Maisie Goes to Reno (1944) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

On a trip to Reno, a Brooklyn showgirl tries to stop a soldier and his wife from divorcing.

Cast & Crew

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Harry Beaumont

Ann Sothern

John Hodiak

[Philip] "Flip" Hennahan

Tom Drake

[Sgt.] Bill Fullerton

Marta Linden

Winifred Ashbourne

Paul Cavanagh

Photos & Videos

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Maisie Goes To Reno - (Original Trailer)

Film Details

Genre

Comedy

Release Date

Sep 1944

Premiere Information

New York opening: 28 Sep 1944

Production Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Distribution Company

Loew's Inc.

Country

United States

Screenplay Information

Based on characters created by Wilson Collison.

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 30m

Sound

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Synopsis

After she becomes embroiled in a noisy fight with her factory mate, Maisie Ravier, an overworked Los Angeles riveter who has developed a nervous wink, is ordered to take two weeks of vacation. Hearing of Maisie's situation, Tommy Cutter, a band leader with whom Maisie used to perform, offers her a job singing with his all-girl band in a Reno hotel, and tempted by the promise of free room and board, she accepts. Because of the war, bus tickets to Reno are scarce, and Maisie obtains one only by chance. When Bill Fullerton, a Marine sergeant on furlough, begs her for the ticket so that he can go to Reno and reconcile with his estranged wife Gloria, an heiress who believes he is a fortune hunter, Maisie gives it to him. Before boarding the bus, however, Bill is informed by an M.P. that his furlough has been canceled. Desperate, Bill returns the ticket to Maisie and asks her to hand-deliver a letter he was written to Gloria. Once in Reno, Maisie inquires about Gloria, who is staying at her hotel, but learns that the heiress has checked out. Mistaking her nervous tic for a flirtation, Philip "Flip" Hennahan, a blackjack dealer at the hotel's casino, offers Maisie a ride to the ranch where Gloria is now staying. There, Maisie is introduced to Gloria by her business manager, Roger Pelham, and hands over Bill's letter. To Maisie's surprise, Gloria is unmoved by the letter and reveals that Bill has written to ask for money. The next morning, Bill telephones Maisie to inquire about the letter, and she condemns him as a deceitful cad. Maisie then spends a romantic day with Flip and learns that he is a recently discharged veteran. That night, Maisie runs into Gloria at the hotel, but soon discovers that the woman is actually Gloria's secretary, Winifred Ashbourne. The real Gloria then introduces herself, explaining that she sometimes has Winifred impersonate her. The heiress sadly denounces Bill, unaware that Winifred and Pelham replaced Bill's letter with one penned by an alcoholic forger named J. E. Clave. Soon after, Maisie overhears Clave talking on a lobby phone to Pelham and, suspicious, tricks Jerry, a bellhop who is infatuated with her, into letting her deliver to Clave a note from Pelham. Posing as a flirtatious, hard-drinking con artist, Maisie tries to cajole Clave into revealing facts about his criminal life, but even when drunk, the forger is tight-lipped. Finally, Clave passes out after signing a room service receipt with a phony name, and Maisie, deducing that he is a forger, steals his desk blotter, which contains some of his handiwork. Flip, meanwhile, has overheard part of Maisie's flirtation with Clave and assumes the worst. After an excited Maisie phones Bill and tells him she has proof that Winifred and Pelham are trying to force a divorce so that they can embezzle from Gloria, Bill agrees to come to Reno. She then goes to show Flip the blotter, and when she cannot find it in her purse, she accuses Flip of stealing it and storms out of his room. Bill, who is on his way to Reno, calls Maisie and tells her to do whatever she has to do to keep Gloria from going through with the divorce. Maisie is then confronted by Clave, Winifred and Pelham, who find the blotter in the lining of her purse and warn her to stop meddling in their business. When an excited Maisie tries to explain to Flip about the blotter, he concludes that she has had a nervous breakdown and arranges for her to see Dr. Cummings, a psychiatrist, the next morning. Before meeting with the doctor, however, Maisie and Jerry use a toy gun to kidnap both Winifred and Gloria from the crowded courthouse. When their getaway car blows a tire, they are caught by a policeman and brought to the nearest police station. There Winifred, Gloria, Flip and Dr. Cummings convince the police captain that Maisie is crazy. The captain finally agrees to release Maisie to Dr. Cummings' custody, but Maisie escapes from him when she sees Bill on the street. Bill and Maisie then race to the courthouse, and just before the judge is to hear Gloria's case, Bill convinces his wife that he loves her and that Winifred and Pelham have been hoodwinking her. After the judge stops the crooks from fleeing, Flip finally realizes that Maisie is sane and embraces her.

