One Sunday Afternoon (1933): Melodrama, Starring Young Gary Cooper as Dentist

In One Sunday Afternoon, made at Paramount as a star vehicle, Gary Cooper plays Biff Grimes, a dentist who has always felt that he married the wrong girl, Amy Lind (Frances Fuller).

Through the years, Biff has always longed for vengeance on Hugo Barnstead, the man who married Biff’s girl Virginia (Fay Wray).  However, when he finally sees what has become of his dream, he quickly decides that Hugo has really done him a big favor.

As a vehicle, “One Sunday Afternoon” displays Cooper’s boyish charm and good looks, and he enjoys strong chemistry with the sexy vamp played by Fay Wray (in the same year she made “King Kong”).

This original version of James Hagan’s play was remade twice, by Raoul Walsh in 1941 under the title “The Strawberry Blonde,” and in 1948 as a color musical using the initial title, “One Sunday Afternoon.”

The film, whose running time is only 69 minutes, is directed by Stephen Roberts with decent attention to period detail.

Cast:

Gary Cooper (Biff Grimes)

Fay Wray (Virginia Brush)

Neil Hamilton n(Hugo Barnstead)

Frances Fuller (Amy Lind)

Roscoe Karns (Snappy Downer)

Jane Darwell (Mrs. Lind)

Clara Blandick (Mrs. Brush)

Sam Hardy (Dr. Startzman)

Harry Schultz (Schneider)

James Burtis (Dink Hoops)

A.S. Byron  (Foreman)

Jack Clifford (Watchman)

Johnny St. Clair

Credits:

A Paramount Picture.

Director: Stephen Roberts.

Producer: Louis D. Lighton.

Scenarists: William Slavens McNutt, Grover Jones.

Photographer: Victor Milner.

Editor: Ellsworth Hoagland.

Art Directors: Hans Dreier, W.B. Ihnen.

Sound Recorder: Harry D. Mills.

Costumer: Travis Banton.

Based on the stage play by James Hagan.