was said to be a descendant of Davy ...

), refuses to print his story about Japan and Germany's plans for the world, but Jonny tricks him into doing so, and gets fired for his trouble. When Jonny goes to reclaim his old room from friends and landlords "Evie" ( Lee Patrick) and Willie Manning (

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

), he is annoyed (despite having been away for years) to find they have rented it out to Paula Lane (

), an aspiring reporter who wants to work as a foreign correspondent. Ladies man Jonny is very interested in the beautiful blonde, but then finds that his brother already has a relationship with her. A

romantic triangle A love triangle or eternal triangle is a scenario or circumstance, usually depicted as a rivalry, in which two people are pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with one person, or in which one person in a romantic relationship with ...

ensues. Despite being in love with her himself, Jonny tries to arrange it so that Paula chooses Kirk. Eventually, they are all reunited in

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...

... on Sunday, December 7, the day of the

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...

, which brings America into the war. Jonny insists that the other two leave on a ship for Australia, while he remains behind to report for the ''Chronicle'', but they sneak back on the pilot boat after he sees them off. Kirk enlists, while Paula joins the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

. When the Japanese invade the Philippines, Jonny encounters his brother by chance; Kirk is part of a detachment under the command of Lieutenant Wade Hall (

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American film, television, theatre and radio actor. He was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during and after World War II. Johnson was described as the embodiment ...

) that is assigned to repel a Japanese amphibious landing. Kirk and most of the other defenders die in the fierce fighting. Jonny believes that Paula was also killed, when the hospital where she was working was wiped out, but it turns out she was out escorting a party of wounded there. When they find each other, Jonny sets her at a typewriter and starts dictating the rest of his newspaper story.

Cast

as Jonathan "Jonny" Davis *

as Paula Lane *

as Kirk "Junior" Davis *

Patricia Dane Patricia Dane (born Thelma Patricia Pippins, August 4, 1917 – June 5, 1995) was an American film actress of the 1940s. Early life Dane was born Thelma Patricia Pippins to William Pippins and Emma F. Montford. Sources differ as to her bi ...

as Crystal McRegan *

as Willie Manning * Lee Patrick as Eve "Evie" Manning *

as George L. Stafford * Sara Haden as Miss Coultier *

as Lieutenant Wade Hall (uncredited) *

Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his stock-in-trade; and though he rarely carried the lead role, he had prominent billing in most ...

as Sergeant Tom Purdy, a machine gunner under Hall's command (uncredited) Cast notes *''Somewhere I'll Find You'' was the film debut of longtime Hollywood character actor Keenan Wynn.

Production

The film was designed as another vehicle for the immensely popular Gable/Turner pairing. Following their success in 1941's ''

Honky Tonk A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ( tack piano) ...

'', MGM was looking to capitalize on this new team, hoping to reproduce the box office appeal Gable had when he was paired with actresses

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...

(8 films),

Jean Harlow Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the ...

(6 films), and

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. Trained as a dancer, Loy devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. ...

(7 films) in the 1930s. Once filming began, Gable and Turner continued their friendly working relationship. Filming was suspended for a month after Gable's wife, actress

Carole Lombard Carole Lombard (born Jane Alice Peters; October 6, 1908 – January 16, 1942) was an American actress, particularly noted for her energetic, often off-beat roles in screwball comedies. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Lombard 2 ...

, was killed in a plane crash. Gable was permitted to take leave from filming for a period of bereavement, and the studio almost scrapped the film. It was retitled ''Red Light'' but changed back to ''Somewhere I'll Find You'' before its release. It was the last film made by Gable prior to his military service during World War II; he did not make another film until 1945. The film was, like the Gable/Turner pairing in ''

'' (1941), a box office success. The pair later made two more films together, ''

Homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...

'' (1948) and '' Betrayed'' (1954). Both those movies, like "Somewhere I'll Find You," had Gable and Turner serving as comrades and lovers in World War II.

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $2,885,000 in the US and Canada and $1,129,000 elsewhere, making the studio a profit of $1,749,000."101 Pix Gross in Millions" ''Variety'' 6 Jan 1943 p 58
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References

External links

* * * * {{Wesley Ruggles 1942 films 1942 romantic drama films American romantic drama films American black-and-white films Films about war correspondents Films directed by Wesley Ruggles Films scored by Bronisław Kaper Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Pacific War films World War II films made in wartime Films set in the Philippines 1940s English-language films