"Piccadilly Jim" is a slight deviation from the many films in the 1930s and 1940s in which Robert Montgomery played a wealthy, boozing ne-er-do-well. While living on the high hog and mostly centered around nightlife, his James Crocker Jr. Actually earns a living as a cartoonist. He goes by the pen name, Piccadilly Jim, and his illustrations make enough money to keep him and his father, Senior, afloat and able to mix amongst the idle rich. Frank Morgan plays his dad. But, when Madge Evans appears as Ann Chester, James Jr. Is smitten and begins pursuing her.
This film is based on the 1917 novel of the same title by P. G. Wodehouse. It takes place first in London, where the Crockers reside as ex-patriate Americans. There's no explanation as to why, but they have been there for some time - apparently since Senior's days on the stage. That was over a 20- or 40-year period, as Junior discredits his father's last 20 years of theater connections.
But now, Junior spots the American, Ann Chester, who is the date of Lord Frederick Priory. Without her name, he loses track of her and pines for her as he plies his art work. In the meantime, Senior has met and fallen for a woman his age, and plans to tie the knot with Eugenia Willis. But he must pass muster with her relatives - the super wealthy Americans, Herbert and Nesta Pett. Grant Mitchell is but a yes-man to his domineering wife, Nesta, played by Cora Witherspoon. Well, as it turns out Eugenia and Ann and the Petts are all related, and one can guess who's riding herd over this clan.
The comedy takes off when neither Senior nor Junior realize that Eugenia and Ann are of the same clan, and Junior begins a comic series, "Rags to Riches," with a caricature of Nesta Pett as the object of most of his humor. Only after Junior finds out who Ann is and they date a couple times, does she find out that he is the cartoonist the family loathes. The Petts flee London when the series becomes a craze and people recognize them as the models for the series. But they arrive in the States only to find shortly that they have attained a sort of celebrity status for their recognition in the cartoon that has been syndicated in the States. So, Nesta relishes her new notoriety and is no longer angry with Jim.
But he has a challenge on his hands in trying to win over Ann who is about to marry Lord Priory. Adding greatly to the comedy of this plot are Morgan's second role as a disguised Danish royalty, Count Olav Osric; and Jim's butler, Bayliss, who is played superbly by the inimitable comedic character for such roles, Eric Blore. His part is significant enough to put this movie in a sub-genre of very good butler or maid movies.
All the roles are played quite well. The Pett's young son, Ogden, doesn't seem very necessary to the plot and is somewhat of a distraction from it. One can only surmise that the boisterous lad was included in the hope of possibly adding some humor. But he doesn't. And one must endure the nagging, demanding voice of Nesta to the point of wearing on the plot. But for Billie Burke as Eugenia, Morgan's Crocker Senior and double as Count Osric, and Blore's Bayliss, this would not be a very endurable film. And it would be much less of a comedy.
Oh, yes, the film has one other very short plus - at the Chrystal Club, the singer is Dennis Morgan. He sings "Moonlight." This was only his fifth film since his first in 1933. Morgan would continue to play bit parts until winding up with Warner Brothers where he did mostly B pictures until the early 1940s. He then began getting roles in solid features and by the mid-1940s, his star would rise to leading man status.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Bayliss, "Mr. Crocker is a fine actor too." James Crocker Jr., "My father is not a fine actor. My father is a ham." Bayliss, "Ah, but a delightful ham, sir. A gentleman."
James Crocker Sr., "Uh, well we met in the lift. It was one of those, uh, push-button affairs. She was timid and squealed. We, uh, heh, we were friends before we reached the street."
James Crocker Sr., "Herbert is the rag king of America." Jim Crocker Jr. "Ah, a musician." James Crocker Sr., "No, he has a process." Jim Crocker Jr., "Can't he have it lanced?" James Crocker Sr., "Oh, you don't understand. Herbert buys clippings from other manufacturers and converts them back into cloth again. It's netted him millions." Jim Crocker Jr. "Millions! From rags to riches."
Jim Crocker Jr., "Have you, by any chance, formed the wrong impression of me?" Ann Chester, "I think not. You're a typical American - European model." Jim Crocker, "A romantic figure, I trust?" Ann Chester, "Oh, very. I think the technical term is a bar fly."
Secretary to the publisher, "Do you wish to include the last, sir?" London Gossip Editor Bill Mechan, "No, no, no. It's not good slinging mud."
Eugenia Willis, "But, why couldn't I stay and chaperon Ann?" Nesta Pett," Who'd chaperon you? Get along."
Nesta Pett, "The sight of you has brought back a most unpleasant memory." Bayliss, "That, madame, leaves me in a state of indifference bordering on the supernatural."
