Canadian filmmaker Norman Jewison made his directing feature debut with Pounds of Trouble, a comedy starring Tony Curtis, Suzanne Pleshette, Larry Storch and Phil Silvers.
The comedy is a loose retelling of Damon Runyon’s 1932 short story “Little Miss Marker” (which had been made as a Shirley Temple vehicle).
Jewison began his career as television director.
It also marks Stanley Margulies’ feature film producer debut, after having been executive producer on the TV series “Tales of the Vikings” for Brynaprod.
It was the first picture ever to have received permission from the Walt Disney company to shoot at their famous amusement park.
On the night of December 31, 1962, 40 Pounds of Trouble had a limited one-day-only New Years Eve screening at select theaters across the US.
Tony Curtis plays a casino manager, who, with his club singer Chris Lockwood (Suzanne Pleshette) agree to take in a troublesome young girl named Penny Piper (Claire Wilcox), left behind by her gambling father.
But the little girl hinders the manager’s plans to keep his gaming license. Penny thinks that Steve needs to get married and to settle down, so she starts matchmaking, setting him up with Chris.
Meanwhle, Steve, still reeling from his failed first marriage, is apprehensive about another bond.
The movie’s most memorable scene is the last one, which depicts a slapstick pursuit through Disneyland.
