''Miss Polly'' is a 1941 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

produced as part of

Hal Roach Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter, ...

Streamliners Streamliners are streamlined trains. Streamliners could also be: * Streamliners (Illinois Terminal Railroad), three equipment sets owned by the Illinois Terminal Railroad * Hal Roach's Streamliners, a set of comedy films directed by Hal Roach * ...

series. It was directed by

Fred Guiol Fred Guiol (February 17, 1898 – May 23, 1964), pronounced "Gill," was an American film director and screenwriter. Career Guiol worked at the Hal Roach Studios for many years, first as a property man, later as assistant director and finally wri ...

, written by Eugene Conrad and Edward E. Seabrook and stars

ZaSu Pitts ZaSu Pitts (; January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) was an American actress who, in a career spanning nearly five decades, starred in many silent film drama film, dramas, such as Erich von Stroheim's 1924 epic ''Greed (1924 film), Greed'', along wi ...

Slim Summerville Slim Summerville (born George Joseph Somerville; July 10, 1892 – January 5, 1946) was an American film actor and director best known for his work in comedies. Early life Summerville was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where his mother died w ...

Kathleen Howard Kathleen Howard (July 27, 1884 – April 15, 1956) was a Canadian-born American opera singer, magazine editor, and character actress from the mid-1930s through the 1940s. Biography Howard was born in Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Cana ...

Brenda Forbes Brenda Forbes (14 January 1909 – 11 September 1996) was a British-born American actress of stage and screen. Personal life Born as Dorothy Brenda Taylor in Wandsworth, London, the daughter of Ernest John and Ethel Louise Taylor. Her mo ...

Elyse Knox Elyse Knox (born Elsie M. Kornbrath, December 14, 1917 – February 16, 2012) was an American actress, model, and fashion designer. She was the mother of actor Mark Harmon. Early life Knox was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the daughter of Aus ...

and Richard Clayton. The film was released on November 14, 1941 by

United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...

Plot

In the very old-fashioned small town of Midfield, there hasn't been a marriage in more than two years and the young people are slowly leaving the town. Minerva Snodgrass, the strict and assertive leader of the town's Purity League, has created numerous restrictions to keep the girls and boys apart. Her next-door neighbor is Miss Panadora Polly, a friendly and tolerant old maid who lives with her handyman (and catastrophic hobby inventor) Slim Wilkins and her housekeeper and companion Patsy. Miss Polly tries to shelter the young romance between Minerva's daughter Barbara and her boyfriend Eddie, who is frustrated that Barbara remains under her mother's influence. To give Barbara courage, Miss Polly finds a mysterious liquor in her cellar that once made her shy sister marry a man. She tries the drink and as a result, she flirts with the young grocery boy and buys the sexiest dress in town. In her new dress, Miss Polly visits the town meeting held by the mayor and Mrs. Snodgrass, who wants to establish new rules and has most of the townspeople under her control. But Miss Polly, courageous under the influence of the romance liquor, disagrees and wants to afford more freedom to the young people in town. Polly reminds the elderly and middle-aged meeting members of their own youthful indiscretions and slowly brings them to her side. Minerva states that she was always morally right during her life, but Miss Polly remembers that Minerva had an affair many years ago. Minerva collapses and, as there is no water nearby, Slim and Patsy offer her the romantic liquor to drink. Under the drink's spell, she now agrees to the marriage between Barbara and Eddie and develops a crush on Slim, chasing after him.

Cast

as Miss Pandora Polly *

as Slim Wilkins *

as Mrs. Minerva Snodgrass *

as Patsy *

as Barbara Snodgrass * Richard Clayton as Eddie *

Dink Trout Francis "Dink" Trout (June 18, 1898 – March 26, 1950) was an American actor, voice artist and radio personality. Biography Early years Trout was born in 1898 in Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois. Radio In 1927, Trout had ...

as Old Postman Wilbur Boggs * William Newell as New Postman Hubert *

Ferris Taylor Robert Ferris Taylor (March 25, 1888 – March 7, 1961) was an American film actor and vaudeville performer. Biography Taylor owned a vaudeville company, the Taylor Players. Besides his acting, Taylor sometimes sang in vaudeville programs. ...

as Mayor Walsh *

Mickey Daniels Richard Daniels Jr. (October 11, 1914 – August 20, 1970) known professionally as Mickey Daniels, was an American actor. Signed by Hal Roach in 1921, he was, along with Joe Cobb, Jackie Condon, Jackie Davis, Mary Kornman, and Ernie Morrison, a ...

as Elmer, the Grocery Boy *

Fern Emmett Fern Emmett (March 22, 1896 – September 3, 1946) was an American film actress. She appeared in 212 films between 1930 and 1946. Emmett's film debut came with Universal in a two-reel production in 1914. Emmett was born in Oakland, Califo ...

as Mrs. Frisbee * Sarah Edwards as Angie Turner *

Virginia Sale Virginia Sale (May 20, 1899 – August 23, 1992) was an American character actress whose career spanned six decades, during most of which she played older women, even when she was in her twenties. Over the 46 years she was active as an actr ...

as Orsina Wiggins *

Walter Baldwin Walter Smith Baldwin Jr. (January 2, 1889 − January 27, 1977) was an American character actor whose career spanned five decades and 150 film and television roles, and numerous stage performances. Baldwin was born January 2, 1889, in Lima, O ...

as Lem Wiggins *

Vera Lewis Vera Lewis (June 10, 1873 – February 8, 1956) was an American film and stage actress, beginning in the silent film era. She appeared in more than 180 films from 1915 to 1947. She was married to actor Ralph Lewis. Biography She was born ...

as Elvira Pennywinkle *

Jim Farley James Farley (1888–1976) was an American politician in New York. James or Jim Farley may also refer to: * James A. Farley Jr. (1928–1986), American sports commissioner * James Farley (actor) (1882–1947), American actor * James B. Farley (19 ...

as Jim Pennywinkle (uncredited) * George Pembroke as Town Constable *

Syd Saylor Syd Saylor (born Leo Sailor; March 24, 1895 – December 21, 1962) was an American comedic actor and movie cowboy sidekick who appeared in 395 films and television series between 1926 and 1962. Early years Saylor was born Leo Sailor in 18 ...

as Drug Store Owner

References

External links

* {{Fred Guiol 1941 films American black-and-white films Films directed by Fred Guiol United Artists films 1941 comedy films American comedy films Films scored by Edward Ward (composer) 1940s English-language films 1940s American films