''The Magnificent Dope'' is a 1942 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 ...

released by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

. It is also known as ''Lazy Galahad'', ''Strictly Dynamite'' and ''The Magnificent Jerk''.

Plot

Dwight Dawson runs a hype-driven self-improvement course in the

Dale Carnegie Dale Carnegie ( ; spelled Carnagey until c. 1922; November 24, 1888 – November 1, 1955) was an American writer and teacher of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. Born into ...

mode. He and his partner Horace Hunter are seeking new sales ideas as enrollment has declined sharply. Their chief of marketing, Claire Harris, who is also Dwight's fiancée, comes up with an idea to announce a contest seeking the biggest loser in the country. The prize is $500 and Dwight's course in career advancement. The idea is that the contest will create interest to Dwight's teaching system. A winner is chosen: Thadeus Winship Page from the small town of Upper White Eddy in Vermont. He is running a not overly successful business of renting out boats during summer time and is, by his own description, lazy and completely unmotivated. Tad comes to New York City to collect his prize, determined to use the money toward a fire engine needed by the small town. The publicity stunt is jeopardized, though, when happy, contented Tad does not want to take the course. Tad is charmed by Claire during a night out in the city and falls in love with her, all the while expounding his own philosophies on relaxation, enjoying life, and the unimportance of money. After the night out, Tad reluctantly agrees to take the course, just to be close to Claire. Claire comes to realizes that he is not the failure they had thought him to be. After a while, Tad shyly admits to Claire that he is in love, but he doesn't dare tell her she is the subject of his affection, inventing a girl from his hometown named "Hazel". When Dwight hears about this, he tells Tad that the business course will help him in his quest to win his girl. Tad believes Dwight and continues the course until he hears that Claire is in love with someone else. Dwight and Horace have to persuade him once again to stay, telling Tad that the man Claire is in love with is an ugly, fat, and stupid man who can be out-conquered, carefully concealing his own engagement to Claire. The publicity makes the course a success and attendance becomes much higher. Dwight convinces Tad to get a job to prove his success to the various magazines covering the course progress, so he does. He is hired as an insurance salesman, but is soon discouraged when he is unsuccessful. Dwight secretly helps out by making his friend buy an insurance policy from Tad, unaware that his friend, Frank Mitchell, has high blood pressure and would not pass the required physical. Tad commits his anticipated commission to the purchase of the fire engine, and takes Claire to see it. They bond further over Claire's passion for fire engines; she was a fire chief's niece. When Tad finally reveals to Claire that she is his "Hazel", she reveals her engagement to Dwight. Heartbroken and humiliated, Tad feels he has been played for a fool by the couple. The next day, after dodging Claire's many phone calls, Tad uses a special relaxation technique on Frank to help him pass the necessary physical, then proceeds to Dwight's office to vent his anger. Instead, he joins the rest of the office in overhearing a furious Claire in Dwight's office scolding him for the ruse and confessing her love for Tad. When Claire exits the building she finds Tad waiting in the new fire engine. With the siren blaring, they drive off to Vermont together as a couple. Dwight moves on to teach relaxation, using the technique Tad showed him.

Cast

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Bo ...

as Thadeus Winship "Tad" Page *

Lynn Bari Lynn Bari (born Marjorie Schuyler Fisher, December 18, 1919 – November 20, 1989) was an American film actress who specialized in playing sultry, statuesque man-killers in roughly 150 films for 20th Century Fox, from the early 1930s through t ...

as Claire Harris *

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 19 ...

as Dwight Dawson *

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton, Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor and comedian. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born March 18 ...

as Horace Hunter * George Barbier as James Roger Barker *

Frank Orth Frank Orth (February 21, 1880 – March 17, 1962) was an American actor born in Philadelphia. He is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series ''Boston Blackie''. Career By 1897, Orth ...

as Messenger * Roseanne Murray as Dawson's Secretary * Marietta Canty as Jennie *

Hobart Cavanaugh Hobart Cavanaugh (September 22, 1886 – April 26, 1950 ) was an American character actor in films and on stage. Biography Cavanaugh was born in Virginia City, Nevada, on September 22, 1886. He attended the University of California, then worked ...

as Albert Gowdy *

Hal K. Dawson Hal K. Dawson (October 17, 1896 – February 17, 1987) was an American actor. Death Dawson died on February 17, 1987, in Loma Linda, California aged 90. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Selected fil ...

as Charlie *

Josephine Whittell Josephine Whittell (born Josephine Cunningham; November 30, 1883 – June 1, 1961) was an American character actress of silent film, silent and sound films. Early years Whittell was born on November 30, 1883, in San Francisco, California to ...

as Mrs. Hunter *

Arthur Loft Arthur Loft (born Hans Peter Loft;"Obituary: Arthur Loft"
''The Los ...

as Mr. Morton, Fire Engine Salesman * Paul Stanton as Peters *

Claire Du Brey Claire Du Brey (born Clara Violet Dubreyvich, August 31, 1892 – August 1, 1993) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 200 films from 1916 to 1959. Her name is sometimes rendered as Claire Du Bray or as Claire Dubrey. Early y ...

as Peter's Secretary *

William B. Davidson William Beatman Davidson (June 16, 1888 – September 28, 1947) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1915 and 1947. Early life Davidson was born in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He attended Columbia University, w ...

as Mr. J. D. Reindel *

Harry Hayden Harry Hayden (8 November 1882 – 24 July 1955) was a Canadian-American actor. He was a highly prolific actor, with more than 280 screen credits. Career Born in Canada in 1882, Hayden was slight, greying at the temples and wore glasses, an ...

as Frank Mitchel *

Pierre Watkin Pierre Frank Watkin (December 29, 1887 – February 3, 1960) was an American character actor best known for playing distinguished authority figures throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood. He is best remembered for his roles of Mr. Skinner the b ...

as Bill Carson

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Magnificent Dope 1942 films 1942 comedy films 20th Century Fox films American comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Walter Lang Films scored by David Raksin Films scored by Emil Newman Films scored by Leigh Harline Films set in New York City Fiction about publicity stunts Films produced by William Perlberg 1940s English-language films 1940s American films