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Ready, Willing, and Able (film)

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(Redirected from Ready, Willing and Able (film)) 1937 film by Ray Enright

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Ready, Willing, and Able
Directed byRay Enright
Written byMaurice Leo
Pat C. Flick
Ben Markson
Mary C. McCall Jr.
Lew Lipton
Screenplay byWarren Duff
Sig Herzig
Jerry Wald
Based onReady, Willing and Able
1935 story in The Saturday Evening Post
by Richard Macaulay
Produced bySamuel Bischoff
StarringRuby Keeler
Lee Dixon
Allen Jenkins
CinematographySol Polito
Edited byDoug Gould
Music byHeinz Eric Roemheld
Production
company		Warner Bros.
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • March 6, 1937 (1937-03-06)
Running time93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Ready, Willing, and Able is a 1937 American musical film directed by Ray Enright and starring Ruby Keeler, Lee Dixon, Allen Jenkins and Ross Alexander. It was produced and distributed by Warner Brothers. Songs in the film were written by composer Richard A. Whiting and lyricist Johnny Mercer. The most successful song introduced by Wini Shaw and Ross Alexander, and reprised throughout, was "Too Marvelous for Words", which has become a pop and jazz standard.

In the final production number choreographed by Bobby Connolly, Ruby Keeler and Lee Dixon tap across the keys of a giant-sized typewriter while dancers’ legs mimic typebars striking letters. The film was released to lackluster business in the aftermath of Alexander's suicide.

Plot

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Fledgling Broadway playwright Barry Granville (Ross Alexander) and his partner, songwriter Pinky Blair (Lee Dixon), get funding for their musical, contingent on hiring London stage star Jane Clarke as the lead. Greeting Clarke’s ship from England at the pier in New York, the agent 'Katsy' Van Courtland mistakes an American college student, also named Jane Clarke (Ruby Keeler), for the British actress. Willing to try acting, the American Jane masquerades as the London star, and agrees to appear in the musical. Despite being willing, Jane struggles, avoiding singing in any rehearsals for weeks because of her lack of a British accent. Finally, she confesses the ruse to Barry. Meanwhile, the British Jane Clarke puts the show’s prospects at risk by threatening to sue.

Cast

References

  1. Bubbeo p.110

Bibliography

  • Bubbeo, Daniel. The Women of Warner Brothers: The Lives and Careers of 15 Leading Ladies, with Filmographies for Each. McFarland, 2001.

External links

Films directed by Ray Enright


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