New York Town
Encyclopedia
New York Town is a 1941 romantic comedy film
directed by Charles Vidor
and starring Fred MacMurray
, Mary Martin
, Akim Tamiroff
and Robert Preston
. The film was written by Lewis Meltzer and an uncredited Preston Sturges
based on a story by Jo Swerling
.
The film is notable for a long opening "single take
" shot which establishes the personalities of several New York City apartment residents.
) is a poor but happy-go-lucky New York sidewalk photographer who shares a studio apartment with a painter from Poland, Stefan Janowski (Akim Tamiroff
). When Victor shoots a photo of Alexandra Curtis (Mary Martin
), he realizes she is desperate and in need of a friend who can guide her through the ways and means of surviving in Manhattan with no money. Alexandra moves in as a third roommate and helps out with Victor's street photography Victoria attempts to help her by getting her hooked up with a rich Park Avenue swell, but Alexandra accidentally meets his handsome son, Paul Bryson Jr. (Robert Preston
) instead, and Victor, to his own surprise, becomes jealous. Before Victor and Alexandra come together as a couple, there are (of course) further misunderstandings and fisticuffs and the like.
, was originally to have been directed by Mitchell Leisen
, but when he was assigned to do I Wanted Wings
, Charles Vidor was borrowed from Columbia
.
The film was in production from early November to late December 1940. The original ending of the film featured a parade of the German-American Bund
, but this was re-shot. The film was released on 31 October 1941, a full 10 months after the completion of principal photography.
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Charles Vidor
Charles Vidor
Charles Vidor was a film director.-Biography:Born Károly Vidor to a Jewish family in Budapest, Hungary, he served in the Hungarian Army during World War I...
and starring Fred MacMurray
Fred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
, Mary Martin
Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin was an American actress and singer. She originated many roles over her career including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Maria in The Sound of Music. She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989...
, Akim Tamiroff
Akim Tamiroff
Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff was an Armenian actor. He won the first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.Tamiroff was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire , of Armenian ethnicity. He trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school. He arrived in the U.S. in 1923 on a tour with a troupe of actors...
and Robert Preston
Robert Preston (actor)
-Early life:Preston was born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of Ruth L. and Frank Wesley Meservey, a garment worker and billing clerk for American Express. After attending Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, California, he studied acting at the Pasadena Community...
. The film was written by Lewis Meltzer and an uncredited Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
based on a story by Jo Swerling
Jo Swerling
Jo Swerling was an American theatre writer and lyricist and a screenwriter.Born in Berdichev, Russian Empire, Swerling was a refugee of the Czarist regime who grew up on New York City's lower East Side, where he sold newspapers to help support his family...
.
The film is notable for a long opening "single take
Long take
A long take is an uninterrupted shot in a film which lasts much longer than the conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films in general, usually lasting several minutes. It can be used for dramatic and narrative effect if done properly, and in moving shots is often accomplished...
" shot which establishes the personalities of several New York City apartment residents.
Plot
Victor Ballard (Fred MacMurrayFred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
) is a poor but happy-go-lucky New York sidewalk photographer who shares a studio apartment with a painter from Poland, Stefan Janowski (Akim Tamiroff
Akim Tamiroff
Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff was an Armenian actor. He won the first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.Tamiroff was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire , of Armenian ethnicity. He trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school. He arrived in the U.S. in 1923 on a tour with a troupe of actors...
). When Victor shoots a photo of Alexandra Curtis (Mary Martin
Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin was an American actress and singer. She originated many roles over her career including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Maria in The Sound of Music. She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989...
), he realizes she is desperate and in need of a friend who can guide her through the ways and means of surviving in Manhattan with no money. Alexandra moves in as a third roommate and helps out with Victor's street photography Victoria attempts to help her by getting her hooked up with a rich Park Avenue swell, but Alexandra accidentally meets his handsome son, Paul Bryson Jr. (Robert Preston
Robert Preston (actor)
-Early life:Preston was born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of Ruth L. and Frank Wesley Meservey, a garment worker and billing clerk for American Express. After attending Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, California, he studied acting at the Pasadena Community...
) instead, and Victor, to his own surprise, becomes jealous. Before Victor and Alexandra come together as a couple, there are (of course) further misunderstandings and fisticuffs and the like.
Cast
- Fred MacMurrayFred MacMurrayFrederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
as Victor Ballard - Mary MartinMary MartinMary Virginia Martin was an American actress and singer. She originated many roles over her career including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Maria in The Sound of Music. She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989...
as Alexandra Curtis - Akim TamiroffAkim TamiroffAkim Mikhailovich Tamiroff was an Armenian actor. He won the first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.Tamiroff was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire , of Armenian ethnicity. He trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school. He arrived in the U.S. in 1923 on a tour with a troupe of actors...
as Stefan Janowski - Robert PrestonRobert Preston (actor)-Early life:Preston was born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of Ruth L. and Frank Wesley Meservey, a garment worker and billing clerk for American Express. After attending Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, California, he studied acting at the Pasadena Community...
as Paul Bryson, Jr. - Lynne OvermanLynne OvermanLynne Overman was a film actor in the 1930s and early-1940s who often played a sidekick.-Selected filmography:* Dixie * The Desert Song * The Forest Rangers...
as Sam - Eric BloreEric BloreEric Blore was an English comic actor. Blore was born in Finchley , England.Aged eighteeen, he worked as an insurance agent for two years. He gained theatre experience while touring Australia. Originally enlisting into the Artists Rifles he was commissioned in the South Wales Borderers in World...
as Vivian - Fuzzy KnightFuzzy KnightJohn Forrest "Fuzzy" Knight was an American film and television actor. He appeared in over 180 films between 1929 and 1967, usually as a cowboy hero's sidekick.-Biography:...
as Gus Nelson - Cecil KellawayCecil KellawayCecil Lauriston Kellaway was a South African-born character actor.Cecil Kellaway spent many years as an actor, author, and director in the Australian film industry until he tried his luck in Hollywood in the 1930s. Finding he could get only gangster bit parts, he got discouraged and returned to...
as Shipboard Host - Edward McNamara as Brody
- Oliver Blake as Bender, the lawyer
- Ken Carpenter as Master of Ceremonies
- Sam McDaniel as Henry
Production
New York Town, based on the story, "Night Time" by Jo SwerlingJo Swerling
Jo Swerling was an American theatre writer and lyricist and a screenwriter.Born in Berdichev, Russian Empire, Swerling was a refugee of the Czarist regime who grew up on New York City's lower East Side, where he sold newspapers to help support his family...
, was originally to have been directed by Mitchell Leisen
Mitchell Leisen
Mitchell Leisen was an American director, art director, and costume designer.-Film career:He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments...
, but when he was assigned to do I Wanted Wings
I Wanted Wings
I Wanted Wings is a 1941 American drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Ray Milland and William Holden. It also stars Wayne Morris, Brian Donlevy, Constance Moore and Veronica Lake. Production began in the summer of 1940 at Randolph Field near San Antonio, Texas...
, Charles Vidor was borrowed from Columbia
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
.
The film was in production from early November to late December 1940. The original ending of the film featured a parade of the German-American Bund
German-American Bund
The German American Bund or German American Federation was an American Nazi organization established in the 1930s...
, but this was re-shot. The film was released on 31 October 1941, a full 10 months after the completion of principal photography.