Director

Harry Beaumont

Cast

Ann Sothern

John Hodiak

[Philip] "Flip" Hennahan

Tom Drake

[Sgt.] Bill Fullerton

Marta Linden

Winifred Ashbourne

Paul Cavanagh

Ava Gardner

Gloria Fullerton

Bernard Nedell

Roland Dupree

Chick Chandler

Bunny Waters

Donald Meek

Georgia Stark

Whistler in "Panhandle Pete" number

James Warren

Dr. Hanley Fleeson

Douglas Morrow

Master of ceremonies

William Tannen

Bernard Thomas

Pfc. Elihu Smith

Celia Travers

Yvonne Severn

Billy Bletcher

William Hall

Ray Walker

Almira Sessions

Battle-ax woman

Dick Rich

Tim Wallace

Anthony Caruso

Edward Earle

Joey Ray

Don Hayden

Ronnie Rondell

Ray Teal

Ralph Sanford

Larry Blake

Wally Cassell

Byron Foulger

Cliff Clark

Captain of police

Leon Tyler

John Hamilton

Noreen Roth

Goodlooking girl

Dallas Worth

Lynne Arlen

Ethel Tobin

Elizabeth Dailey

Katharine Booth

Edith Leach

Leigh Delacy

Crew

Hugh Boswell

Howard Campbell

Harry Clork

Contract Writer

Helen Conway

Associate (Sets)

Sammy Fain

Ralph Freed

Cedric Gibbons

A. Arnold Gillespie

Transparency projection shots

Irving Glassberg

George Haight

Frank E. Hull

Irene

Costume Supervisor

Standish J. Lambert

Re-rec and Effects mixer

Sammy Lee

Frank B. Mackenzie

Re-rec and Effects mixer

Mary C. Mccall Jr.

M. J. Mclaughlin

James O'hanlon

Charles O'malley

Assistant Director

Robert Planck

Director of Photography

Howard E. Rogers

Contract Writer

Harry Ruby

William J. Saracino

Douglas Shearer

Recording Director

Robert W. Shirley

Re-rec and Effects mixer

David Snell

William Steinkamp

Re-rec and Effects mixer

Michael Steinore

Re-rec and Effects mixer

P. R. Stevens

John A. Williams

Re-rec and Effects mixer

Edwin B. Willis

Videos

Maisie Goes To Reno - (Original Trailer) Maisie Goes To Reno (1944) for the eighth in the series and tries to stop a soldier and his wife from divorcing.

Film Details

Genre

Comedy

Release Date

Sep 1944

Premiere Information

New York opening: 28 Sep 1944

Production Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Distribution Company

Loew's Inc.

Country

United States

Screenplay Information

Based on characters created by Wilson Collison.

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 30m

Sound

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Articles

Maisie Goes to Reno

July 3, 2008

Ann Sothern stars as the plucky title character in the delightful Maisie Goes to Reno (1944), the 8th of 10 films in MGM's popular Maisie comedy series. In this wartime installment, Maisie heads to Reno for a singing gig after being ordered to take two weeks off from her job as a riveter. When a G.I. (Tom Drake) asks Maisie to deliver a letter to his rich wife Gloria (Ava Gardner), who is in Reno to divorce him, she soon finds herself mixed up with some shady characters who want to separate Gloria from her money. Meanwhile, Maisie finds herself in the arms of a charming new suitor (John Hodiak).

The supporting role of Gloria, the rich young war bride being conned by a couple of slick hucksters, was a very early talking part for Ava Gardner. Fresh off her brief first marriage to one of MGM's top stars at the time, Mickey Rooney, Gardner was in the process of establishing her presence at the studio as a contract player, but still a few years away from major stardom. Though her screen time is limited in Maisie Goes to Reno, Gardner makes the most of her role, and her extraordinary beauty shines through.

Ann Sothern sings one song in Maisie Goes to Reno - the rollicking number "Panhandle Pete" as part of Maisie's stage show.

