Love That Brute
Encyclopedia
Love That Brute is a 1950
comedy
-crime film
directed by Alexander Hall
. The film is a remake of Tall, Dark and Handsome, a 1941 film also distributed by 20th Century Fox
.
) sends his top henchman Bugsy Welch (Keenan Wynn
) to place a white carnation - his trademark - on the corpses, to suggest that he is responsible. The police rush to arrest Big Ed, only to find out that he has an alibi. He has been in the park all day, where Big Ed encounters Ruth Manning (Jean Peters
) a young country girl who came to Chicago in hopes of becoming a singer, but is now occupied as a children's governess.
Big Ed immediately falls in love with the woman - who in his opinion has class - and because he has been feeling empty for a while, he is determined to court her. He poses as a widowed father and offers her to take care of his child, with the promise of tripling her salary. When she kindly accepts the job, he quickly sends Bugsy to audition a son for him. Bugsy comes up with Harry the Kid Jr. (Peter Price), the young but foul-mouthed son of a gangster. She grows close to Big Ed, but is offended when he gives her an expensive fur coat on Christmas Eve
, thinking that he wants to 'buy' her affection. She packs her bags to leave, but Big Ed convinces her to stay until they find Harry a school.
The next day, the mansion is surrounded by the men of Pretty Willie Wetzchahofsky (Cesar Romero
), Big Ed's arch rival. Ruth wants to warn the police, but is discouraged to do so by Big Ed's friend and posing maid Mamie Sage (Joan Davis
), who then reveals to her who Big Ed really is. Unlike Harry, Ruth is appalled at the idea, but decides to stay until Harry is enrolled at a military academy. Meanwhile, Big Ed has come to a truce with Pretty Willie, and they agree to not interfere with each other's mob activities.
Some months later, Ruth accepts a job as a singer in Big Ed's former night club. Big Ed attends her opening night and wants to reconcile, but Pretty Willie - who is also interested in Ruth - smears Ed's image, which convinces Ruth that Big Ed is a ruthless killer. She refuses to interfere with him, until she finds out that Harry has been missing from military school. After finding him, she finds out through Bugsy that Big Ed has not hurt anyone in his life, and that all his alleged victims - including Mamie's husband - are kept as prisoners in his basement.
Meanwhile, these prisoners are able to escape and show up at a party. Pretty Willie is disappointed that Big Ed is not the tough guy he thought he was, and orders for his men to kill him. They, however, are thankful of Big Ed's kindness and help him escape while faking his death. Bugsy helps him by identifying a body as Big Ed, and during 'his' funeral, Ed shows up and surprises Ruth. She admits that she was crushed to think that he was dead, and they kiss. Big Ed has Pretty Willie arrested, and then joins Ruth, Harry and Bugsy on a ship, will they will be married.
also starred in the original film, Tall, Dark and Handsome. In the original film, he portrayed the kind gangster, whereas in this remake, he was seen as the villain. Studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck
initially suggested actor Richard Basehart
for this villain role, before Romero took over. The lead role went to Paul Douglas
in April 1949. Leading lady Jean Peters
was cast in June 1949. For her night club scene, she had to wear a dress that unabled her to sit. To prepare for the singing and dancing scene, Peters took a few lessons with Betty Grable
's dance instructor.
Shooting took place in the summer of 1949, under the working title Turned Up Toes.
named Paul Douglas
' character auditioning a son one of the film's "high spots" and in addition wrote that his "fine performance is matched by Peters, who registers impressively as a prim governess and a sultry nitery singer, scoring with Rodgers and Hart oldie, 'You Took Advantage of Me'."
A radio adaptation was broadcast on the Lux Radio Theatre on October 9, 1950, with Douglas and Peters reprising their roles.
1950 in film
The year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
-crime film
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
directed by Alexander Hall
Alexander Hall
Alexander Hall was an American theatre actor and film director....
. The film is a remake of Tall, Dark and Handsome, a 1941 film also distributed by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
.
Plot
Set in 1928 Chicago, the film opens with two gangsters killing a store owner. Mobster Big Ed (Paul DouglasPaul Douglas (actor)
Paul Douglas was an American actor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Paul Douglas Fleischer.-Career:...
) sends his top henchman Bugsy Welch (Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
) to place a white carnation - his trademark - on the corpses, to suggest that he is responsible. The police rush to arrest Big Ed, only to find out that he has an alibi. He has been in the park all day, where Big Ed encounters Ruth Manning (Jean Peters
Jean Peters
Jean Peters was an American actress, known as a star of 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s and early 1950s and as the second wife of Howard Hughes...
) a young country girl who came to Chicago in hopes of becoming a singer, but is now occupied as a children's governess.
Big Ed immediately falls in love with the woman - who in his opinion has class - and because he has been feeling empty for a while, he is determined to court her. He poses as a widowed father and offers her to take care of his child, with the promise of tripling her salary. When she kindly accepts the job, he quickly sends Bugsy to audition a son for him. Bugsy comes up with Harry the Kid Jr. (Peter Price), the young but foul-mouthed son of a gangster. She grows close to Big Ed, but is offended when he gives her an expensive fur coat on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, thinking that he wants to 'buy' her affection. She packs her bags to leave, but Big Ed convinces her to stay until they find Harry a school.
