''You Gotta Stay Happy'' is a 1948 American

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 typic ...

film directed by H.C. Potter and starring

Joan Fontaine Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland (October 22, 1917 – December 15, 2013), known professionally as Joan Fontaine, was a British-American actress who is best known for her starring roles in Hollywood films during the "Golden Age". Fontaine appeared ...

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality ...

and

Eddie Albert Edward Albert Heimberger (April 22, 1906 – May 26, 2005) was an American actor and activist. He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor; the first nomination came in 1954 for his performance in ''Roman Holiday'', ...

. It was distributed by Universal-International and produced by Karl Tunberg. The film was written by Karl Tunberg and Robert Carson and was released on November 4, 1948. The story tells of a marital ruckus that causes pilot Marvin Payne to become enmeshed in the world of New York heiress Miss Diana Dillwood.

Plot

On her wedding day, New York heiress Diana "Dee Dee" Dillwood (

) complains to her uncle and guardian, Ralph Tutwiler ( Roland Young), that she is having second thoughts about her marriage to Henry Benson (

Willard Parker Willard Parker (born Worster Van Eps; February 5, 1912 – December 4, 1996) was an American film and television actor. He was a leading man under contract to Columbia Pictures in the 1940s and starred in the TV series '' Tales of the Texas Ran ...

). Having gone through six previous broken engagements with Dee Dee, Ralph and psychologist Dr. Blucher advise her to stop doubting herself and "plunge into it" with Henry. She agrees, but as soon as she and Henry arrive at the Hampshire Hotel to start their honeymoon, she panics. Dee Dee tells Henry that their marriage is a mistake, but he declares that he will not be humiliated and lunges for her. Wearing a dressing gown, Dee Dee runs from their room and hides in the neighboring wedding suite, which is being occupied by Marvin Payne (

), a World War II army air force veteran trying to make it on a shoe-string with a startup air-freight business. Staying at the hotel courtesy of night manager Dick Hebert, Marvin has the misfortune of being roomed next to Dee Dee and Henry Benson. Fairmount Theatre, Shaker Heights, Ohio (79961)

Fairmount Theatre, Shaker Heights, Ohio (79961)

When she enters Marvin's room, Dee Dee introduces herself as "Dottie Blucher," and Marvin assumes that she is a penniless country girl come to the city, who has descended to sleeping with married men to get by. All the while Payne does not realize that Miss Dillwood is independently wealthy and the married man she was to sleep with was the man she had just exchanged vows with that afternoon. Nonetheless, he agrees to allow Dee Dee to spend the night, and the over-excited Dee Dee asks the exhausted Marvin for a sleeping pill. Marvin phones Dick to have one delivered, and Dick's suspicions are aroused when he sees that Marvin is sleeping on the couch. As he searches the suite, Dee Dee hides and Dick leaves, satisfied that no "hanky-panky" is going on. Early the next morning, Marvin's business partner, fellow veteran, and co-pilot, Bullets Baker (

), shows up and finds Dee Dee knocked out by the pill. Marvin explains the situation, and as they have a scheduled flight to fly, he and Bullets try frantically to wake Dee Dee, but finally are caught by Dick. Marvin grudgingly agrees to give Dee Dee a lift out of town and encourages her to go back to home. While Marvin and Dick rouse and dress Dee Dee in some of Marvin's pilot clothes, Bullets stalls a young couple who are due to be married in the suite. Then, Marvin and Bullets sneak the half-conscious Dee Dee out of the hotel and take her to the

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat, seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and the second largest city within the New Yo ...

airport, from which their twin-engine cargo plane is to fly. There, Dee Dee begs Marvin to fly her out of town, insinuating that she is in a serious predicament. Marvin agrees to take Dee Dee as far as

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, then learns that the free-wheeling Bullets sold the newlyweds from the hotel, Georgia and Milton Goodrich, two "tickets" to California for $100. Just before take-off, Dee Dee confesses to Marvin that she sold a man named Mr. Caslon a ticket to California for $300. During the flight, which they share with a cigar-smoking chimpanzee named Joe, Marvin reveals to Dee Dee that he is not going to marry until he has enough money to comfortably support a family, an eventuality he calculates will not occur until 1954. When they land in Chicago, Dee Dee, who is falling for Marvin, reluctantly says goodbye to him, but he gives in and invites her to California. Soon after, a detective asks Marvin and Bullets if they are carrying a blonde who, along with her middle-aged partner, is wanted for embezzlement. The pilots answer no but come to the conclusion that the blonde is Dee Dee, especially after she returns from a shopping trip nicely dressed and bearing gifts (including a diamond ring for Georgia). Once back in the air, Marvin questions Dee Dee about her situation, but she is evasive. To Bullets' annoyance, Marvin decides not to land in

