The Strawberry Blonde

US (1941): Romance/Comedy

An ex-con dentist at the turn of the century gets a chance for revenge in this spirited romantic comedy. Biff Grimes (James Cagney) and Hugo Bumstead (Jack Carson) are streetwise pals with an eye on the local beauty queen, Virginia Brush (Rita Hayworth). Biff's disappointed when he gets stuck with Virginia's mousy friend Ann Lind (Olivia de Havilland), but when Virginia runs off and marries Hugo, Biff marries Ann. Years later, Virginia insists that crooked contractor Hugo hire Biff and his father (Alan Hale), and Biff becomes the fall guy when one of Hugo's buildings collapses. After taking a correspondence course in dentistry, Biff and Ann struggle along until the fateful call about Hugo's aching tooth. Revenge crosses Biff's mind, but he decides he's been the luckier of the two. Raoul Walsh directs. Filmed as One Sunday Afternoon in 1933 with Gary Cooper, and again by Walsh in 1948, this time as a musical, with Dennis Morgan. (Warner Bros.) (amctv.com)

 Use this link to view the original theatrical trailer for The Strawberry Blonde on TCM.com.

1 nomination