Double Dynamite (1951) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

A bank teller reaps the rewards of saving a gangster's life, but can't reveal where he got the money.

Cast & Crew

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Irving Cummings

Jane Russell

Mildred Goodhew

Groucho Marx

Frank Sinatra

Don Mcguire

Howard Freeman

R. B. Pulsifer, Sr.

Photos & Videos

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Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) Live Dangerously!

Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) He Graduated Magna Cum Nothing!

Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) I Don't Wear Shirts

Double Dynamite -- (Original Trailer)

Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) On $42.50 A Week

Film Details

Also Known As

It's Only Money

Genre

Comedy

Release Date

Dec 1951

Premiere Information

New York opening: 25 Dec 1951

Production Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Distribution Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Country

United States

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 20m

Sound

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

7,241ft

Synopsis

Two days before Christmas, after his boss, J. L. McKissack, refuses his request for a raise, Fidelity Trust bank teller Johnny Dalton argues over lunch with his longtime girl friend, Mildred Goodhew, about their marriage plans. Mildred, who is also a teller, is tired of waiting, but Johnny insists he cannot marry until he is making more money. When waiter Emil Keck urges the conservative Johnny to "live dangerously," a frustrated Mildred applauds the advice and storms out of the restaurant. Moments later, as Johnny is returning to the bank, he sees two thugs beating up a third man and comes to the rescue. The beating victim, Hot Horse Harris, is so grateful to Johnny that he takes him to his betting parlor in the back of a shirt store and gives him a $1,000 bill. Johnny protests the gift, but before he can reject the money, Hot Horse bets it on a horse race. Johnny wins $5,000, then impulsively allows Hot Horse to bet the whole amount on another race. That bet also pays off, and before long, Johnny has accumulated $60,000 in winnings, $40,000 of which Hot Horse pays him immediately. The now-flush Johnny rushes to see Emil, who assumes that Johnny took his advice and turned to crime. Emil nevertheless helps Johnny buy a car and mink coat for Mildred. At the bank, meanwhile, a still angry Mildred accepts a date from Bob Pulsifer, the bank president's playboy son. When Johnny finally returns to work, he finds McKissack informing the bank staff about a $75,000 embezzlement, which bond detectives are already investigating. Fearing that he will be implicated, Johnny leaves in a panic and takes Emil to the shirt shop to collect his remaining $20,000. To his dismay, the bookmaking operation has disappeared, adding to Emil's doubts. The two then go to Johnny's apartment, which is separated from Mildred's by a thin wall. Overhearing the delivery of Mildred's mink coat, Johnny and Emil dismantle a door that connects the two apartments, and as Mildred is showering, Johnny slips in and removes the coat from its Christmas box. He and Emil then try to stuff the money into Johnny's shower head, but succeed only in flooding the apartment. After the apartment manager informs Johnny that a detective has been asking questions about him, Emil offers to deposit the money under his name in an out-of-the-way bank. Mildred, meanwhile, has gotten drunk during her date with Bob, and while he is dropping her off, he finds the discarded fur coat tag on her floor and becomes suspicious. The next day, Emil arrives at Fidelity Trust posing as a wealthy prospective depositer. As part of his ploy, Emil insists on speaking with Bob's semi-retired father R. B. and the banker is so impressed that he later requests to meet Emil in order to solicit a charitable donation. While Emil rushes to the posh hotel where he is supposed to be residing, one of Hot Horse's men, dressed as Santa Claus, leaves $20,000 on Johnny's doorstep. Mildred finds it first, however, and after someone from the fur store calls her about the returned coat, she concludes that Johnny is the embezzler. Mildred tracks Johnny to Emil's hotel suite and demands an explanation. Johnny reveals all, but Mildred refuses to believe his story, and Johnny stomps off. Emil, however, convinces Mildred that Johnny embezzled only to please her. Guilt-ridden, Mildred takes the $20,000 to Bob and offers to "do anything," including marrying him, if he does not press charges against Johnny. Horrified by the thought of marriage, Bob instead calls the police as Mildred drives off in his car. Mildred then picks up Johnny and, having forgiven each other, they decide to marry that night. The police stop them first, however, and, to Johnny's astonishment, arrest Mildred for the embezzling. R. B. later explains to Johnny that while the police deduced the source of his cash, an audit of the bank books showed that the missing money came from Mildred's account. Still posing as a millionaire, Emil insists that they search the bank on Mildred's behalf, and they soon discover that Mildred's adding machine is defective. R. B. then accidentally sets off the alarm, summoning the police, who refuse to believe that R. B. owns the bank and try to arrest him. After Bob shows up, R. B. finally proves his identity, and Mildred and Johnny are cleared of all suspicion. Later, a just-married Johnny and Mildred pose for pictures at Emil's restaurant while declaring to a man with a notepad their plans to spend their winnings buying an orange ranch, which Emil is to help them run. After the man reveals he is from the Internal Revenue Service, the trio dashes off in their new car.

