Take It Big
Cast & Crew
Frank Mcdonald
Jack Haley
Harriet Hilliard
Mary Beth Hughes
Frank Forest
Arline Judge
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Entertainer Jack North is frustrated by his lot in life as the rear end of a singing horse in a nightclub act. His girl friend, singer Jerry Clinton, is equally frustrated from turning down jobs and other men in favor of Jack, who has not yet asked her to marry him. When Jack's partner, Eddie Hampton, suggests that Jack see a physician because he kicks in his sleep, Jack consults psychoanalyst Dr. Dittenhoffer, who gives him a list of affirmations to read to himself. The next morning, Jack is notified that he has inherited his uncle's ranch in Nevada, and excited by the new opportunity, he, Eddie and Jerry leave immediately for the West. When they arrive, they mistake the bus for a dude ranch named the "B Bar A" for the bus for their ranch, which is called the "A Bar B," and Jack is filled with pride when he discovers he is the owner of the posh "B Bar A." Jack's newfound success goes to his head and he begins spying on all the employees to see if they are doing their job. Jack then loses interest in Jerry when blonde gold digger Gaye Livingstone flirts with him, unaware that she is only feigning interest in him to make her boyfriend jealous. Jack invites Dittenhoffer and his friends, Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra and dancers Rochelle and Beebe, to "his" dude ranch. By the time they arrive, Jack has displaced the former employees and is running the ranch. Jack is then humiliated when the real owner, Harvey Phillips, arrives and informs Jack of his mistake. Jack, Eddie, Jerry and the entire band go to the "A Bar B" and find a dilapidated and bankrupt ranch. Gaye soon arrives, having been thrown out of the "B Bar A" because of her affiliation with Jack. Inspired by Jerry's idea to turn the "A Bar B" into a successful dude ranch like Phillips', everyone works hard to refurbish the place and the grand opening proudly features Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra. After Phillips proves his entertainment savvy by singing "Figaro" from the opera Barber of Seville , he informs Jack that he has bought the lien against the ranch and expects to be paid in a week or he will repossess the property. Desperate to keep the ranch, Jack pays a $1,500 rodeo entrance fee for ranch hand Cowboy Joe, who swears that he is talented enough to win the $15,000 prize. When Cowboy Joe comes down with the mumps, Sophie, another ranch hand, gives Jerry a pep talk, and they enter a group of women cowboys in the rodeo. After the talented women end up in a tie with Phillips' competitors, Jack, proclaiming his affirmations, wins the bucking bronco contest, and is handed the $15,000 prize.
Director
Frank Mcdonald
Cast
Jack Haley
Harriet Hilliard
Mary Beth Hughes
Frank Forest
Arline Judge
Richard Lane
N.t.g.
Fritz Feld
Fuzzy Knight
Lucile Gleason
George Meeker
Monty Montana
Rochelle And Beebe
Ozzie Nelson
Ralph Peters
Crew
Henry Adams
Ben Berk
Joe Bigelow
Johnny Burke
David Chudnow
Larry Cramer
Howard J. Green
Fred Jackman Jr.
Lester Lee
Doc Merman
Ozzie Nelson
Sam Nelson
Jack Noyes
William H. Pine
Carlos Romero
Gioacchino Antonio Rossini
Angelo Rossitto
Rudy Schrager
Jerry Seelen
Maxwell Shane
Howard Smith
Cesare Sterbini
F. Paul Sylos
William C. Thomas
James Van Heusen
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Rhythm Ranch. The credit for N.T.G. appears on screen as follows: "N.T.G. (Nils Thor Granlund)." "Pansy the Horse" was part of a vaudeville act performed by Jack Haley and Richard Lane in the film. Hollywood Reporter news items report the following: Producers William H. Pine and William C. Thomas tried unsuccessfully to bring Clara Bow out of retirement for this film, and first cast William Frawley as "Eddie Hampton." Paramount also considered casting Frankie Masters and his band in the film, and initially negotiated with Edgar Fairchild to compose the musical score. Ozzie Nelson and Paul Smith collaborated on the following orchestral numbers, but their performance in the final film has not been confirmed: "Jersey Jive," "Minor Hassel," "Fort Scott Getaway" and "Delinquency in E Flat."