The next day, the mansion is surrounded by the men of Pretty Willie Wetzchahofsky (Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
), Big Ed's arch rival. Ruth wants to warn the police, but is discouraged to do so by Big Ed's friend and posing maid Mamie Sage (Joan Davis
Joan Davis
Joan Davis was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy, I Married Joan, Davis had a successful earlier career as a B-movie actress and a leading star of 1940s radio comedy.Born as Madonna Josephine...
), who then reveals to her who Big Ed really is. Unlike Harry, Ruth is appalled at the idea, but decides to stay until Harry is enrolled at a military academy. Meanwhile, Big Ed has come to a truce with Pretty Willie, and they agree to not interfere with each other's mob activities.
Some months later, Ruth accepts a job as a singer in Big Ed's former night club. Big Ed attends her opening night and wants to reconcile, but Pretty Willie - who is also interested in Ruth - smears Ed's image, which convinces Ruth that Big Ed is a ruthless killer. She refuses to interfere with him, until she finds out that Harry has been missing from military school. After finding him, she finds out through Bugsy that Big Ed has not hurt anyone in his life, and that all his alleged victims - including Mamie's husband - are kept as prisoners in his basement.
Meanwhile, these prisoners are able to escape and show up at a party. Pretty Willie is disappointed that Big Ed is not the tough guy he thought he was, and orders for his men to kill him. They, however, are thankful of Big Ed's kindness and help him escape while faking his death. Bugsy helps him by identifying a body as Big Ed, and during 'his' funeral, Ed shows up and surprises Ruth. She admits that she was crushed to think that he was dead, and they kiss. Big Ed has Pretty Willie arrested, and then joins Ruth, Harry and Bugsy on a ship, will they will be married.
Cast
- Paul DouglasPaul Douglas (actor)Paul Douglas was an American actor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Paul Douglas Fleischer.-Career:...
as E.L. 'Big Ed' Hanley - Jean PetersJean PetersJean Peters was an American actress, known as a star of 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s and early 1950s and as the second wife of Howard Hughes...
as Ruth Manning - Cesar RomeroCesar RomeroCesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
as Pretty Willie Wetzchahofsky - Keenan WynnKeenan WynnKeenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
as Bugsy Welch - Joan DavisJoan DavisJoan Davis was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy, I Married Joan, Davis had a successful earlier career as a B-movie actress and a leading star of 1940s radio comedy.Born as Madonna Josephine...
as Mamie Sage - Arthur TreacherArthur TreacherArthur Veary Treacher was an English actor born in Brighton, East Sussex, England.Treacher was a veteran of World War I. After the war, he established a stage career and in 1928, he went to America as part of a musical-comedy revue called Great Temptations...
as Quentin, Big Ed's butler - Peter Price as Harry the Kid Jr.
- Jay C. FlippenJay C. FlippenJay C. Flippen is an American character actor who often played police officers or weary criminals in many films of the 1940s/'50s....
as Biff Sage - Barry KelleyBarry KelleyBarry Kelley was an actor on Broadway in the 1930s and '40s and in movies during the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. The heavy-set actor created the role of Ike in Oklahoma! on Broadway....
as Detective Charlie - Leon Belasco as François Ducray a.k.a. Frenchy
Production
Co-star Cesar RomeroCesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
also starred in the original film, Tall, Dark and Handsome. In the original film, he portrayed the kind gangster, whereas in this remake, he was seen as the villain. Studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl Francis Zanuck was an American producer, writer, actor, director and studio executive who played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors...
initially suggested actor Richard Basehart
Richard Basehart
John Richard Basehart was an American actor. He starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson.-Career:...
for this villain role, before Romero took over. The lead role went to Paul Douglas
Paul Douglas (actor)
Paul Douglas was an American actor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Paul Douglas Fleischer.-Career:...
in April 1949. Leading lady Jean Peters
Jean Peters
Jean Peters was an American actress, known as a star of 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s and early 1950s and as the second wife of Howard Hughes...
was cast in June 1949. For her night club scene, she had to wear a dress that unabled her to sit. To prepare for the singing and dancing scene, Peters took a few lessons with Betty Grable
Betty Grable
Elizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...
's dance instructor.
Shooting took place in the summer of 1949, under the working title Turned Up Toes.
Reception
The entertainment magazine VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
named Paul Douglas
Paul Douglas (actor)
Paul Douglas was an American actor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Paul Douglas Fleischer.-Career:...
' character auditioning a son one of the film's "high spots" and in addition wrote that his "fine performance is matched by Peters, who registers impressively as a prim governess and a sultry nitery singer, scoring with Rodgers and Hart oldie, 'You Took Advantage of Me'."
A radio adaptation was broadcast on the Lux Radio Theatre on October 9, 1950, with Douglas and Peters reprising their roles.