Director

Irving Cummings

Cast

Jane Russell

Mildred Goodhew

Groucho Marx

Frank Sinatra

Don Mcguire

Howard Freeman

R. B. Pulsifer, Sr.

Nestor Paiva

Hot Horse Harris

Frank Orth

Harry Hayden

J. L. McKissack

William Edmunds

Russ Thorson

Joe Devlin

Lou Nova

Benny Burt

Al Murphy

Bill Snyder

Wire service man

Claire Du Brey

Hatchet-faced lady

Kermit Kegley

Harry Kingston

Charles Coleman

Virgil Johansen

Ida Moore

Little old lady

William Bailey

George Chandler

Hal K. Dawson

Jean De Briac

Jack Chefe

Jim Nolan

Lee Phelps

Lillian West

Dickie Derrel

Charles Sullivan

Harold Goodwin

Bill Erwin

Charles Regan

Dick Gordon

Mike Lally

Jack Jahries

Gil Perkins

Jack Gargan

Crew

C. Bakaleinikoff

Gordon Bau

Makeup Supervisor

Phil Brigandi

Sammy Cahn

Harry Crane

Additional Dialogue

Irving Cummings Jr.

Albert S. D'agostino

Robert De Grasse

Director of Photography

Feild M. Gray

Leigh Harline

James Lane

Assistant Director

Mannie Manheim

Based on a character created by

Harry Marker

Harley Miller

Clem Portman

Leo Rosten

Melville Shavelson

Darrell Silvera

Jule Styne

Videos

Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) He Graduated Magna Cum Nothing! Frank Sinatra (as bank teller Johnny) and pal Emil (Groucho Marx) are talking through walls with his neighbor, fianceè and co-worker “Mibs” (Jane Russell), who thinks he’s been embezzling, hoping to intercept the fur he sent her, and annoyed that she’s dating a rival for revenge, in Double Dynamite, 1951.

Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) On $42.50 A Week Opening introduces Jane Russell as bank teller Mildred and Don McGuire as Bob, the annoying son of the big boss, then Frank Sinatra as fellow teller (and her fianceè) Johnny, getting nowhere seeking a raise from the manager (Harry Hayden), in RKO’s Double Dynamite, 1951, also starring Groucho Marx.

Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) Live Dangerously! Engaged bank tellers Johnny and “Mibs” (Frank Sinatra, Jane Russell) at lunch, just before Christmas, after he’s failed to get the raise he thinks they need to get married, and the first scene for Groucho Marx, who shared top billing, as waiter Emil, in Double Dynamite, 1951.

Double Dynamite (1951) -- (Movie Clip) I Don't Wear Shirts At Christmas-time in Los Angeles, broke bank teller Johnny (Frank Sinatra) has just rescued Nestor Paiva (whom we’ll learn is Hot Horse Harris, a big time bookie) from muggers, and he insists on compensation, Lou Nova as Santa, Joe Devlin the muscle, in Double Dynamite, 1951, also starring Jane Russell and Groucho Marx.

Double Dynamite -- (Original Trailer) A bank teller (Frank Sinatra) reaps the rewards of saving a gangster's life, but can't reveal where he got the money in Double Dynamite (1951).

Film Details

Also Known As

It's Only Money

Genre

Comedy

Release Date

Dec 1951

Premiere Information

New York opening: 25 Dec 1951

Production Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Distribution Company

RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Country

United States

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 20m

Sound

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

7,241ft

Articles

Double Dynamite

April 24, 2008

If a movie stars Frank Sinatra, Groucho Marx and Jane Russell, one thing you can be sure of is that it's not a deadly serious drama. Despite the bizarre cast, Double Dynamite (1951) remains an under-rated comedy. Sinatra and Russell play Johnny and Mildred, two bank employees who desperately want to get married but can't afford it. Groucho is their pal (he's a waiter!) who jokingly suggests they should rob a bank for the money. One day their financial troubles seem over when Johnny secretly wins a wad of money in a contest. The only problem is that the bank discovers a significant shortage that just happens to match Johnny and Mildred's new wealth and they suspect that an actual theft did occur.

