Pennies from Heaven (1936 film)
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| Directed by | Norman Z. McLeod |
| Produced by | Emanuel Cohen |
| Written by | Jo Swerling William Rankin (story) Katherine Leslie Moore (novel) |
| Starring | Bing Crosby Madge Evans Edith Fellows Louis Armstrong Donald Meek |
| Music by | Arthur Johnston Georgie Stoll (musical director) John Scott Trotter (arranger) William Grant Still (incidental music) |
| Cinematography | Robert Pittack |
| Editing by | John Rawlins |
| Studio | Emanuel Cohen Productions |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 25, 1936 |
| Running time | 81 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Pennies from Heaven is a 1936 musical comedy film starring Bing Crosby and featuring Louis Armstrong in a supporting role. The movie was directed by Norman Z. McLeod and the screenplay was written by Jo Swerling from a story by William Rankin based on the novel The Peacock Feather by Katherine Leslie Moore. The picture remains most noteworthy for Crosby's introduction of the titular song, a Depression era favorite since recorded by numerous singers, including Armstrong.
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[edit] Plot
In prison, Larry Poole (Bing Crosby), a self-described troubadour, is approached by an inmate named Hart (John Gallaudet) who is on his way to the electric chair. Hart asks Larry to deliver a letter to a family called Smith near Middletown, New Jersey. After finding the family, which consists of a grandfather (Donald Meek) and a young girl named Patsy (Edith Fellows), Poole tells them that the letter holds a key, reveals that the condemned man had unintentionally killed Patsy's father and that he is giving the Smith family his old house and former hideout, the only thing he has to give as atonement.
Susan Sprague (Madge Evans) represents the county welfare department and it is her job to see that Patsy is raised "properly", or the girl will go to an orphanage. A variety of misadventures befall Larry as he tries to help "Gramps" out with Patsy to save her from the orphanage, all while Susan and he are falling in love.
To get cash for a restaurant license, Larry gets a stunt job at the circus, but is injured. While he is in hospital Gramps comes to let him know that the county has taken Patsy away. Larry believes Susan went behind his back and had Patsy placed in the orphanage. It is discovered that Susan had no part in it, but she loses her job defending Larry and his care of the child.
Larry has the circus perform for the children so that he can 'break Patsy out', when Patsy lets Larry know how Susan feels about him. Their attempt to free Patsy fails. Afterwards, Larry founds out that Susan has gone to New York and he goes there to find her.
While in New York, Susan is approached by two policemen looking for Larry, not to arrest him as she suspects, but to bring him back to the head of the County Welfare Department to help deal with Patsy, who has gone on a hunger strike. The policemen are watching Susan's apartment in the hopes that Larry will show up. When he does, they make him leave with them, after he and Susan reveal their feelings for each other.
When they return to the orphanage, the head of the welfare department begs Larry to help them with Patsy. Larry agrees to adopt Patsy and raise her with the help of Susan, who agrees to marry him and be a mother to Patsy.
[edit] Awards
Arthur Johnston and Johnny Burke were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the music and lyrics respectively of "Pennies from Heaven".
[edit] Cast
- Bing Crosby as Larry Poole
- Madge Evans as Susan Sprague
- Edith Fellows as Patsy Smith
- Louis Armstrong as Henry
- Donald Meek as Gramp Smith
- John Gallaudet as J. C. Hart
- William Stack as Clarence B. Carmichael
- Nana Bryant as Miss Howard
- Tom Dugan as Crowbar Miller
- Nydia Westman as Slavey
Although this was not the first time that a black performer was given prominent billing in a major Hollywood release (Paul Robeson had been billed fourth in that same year's Show Boat), special billing was given to Armstrong at the insistence of Bing Crosby, who also insisted on Armstrong being hired for the movie.
[edit] Soundtracks
- Pennies From Heaven (1936); Music by Arthur Johnston
Lyrics by Johnny Burke; Played during the opening credits and often as background music; Sung by Bing Crosby
- Skeleton in the Closet (1936); Music by Arthur Johnston; Lyrics by Johnny Burke; Performed by Louis Armstrong with Louis Armstrong and His Band
- So Do I (1936); Music by Arthur Johnston; Lyrics by Johnny Burke; Sung by Bing Crosby and
Danced by Edith Fellows; Reprised by Crosby at the orphanage and in the New York City montage
- One Two Button Your Shoe (1936); Music by Arthur Johnston; Lyrics by Johnny Burke; Sung by Bing Crosby at the orphanage; Reprised by a marching band
- Let's Call a Heart a Heart (1936); Music by Arthur Johnston; Lyrics by Johnny Burke; Sung by Bing Crosby with Louis Armstrong and His Band; Played also as background music
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm (uncredited); Traditional children's song; Sung by Bing Crosby, Edith Fellows and Donald Meek on the hay wagon
[edit] External links
- Pennies From Heaven at the TCM Movie Database
- Pennies from Heaven at AllRovi
- Pennies From Heaven at the Internet Movie Database
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