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...

as planned but to go on to

Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region wit ...

to avoid authorities looking for Dee Dee. Near Tulsa, however, a storm hits and Marvin makes an emergency landing in a farm field. After farmer Matt Racknell (

Percy Kilbride Percy William Kilbride (July 16, 1888 – December 11, 1964) was an American character actor. He made a career of playing country hicks, most memorably as Pa Kettle in the ''Ma and Pa Kettle'' series of feature films. Early life Kilbride was b ...

) and his family invite the crew and passengers to spend the night in their home, Dee Dee and Marvin finally admit their mutual attraction and kiss. A guilt-ridden Caslon then confesses to Marvin that he is really Chalmers, the embezzler the policeman in Chicago was looking for and that his blonde secretary cajoled him into committing the crime. Now completely confused about Dee Dee, Marvin calls Dick in New York to inquire about her. The next morning, while trying to move the plane out of the muddy field, Marvin snubs Dee Dee without explanation. When Dee Dee finally realizes that he knows about her engagements and marriage, she tries to convince him that she truly loves him; however, he rejects her. With the help of some Cherokee Indians, the plane is pulled to dry land and takes off for California, without Dee Dee. As soon as he lands in Burbank, Marvin learns that, because of the unexpected delays and other problems, his airline faces bankruptcy. However, during an impromptu stockholders meeting, Marvin discovers that Dee Dee has bought the company. Furious, Marvin finds Dee Dee at her aunt Martha's Bel Air home and informs her that he is not working for a woman. Dee Dee, who has just arranged for an annulment from Henry and has taken another sleeping pill, tries to argue with Marvin but falls asleep. The next day at the airport, she tells Marvin that he is going to run the company while she stays at and tends to the home. Dee Dee then presents Marvin with his own four-engine plane.

Cast

as Diana "Dee Dee" Dillwood (

alias Alias may refer to: * Pseudonym * Pen name * Nickname Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film * ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006 * ''Alias the J ...

Dottie Blucher) *

as Marvin Payne *

as Bullets Baker * Roland Young as Uncle Ralph Tutwiler *

as Henry Benson *

as Mr. Matt Racknell *

Porter Hall Clifford Porter Hall (September 19, 1888 – October 6, 1953) was an American character actor known for appearing in a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s. Hall typically played villains or comedic incompetent characters. Early years Hall wa ...

as Mr. Chalmers (alias Mr. Caslon) *

Marcy McGuire Marilyn Jeanne McGuire (February 22, 1926 – August 7, 2021) was an American actress and contralto singer who was active in the 1940s. Life and career McGuire was born on February 22, 1926, to James Joseph McGuire, a film projectionist and Anno ...

as Georgia Goodrich * Arthur Walsh as Milton Goodrich * William Bakewell as Dick Hebert * Paul Cavanagh as Dr. Blucher *

Halliwell Hobbes Herbert Halliwell Hobbes (16 November 187720 February 1962) was an English actor. Early years The future actor was the son of William Albert Hobbes (1841-1909), a Warwickshire solicitor, and his wife, Marion Hobbes, née Dennis, (1838-1925). ...

as Martin *

Fritz Feld Fritz Feld (October 15, 1900 – November 18, 1993) was a German-American film character actor who appeared in over 140 films in 72 years, both silent and sound. His trademark was to slap his mouth with the palm of his hand to create a "pop" s ...

as Pierre *

Stanley Prager Stanley Prager (January 8, 1917 – January 18, 1972) was an American actor and a television and theatre director. Life and career Born in New York City, Prager began his career as the stage manager for the Broadway production ''The Skin of O ...

as Jack Samuels * Frank Jenks as Carnival Man *

Mary Forbes Mary Forbes (born Ethel Louise Young; 1 January 1883 – 22 July 1974) was a British-American film actress, based in the United States in her latter years, where she died. She appeared in more than 130 films between 1919 and 1958.

as Aunt Martha Tutwiler *

Edith Evanson Edith Evanson ( Carlson; April 29, 1896 – November 29, 1980) was an American actress of film, character and television during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Life and career She was born Edith Carlson in Tacoma, Washington."Coincidence." ''Pit ...