Based on a story by Leo Rosten, Double Dynamite was originally titled It's Only Money and was actually filmed in 1948, only to be held up for three years. Sinatra sings two songs, one with Groucho ("It's Only Money") and one with Russell ("Kisses and Tears," which he also recorded solo in 1949).

As an RKO film, Howard Hughes presided over production and he moved Sinatra down to third billing after Russell and Groucho, supposedly because he didn't much like Sinatra. Sports fans will want to look for a small appearance by boxer Lou Nova, whose defeat of Max Baer caused Baer to retire into showbiz (Baer's son would play Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies).

Director: Irving Cummings
Producer: Irving Cummings Jr.
Screenplay: Harry Crane, Mannie Manheim, Melville Shavelson, story by Leo Rosten
Cinematography: Robert De Grasse
Editor: Harry Marker
Art Direction: Albert S. D'Agostino, Feild M. Gray
Music: Sammy Cahn, Leigh Harline, Jule Styne
Cast: Jane Russell ('Mibs' Goodhug), Groucho Marx (Emile J. Keck), Frank Sinatra (Johnny Dalton), Don McGuire (Bob Pulsifer Jr.), Howard Freeman (R.B. Pulsifer Sr.).
BW-81m. Closed Captioning.

by Lang Thompson

Double Dynamite

Double Dynamite

If a movie stars Frank Sinatra, Groucho Marx and Jane Russell, one thing you can be sure of is that it's not a deadly serious drama. Despite the bizarre cast, Double Dynamite (1951) remains an under-rated comedy. Sinatra and Russell play Johnny and Mildred, two bank employees who desperately want to get married but can't afford it. Groucho is their pal (he's a waiter!) who jokingly suggests they should rob a bank for the money. One day their financial troubles seem over when Johnny secretly wins a wad of money in a contest. The only problem is that the bank discovers a significant shortage that just happens to match Johnny and Mildred's new wealth and they suspect that an actual theft did occur. Based on a story by Leo Rosten, Double Dynamite was originally titled It's Only Money and was actually filmed in 1948, only to be held up for three years. Sinatra sings two songs, one with Groucho ("It's Only Money") and one with Russell ("Kisses and Tears," which he also recorded solo in 1949). As an RKO film, Howard Hughes presided over production and he moved Sinatra down to third billing after Russell and Groucho, supposedly because he didn't much like Sinatra. Sports fans will want to look for a small appearance by boxer Lou Nova, whose defeat of Max Baer caused Baer to retire into showbiz (Baer's son would play Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies). Director: Irving Cummings Producer: Irving Cummings Jr. Screenplay: Harry Crane, Mannie Manheim, Melville Shavelson, story by Leo Rosten Cinematography: Robert De Grasse Editor: Harry Marker Art Direction: Albert S. D'Agostino, Feild M. Gray Music: Sammy Cahn, Leigh Harline, Jule Styne Cast: Jane Russell ('Mibs' Goodhug), Groucho Marx (Emile J. Keck), Frank Sinatra (Johnny Dalton), Don McGuire (Bob Pulsifer Jr.), Howard Freeman (R.B. Pulsifer Sr.). BW-81m. Closed Captioning. by Lang Thompson

Quotes

And if we did get married, how would we manage? I have nothing. How would we live?
- Johnny Dalton

I'm sure something would come along.
- Mildred 'Mibs' Goodhug

Yeah. And we'd have to feed that too.
- Johnny Dalton

A woman can smell mink through six inches of lead.
- Emile J. Keck

Well, I like THIS!
- Landlord

You do? Well, join me!
- Emile J. Keck

Trivia

Notes

The working title of this film was It's Only Money. It was made in late 1948, shortly after Howard Hughes took over as head of RKO. According to modern sources, Hughes was displeased with the picture and shelved it until late 1951, when he came up with an advertising campaign that emphasized the participation of his protégée, Jane Russell. Modern sources also note that Frank Sinatra originally was to receive top billing in the onscreen credits, but because Hughes did not like Sinatra, whose career was in a down-turn at the time, his billing was bumped to third place. In the film, Sinatra sings duets with both Marx and Russell. Mannie Manheim, who is credited with creating the character on which the picture's story was based, was one of Marx's gag writers. Although an August 1946 Hollywood Reporter news item reported that Twentieth Century-Fox had purchased a story by Quentin Reynolds entitled "It's Only Money," that story bears no relation to this film. Modern sources credit Stanley Donen as choreographer.

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