Elmer and Elsie
Cast & Crew
Gilbert Pratt
George Bancroft
Frances Fuller
Roscoe Karns
George Barbier
Nella Walker
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Elmer Beebe is a sweet but slow-witted driver for Kincaid Pianos who is constantly being taken advantage of by his friend, Rocky Cott. Elmer falls in love with Elsie, a pianist, and they marry, although Rocky would rather see Elmer dead than married. Elmer enjoys domestic life, and because he feels that Elsie gave up her playing career for marriage, he takes an assertiveness course, with the goal of becoming vice-president of Kincaid Pianos. When Elmer shields the fall of a piano with his body, the doctor says he is unharmed, but Elsie sees a way of helping him get ahead and insists that he wear an arm sling and pretend to be in pain. She lures John and Eva Kincaid to her house, where Kincaid becomes upset to learn that the Beebes are overdue on their payment for their piano. Mrs. Kincaid soothes her husband's anger, and suggests that Elmer be invited as a speaker to Saturday night's banquet, at which one of the speakers will be promoted. Elsie suggests that Elmer write his own speech, but he insists on taking one out of a book. At the banquet, Rocky uses Elmer's speech as his own, and Elmer experiences stage fright and loses his voice. Elsie covers for him by saying he lost his voice due to the accident, and gives a speech that she wrote for him. Believing the speech to be written by Elmer, Kincaid promotes him to foreman, but later fires him when he finds out that Elsie was responsible. Even though Elsie only used phrases for her speech that she'd heard Elmer say, he feels that Elsie's meddling caused him to lose his job and that a woman should never mix in a man's business, but should stick to "cooking beans." Elsie seeks Mrs. Kincaid's assistance in getting Elmer's job back, as she realizes that Mrs. Kincaid is behind most of her husband's wise decisions just as she is with Elmer. Mrs. Kincaid agrees, and with the help of famous concert pianist Barlotti, Kincaid restores Elmer's position as foreman.
Director
Gilbert Pratt
Cast
George Bancroft
Frances Fuller
Roscoe Karns
George Barbier
Nella Walker
Charles Sellon
Helena Phillips Evans
Albert Conti
Ruth Clifford
Floyce Brown
Vera Steadman
Helene Lynch
Marie Wells
Tom Dempsey
Eddie Baker
Duke York
William Robyns
Alfred P. James
Georgette Bancroft
Crew
Sherman Clark
Emanuel Cohen
Richard Currier
Earl Hedrick
Louis D. Lighton
William Mellor
Humphrey Pearson
William Rand
Guy Roe
A. W. Singley
Bobby Vernon
Adolph Zukor
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Ladies First. George Bancroft's daughter Georgette made her film debut as an extra in this film. Kaufman's play was previously filmed in 1923 by Paramount as To the Ladies, directed by James Cruze and starring Edward Horton and Theodore Roberts (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.5748).