as Mrs. Racknell * Peter Roman as Barnabas *

Houseley Stevenson Houseley Stevenson (30 July 1879 – 6 August 1953) was a British-American character actor who was born in London on July 30, 1879, and died in Duarte, California on August 6, 1953. He began his movie career in 1936 and had a short career in ...

as Jud Tavis *

Emory Parnell Emory Parnell (December 29, 1892 – June 22, 1979) was an American vaudeville performer and actor who appeared in over 250 films in his 36-year career. Early years Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Parnell trained as a musician at Morningside ...

as Bank Watchman *

Arthur Hohl Arthur Hohl (May 21, 1889 – March 10, 1964) was an American stage and motion-picture character actor. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began appearing in films in the early 1920s. He played a great number of villainous or mildly la ...

as Cemetery Man * Don Kohler as Ted * Bert Conway as Neil * Hal K. Dawson as Night Clerk *

Vera Marshe Vera Marshe (July 15, 1905 – March 25, 1984) was an American film and television character actress. Biography Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 15, 1905. She began her career by appearing in a number of short films during the 30 ...

as Mae *

Jimmie Dodd James Wesley Dodd (March 28, 1910 – November 10, 1964) was an American actor, singer and songwriter best known as the master of ceremonies for the popular 1950s Walt Disney television series ''The Mickey Mouse Club,'' as well as the write ...

as Curly *

Robert Rockwell Robert Rockwell (October 15, 1920 – January 25, 2003) was an American stage, film, radio and television actor. He is best known for playing the handsome, but awkward biology teacher Philip Boynton in the radio and television sitcom ''Our Miss ...

as Eddie * Joe the Chimp as himself

Production

The film was produced by Rampart Productions, who worked on ''

Letter from an Unknown Woman ''Letter from an Unknown Woman'' (german: Brief einer Unbekannten) is a novella by Stefan Zweig. Published in 1922, it tells the story of an author who, while reading a letter written by a woman he does not remember, gets glimpses into her life ...

'' earlier that year. The opening animated sequence during the credits at the beginning of the film was done by

Walter Lantz Walter Lantz (April 27, 1899 – March 22, 1994) was an American cartoonist, animator, producer and director best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker. Biography Early years and start in animation Lant ...

and his

production company A production company, production house, production studio, or a production team is a studio that creates works in the fields of performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, comics, interactive arts, video games, websites, music, and v ...

, being well-known for famous

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

cartoons like

Woody Woodpecker Woody Woodpecker is an animated character that appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz Studio and distributed by Universal Studios between 1940 and 1972. Woody, an anthropomorphic woodpecker, was created in 1940 by ...

Chilly Willy Chilly Willy is a cartoon character, a diminutive penguin. He was created by director Paul Smith for the Walter Lantz studio in 1953, and developed further by Tex Avery in the two subsequent films following Smith's debut entry. The character ...

, and

Andy Panda Andy Panda is a cartoon character who starred in his own series of animated cartoon short subjects produced by Walter Lantz. These "cartunes" were released by Universal Pictures from 1939 to 1947, and United Artists from 1948 to 1949. The title ...

Home media availability

Universal first released the film on DVD on June 12, 2007 as part of the ''

Screen Legend Collection'', a 3-disc set featuring four other films (''

Next Time We Love ''Next Time We Love'' is a 1936 American melodrama film directed by Edward H. Griffith and starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Ray Milland. The adapted screenplay was by Melville Baker, with an uncredited Preston Sturges and Doris Ande ...

'', ''

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its populati ...

'', '' The Glenn Miller Story'', and '' Shenandoah''). The film was re-released on August 24, 2011 as a stand-alone DVD as part of the ''Universal Vault Series''. On May 17, 2016, Universal re-released the film again as part of the ''Universal Hollywood Icons Collection: James Stewart'', a 2-disc set featuring three other films ('' Harvey'', ''

Winchester '73 ''Winchester '73'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea and Stephen McNally. Written by Borden Chase and Robert L. Richards, the film is about the journey of a pr ...

'', and ''The Glenn Miller Story'').

References

External links

* * * {{amg movie, 117993 1948 films 1948 romantic comedy films American aviation films American black-and-white films American romantic comedy films 1940s English-language films Films directed by H. C. Potter Films scored by Daniele Amfitheatrof Universal Pictures films 1940s American films