Pillow to Post

Pillow to Post
Pillow to Post
Directed by	Vincent Sherman
Written by	Charles Hoffman
Produced by	Alex Gottlieb
Starring	Ida Lupino; Sydney Greenstreet; William Prince
Cinematography	Wesley Anderson
Edited by	Alan Crosland Jr.
Music by	Friedrich Hollaender
Production; company	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	May 17, 1945;
Running time	91-92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Pillow to Post is a 1945 romantic comedy film set during World War II. It stars Ida Lupino, Sydney Greenstreet and William Prince, and is based on the play Pillar to Post by Rose Simon Kohn. A tired traveling saleswoman goes to great lengths to find a place to sleep.

Plot

Socialite Jean Howard (Ida Lupino) is stirred to patriotism and eager to help the war effort. When she overhears her father, J. R. Howard (an uncredited Paul Harvey), complain that the military has taken all of the salesmen of his oil rig supply company, she volunteers to take their place. J. R. gives in, though he reminds her that she has never worked a day in her life.

On one business trip, she arrives at a town where the only available place to sleep is a bungalow reserved for married couples. When she is mistaken for the war bride of a lieutenant, she goes along. To register at the Colonial Auto Court, however, she has to produce her "husband". She persuades a very reluctant Lieutenant Don Mallory (William Prince) to help her out, promising it will only take a few minutes of his day off. The couple become trapped in their masquerade as newlyweds when they run into Don's commanding officer, Colonel Michael Otley (Sydney Greenstreet), who lives just a few doors down with his wife.

When Jean goes out to see prospective customer Earl "Slim" Clark (Johnny Mitchell), he insists on taking her out to dinner to discuss the deal. To maintain appearances, Don goes along. The dinner does not go well. While trying to restrain a drunk acquaintance, Slim accidentally knocks Don out and is himself rendered unconscious by the drunk man.

When they return to the auto court, Don and Jean have to sleep under the same roof on their "wedding night". He gives her the bed and sleeps first in the kitchen, which proves too uncomfortable, so he goes outdoors.

Complications ensue when Otley takes an interest in the couple and insists that Don make Jean the beneficiary of his insurance policy and allot her part of his pay. Don's mother also arrives for an early unexpected visit.

During a dinner party given by the Otleys for the couple, the colonel mentions to Jean the impending court martial of another lieutenant who lied about being married. Alarmed, she drinks too much sherry to steady her nerves. While drunk, she privately reveals to Don that she has fallen in love with him.

The charade is finally revealed when the colonel and Don's mother meet. Jean's father also joins the festivities. Fortunately, Lucille (Willie Best), a male auto court employee, tells Otley that he did see Don sleep outside, so the colonel does not press charges. Don decides the thing to do is to get married for real, much to Jean's delight.

Cast

Ida Lupino as Jean Howard
Sydney Greenstreet as Colonel Michael Otley
William Prince as Lieutenant Don Mallory
Stuart Erwin as Captain Jack Ross
Johnny Mitchell as Earl "Slim" Clark
Ruth Donnelly as Mrs. Grace Wingate, manager of the auto court
Barbara Brown as Mrs. Kate Otley, the colonel's wife
Frank Orth as Taxi Driver
Regina Wallace as Mrs. Mallory, Don's mother
Willie Best as Lucille
Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra as Themselves at the Tavern

Robert Blake has an uncredited role as a brat at the auto court who likes to drop water bombs on unsuspecting passersby.

External links

Pillow to Post at IMDb
Pillow to Post at the TCM Movie Database
Pillow to Post at AllMovie
Pillow to Post at the American Film Institute Catalog