From the Vaults:
William A. Seiter directed Chance at Heaven, a Pre-Code serio-romantic-comedy, written by Julien Josephson and Sarah Y. Mason, based on a 1932 short story of the same name by Vina Delmar.
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Theatrical release poster
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A romantic triangle, the film stars Ginger Rogers, Joel McCrea, and Marian Nixon, and Andy Devine and Lucien Littlefield in the supporting league.
It was released on October 27, 1933, by RKO Pictures, just a year before Ginger Rogers became a bona fide star by becoming Fred Astaire’s dancing partner.
The young and handsome McCrea plays Blackie owns a successful service station in Silver Beach, Massachusetts, a summer resort town for wealthy people.
He plans to own a chain of stations someday and to marry his girlfriend, Marje, when the time is right.
Glory, a flirtatious, accident-prone debutante, falls for him, and the feeling is mutual.
An unlikely friendship develops between Glory and Marje, who sees that Blackie is truly in love.
Glory and Blackie elope and settle into his bungalow. The newlyweds are happy, in spite of Glory’s attempts at housekeeping and her uncomfortable decorating ideas. She replaces his big comfy wing chair with a tiny boudoir chair.
Problem is the silly Glory is also burdened by a snobbish and over-domineering mother who interferes too much.
After the divorce, Blackie returns home to his bungalow to find his old armchair in place and Marje making his favorite dinner.
He tries to speak, but she tells him she knows the story: “Once upon a time, a knight rode away on a cloud with a princess. But one day, the princess pulled the cloud out from under him and he fell right smack dab on his… “
“Funny how a good kick in the pants can make a guy’s head work,” he muses.
She goes on, “What the boy didn’t know was that the local Cinderella loved him, and she wanted him to be happy. And boy, is she happy.”
They beam at each other. “Gee, that’s the best chicken pie I ever ate.”
Cast
Ginger Rogers as Marjorie “Marje” Harris
Joel McCrea as Blackstone ‘Blacky’ Gorman
Marian Nixon as Glory Franklyn
Virginia Hammond as Mrs. S. T. Franklyn
Andy Devine as Al
Lucien Littlefield as Mr. Fred Harris
George Meeker as Sid Larrick
Ann Shoemaker as Mrs. Harris
Credits:
Directed by William A. Seiter
James Anderson (assistant)
Screenplay by Julien Josephson and Sarah Y. Mason, based on A Chance at Heaven 1932 short story by Vina Delmar
Produced by Merian C. Cooper
Cinematography Nicholas Musuraca
Edited by James B. Morley
Music by Max Steiner, Roy Webb
Production and distribution: RKO Pictures
Release date: October 27, 1933
Running time: 71 minutes