Delivery boy, "Here's your paper, sour puss." Bayliss, "Thank you, droop snoot."
Jim Crocker Jr., "You are making the most stupid mistake in the world. You're trying to use your brain to choose a husband instead of your heart. It can't be done. It's all wrong. Marriage isn't an engineering problem, uh, like Boulder Dam."
This film is based on the 1917 novel of the same title by P. G. Wodehouse. It takes place first in London, where the Crockers reside as ex-patriate Americans. There's no explanation as to why, but they have been there for some time - apparently since Senior's days on the stage. That was over a 20- or 40-year period, as Junior discredits his father's last 20 years of theater connections.
But now, Junior spots the American, Ann Chester, who is the date of Lord Frederick Priory. Without her name, he loses track of her and pines for her as he plies his art work. In the meantime, Senior has met and fallen for a woman his age, and plans to tie the knot with Eugenia Willis. But he must pass muster with her relatives - the super wealthy Americans, Herbert and Nesta Pett. Grant Mitchell is but a yes-man to his domineering wife, Nesta, played by Cora Witherspoon. Well, as it turns out Eugenia and Ann and the Petts are all related, and one can guess who's riding herd over this clan.
The comedy takes off when neither Senior nor Junior realize that Eugenia and Ann are of the same clan, and Junior begins a comic series, "Rags to Riches," with a caricature of Nesta Pett as the object of most of his humor. Only after Junior finds out who Ann is and they date a couple times, does she find out that he is the cartoonist the family loathes. The Petts flee London when the series becomes a craze and people recognize them as the models for the series. But they arrive in the States only to find shortly that they have attained a sort of celebrity status for their recognition in the cartoon that has been syndicated in the States. So, Nesta relishes her new notoriety and is no longer angry with Jim.
But he has a challenge on his hands in trying to win over Ann who is about to marry Lord Priory. Adding greatly to the comedy of this plot are Morgan's second role as a disguised Danish royalty, Count Olav Osric; and Jim's butler, Bayliss, who is played superbly by the inimitable comedic character for such roles, Eric Blore. His part is significant enough to put this movie in a sub-genre of very good butler or maid movies.
All the roles are played quite well. The Pett's young son, Ogden, doesn't seem very necessary to the plot and is somewhat of a distraction from it. One can only surmise that the boisterous lad was included in the hope of possibly adding some humor. But he doesn't. And one must endure the nagging, demanding voice of Nesta to the point of wearing on the plot. But for Billie Burke as Eugenia, Morgan's Crocker Senior and double as Count Osric, and Blore's Bayliss, this would not be a very endurable film. And it would be much less of a comedy.
Oh, yes, the film has one other very short plus - at the Chrystal Club, the singer is Dennis Morgan. He sings "Moonlight." This was only his fifth film since his first in 1933. Morgan would continue to play bit parts until winding up with Warner Brothers where he did mostly B pictures until the early 1940s. He then began getting roles in solid features and by the mid-1940s, his star would rise to leading man status.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Bayliss, "Mr. Crocker is a fine actor too." James Crocker Jr., "My father is not a fine actor. My father is a ham." Bayliss, "Ah, but a delightful ham, sir. A gentleman."
James Crocker Sr., "Uh, well we met in the lift. It was one of those, uh, push-button affairs. She was timid and squealed. We, uh, heh, we were friends before we reached the street."
James Crocker Sr., "Herbert is the rag king of America." Jim Crocker Jr. "Ah, a musician." James Crocker Sr., "No, he has a process." Jim Crocker Jr., "Can't he have it lanced?" James Crocker Sr., "Oh, you don't understand. Herbert buys clippings from other manufacturers and converts them back into cloth again. It's netted him millions." Jim Crocker Jr. "Millions! From rags to riches."
Jim Crocker Jr., "Have you, by any chance, formed the wrong impression of me?" Ann Chester, "I think not. You're a typical American - European model." Jim Crocker, "A romantic figure, I trust?" Ann Chester, "Oh, very. I think the technical term is a bar fly."
Secretary to the publisher, "Do you wish to include the last, sir?" London Gossip Editor Bill Mechan, "No, no, no. It's not good slinging mud."
Eugenia Willis, "But, why couldn't I stay and chaperon Ann?" Nesta Pett," Who'd chaperon you? Get along."
Nesta Pett, "The sight of you has brought back a most unpleasant memory." Bayliss, "That, madame, leaves me in a state of indifference bordering on the supernatural."
Delivery boy, "Here's your paper, sour puss." Bayliss, "Thank you, droop snoot."
Jim Crocker Jr., "You are making the most stupid mistake in the world. You're trying to use your brain to choose a husband instead of your heart. It can't be done. It's all wrong. Marriage isn't an engineering problem, uh, like Boulder Dam."