Producer: George Haight
Director: Harry Beaumont
Screenplay: Mary C. McCall, Jr. (screenplay); Harry Clork, Howard Emmett Rogers (contributing writers, uncredited); Wilson Collison (characters); Harry Ruby, James O'Hanlon (story)
Cinematography: Robert Planck; William H. Daniels (uncredited)
Art Direction: Howard Campbeid, Cedric Gibbons
Music: David Snell; Robert Franklyn, Lennie Hayton, Bronislau Kaper (uncredited)
Film Editing: Frank E. Hull
Cast: Ann Sothern (Maisie Ravier), John Hodiak (Philip Francis 'Flip' Hennahan), Tom Drake (Sgt. Bill Fullerton), Marta Linden (Winifred 'Wini' Ashbourne), Paul Cavanagh (Roger Pelham), Ava Gardner (Gloria Fullerton), Bernard Nedell (J.E. Clave), Roland Dupree (Jerry (bellboy)), Chick Chandler (Tommy Cutter), Bunny Waters (Elaine).
BW-90m. Closed Captioning.

by Andrea Passafiume

Maisie Goes To Reno

Maisie Goes to Reno

Ann Sothern stars as the plucky title character in the delightful Maisie Goes to Reno (1944), the 8th of 10 films in MGM's popular Maisie comedy series. In this wartime installment, Maisie heads to Reno for a singing gig after being ordered to take two weeks off from her job as a riveter. When a G.I. (Tom Drake) asks Maisie to deliver a letter to his rich wife Gloria (Ava Gardner), who is in Reno to divorce him, she soon finds herself mixed up with some shady characters who want to separate Gloria from her money. Meanwhile, Maisie finds herself in the arms of a charming new suitor (John Hodiak). The supporting role of Gloria, the rich young war bride being conned by a couple of slick hucksters, was a very early talking part for Ava Gardner. Fresh off her brief first marriage to one of MGM's top stars at the time, Mickey Rooney, Gardner was in the process of establishing her presence at the studio as a contract player, but still a few years away from major stardom. Though her screen time is limited in Maisie Goes to Reno, Gardner makes the most of her role, and her extraordinary beauty shines through. Ann Sothern sings one song in Maisie Goes to Reno - the rollicking number "Panhandle Pete" as part of Maisie's stage show. Producer: George Haight Director: Harry Beaumont Screenplay: Mary C. McCall, Jr. (screenplay); Harry Clork, Howard Emmett Rogers (contributing writers, uncredited); Wilson Collison (characters); Harry Ruby, James O'Hanlon (story) Cinematography: Robert Planck; William H. Daniels (uncredited) Art Direction: Howard Campbeid, Cedric Gibbons Music: David Snell; Robert Franklyn, Lennie Hayton, Bronislau Kaper (uncredited) Film Editing: Frank E. Hull Cast: Ann Sothern (Maisie Ravier), John Hodiak (Philip Francis 'Flip' Hennahan), Tom Drake (Sgt. Bill Fullerton), Marta Linden (Winifred 'Wini' Ashbourne), Paul Cavanagh (Roger Pelham), Ava Gardner (Gloria Fullerton), Bernard Nedell (J.E. Clave), Roland Dupree (Jerry (bellboy)), Chick Chandler (Tommy Cutter), Bunny Waters (Elaine). BW-90m. Closed Captioning. by Andrea Passafiume

TCM Remembers - Ann Sothern

April 27, 2001

Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.

TCM Remembers - Ann Sothern

Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Although records from the M-G-M Music Collection indicate that a second song titled "This Little Band Goes to Battle" was recorded for the film, it was not included in the final film. Maisie Goes to Reno marked director Harry Beaumont's first film since RKO's 1937 comedy When's Your Birthday? Hollywood Reporter news items add the following information about the production: In November 1943, Norman Z. McLeod was announced as the film's director. Hal Rosson was announced as cameraman in February 1944, and Doug Morrow and Lloyd Nolan were announced as possible stars. (Doug Morrow was eventually cast in a small part.) Hollywood Reporter production charts list William Daniels as the film's photographer, not Robert Planck, who is credited onscreen. Kathleen McCleon, whom Hollywood Reporter described as a "graduate of Ramona Convent in Alhambra," and Donald Curtis were both listed as cast members, but their appearance in the completed film has not been confirmed. For more information on the "Maisie" series, consult the Series Index and see entry for Maisie in the AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.2662.

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