By Frank Miller
Calling All Husbands
Brief Synopsis
A henpecked husband confronts the man his wife thinks she should have married.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Noel Smith
Director
George Tobias
Oscar Armstrong
Lucile Fairbanks
Bette Trippe
Ernest Truex
Homer Trippe
George Reeves
Dan Williams
Florence Bates
Emmie Trippe
Film Details
Also Known As
Broken Dishes
Genre
Comedy
Adaptation
Release Date
Sep
7,
1940
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the play Broken Dishes by Martin Flavin (New York, 5 Nov 1929).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 3m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
7 reels
Synopsis
Homer Trippe has spent the last thirty years working in a second-hand department store where he is badly treated by his boss, Hadley Weaver. At home, his wife Emmie is continually comparing him to Oscar Armstrong, the man she "should have married." Only his daughter Bette takes his side. Bette is in love with Dan Williams, but Emmie disapproves of her choice because she thinks that he is too much like Homer. One evening while Emmie and Aunt Mabel Parker are at the movies, leaving Homer home to do the dishes, Dan invites Bette for a walk, during which he begs her to marry him that evening. Meanwhile at home, Homer has taken a few drinks from a bottle of hard cider that Dan brought for him. When a hobo knocks on the door, Homer invites him in for a drink, only to learn by chance, that the hobo is Oscar Armstrong, Emmie's old flame. Seeing a chance to revenge himself on Emmie, Homer invites Oscar to dinner the following evening. Bette and Dan return home with Judge Todd, and with Dan's permission, they are married just before Emmie and Mabel return from the movies. Homer asks Bette and Dan not to tell Emmie about the marriage until the following evening. The following day, Oscar visits Homer at work to demand some money. When Weaver sees him there, Oscar pretends that he is planning on starting a similar store and wanted to see how the experts do it. Flattered, Weaver takes him around the store. Actually Oscar, who is a thief, plans to rob the store. That evening when he appears at Homer's for dinner, he is well-dressed and Emmie recognizes him immediately. It appears that Homer's plans have been ruined, especially after Weaver arrives with the sheriff to accuse Homer of robbing his store. When Dan arrives with Oscar's accomplice, who identifies Oscar as the thief, Weaver apologizes to Homer and makes him the store manager. Emmie is ashamed and promises to be a better wife.
Director
Noel Smith
Director
Cast
George Tobias
Oscar Armstrong
Lucile Fairbanks
Bette Trippe
Ernest Truex
Homer Trippe
George Reeves
Dan Williams
Florence Bates
Emmie Trippe
Charles Halton
Hadley Weaver
Virginia Sale
Mabel Parker
John Alexander
Sheriff
Clem Bevans
Judge Todd
Sam Mcdaniel
Nappy
Elliot Sullivan
Chunky
Spencer Charters
Station agent
Vera Lewis
Mrs. McGillicuddy
Jack Mower
Cop
Sol Gorss
Cop
Lottie Williams
Crew
Film Details
Also Known As
Broken Dishes
Genre
Comedy
Adaptation
Release Date
Sep
7,
1940
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the play Broken Dishes by Martin Flavin (New York, 5 Nov 1929).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 3m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
7 reels
Articles
Calling All Husbands -
The worm turns in this delightful low-budget comedy that provides a rare showcase for Ernest Truex, who began his seven-decade acting career as "The Child Wonder in Scenes From Shakespeare" after making his stage debut at five as the Ghost in Hamlet. Although he had played opposite Lillian Russell and Mary Pickford on stage, his small stature and light voice made him a perfect choice to play henpecked husbands on screen, mostly in supporting roles. In this outing, wife Florence Bates constantly compares him to a more affluent suitor (George Tobias) from the past. When Truex discovers the man is now a hobo, he plots a little revenge, with a few plot twists to complicate matters. The script was Warner Bros.' third adaptation of Martin Flavin's hit play Broken Dishes, which had helped Bette Davis make the move to Hollywood. It had reached the screen as Too Young to Marry (1931) with O.P. Heggie as the husband and Loretta Young as the daughter, then as Love Begins at Twenty (1936), with Hugh Herbert and Patricia Ellis. Possibly as a tip of the hat to the play's original leading lady, who ultimately became the studio's biggest star, in the third version the character, played by Lucile Fairbanks, was renamed "Bette."
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
Calling All Husbands -
The worm turns in this delightful low-budget comedy that provides a rare showcase for Ernest Truex, who began his seven-decade acting career as "The Child Wonder in Scenes From Shakespeare" after making his stage debut at five as the Ghost in Hamlet. Although he had played opposite Lillian Russell and Mary Pickford on stage, his small stature and light voice made him a perfect choice to play henpecked husbands on screen, mostly in supporting roles. In this outing, wife Florence Bates constantly compares him to a more affluent suitor (George Tobias) from the past. When Truex discovers the man is now a hobo, he plots a little revenge, with a few plot twists to complicate matters. The script was Warner Bros.' third adaptation of Martin Flavin's hit play Broken Dishes, which had helped Bette Davis make the move to Hollywood. It had reached the screen as Too Young to Marry (1931) with O.P. Heggie as the husband and Loretta Young as the daughter, then as Love Begins at Twenty (1936), with Hugh Herbert and Patricia Ellis. Possibly as a tip of the hat to the play's original leading lady, who ultimately became the studio's biggest star, in the third version the character, played by Lucile Fairbanks, was renamed "Bette." By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
The play opened in New York City, New York, USA on 5 November 1929 and had 178 performances. In the cast were Donald Meek and Bette Davis.
Notes
The working title of this film was Broken Dishes.
