This week’s mystery movie has been the 1931 Fox film “Don’t Bet on Women,” with Edmund Lowe, Jeanette MacDonald, Roland Young, J.M. Kerrigan, Una Merkel and Helene Millard. It was directed by William K. Howard, screenplay and dialogue by Lynn Starling and Leon Gordon, from the story “All Women Are Bad” by William Anthony McGuire, staged by Henry Kolker, photographed by Lucien Andriot, with settings by Duncan Cramer and costumes by Sophie Wachner.
It was restored by the Museum of Modern Art with support from TCM and the Celeste Bartos Fund for Film Preservation.
“Don’t Bet on Women” is not commercially available on DVD or VHS.
Writing in the New York Times (March 7, 1931), Mordaunt Hall said:
An excellent comedy sketch, bubbling with bright lines and originality, is now holding the fort at the Roxy. It is called “Don’t Bet on Women,” and among those in its cast are Una Merkel, Jeanette MacDonald, Roland Young, J. M. Kerrigan and Edmund Lowe. Its plot may be trifling, but it is worked out with real skill and directed imaginatively by William K. Howard.
For Monday, we have a mystery gent on the phone.
Update: This is James T. Mack.
And for Tuesday, we have this elegant mystery gent.
Update: This is J.M. Kerrigan.
For Wednesday, we have a mystery woman. I have cropped out our mystery leading man, who will appear Friday.
Update: This is Helene Millard.
Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery gent), Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery gent) and Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests).
For Thursday…..
Update: This is Roland Young.
… and also…
Update: This is J.M. Kerrigan and Una Merkel.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery woman) and Sheila (Wednesday’s mystery woman).
And for Friday …..
Update: This is Edmund Lowe and Jeanette MacDonald.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (Wednesday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery gent), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Benito (Thursday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (Thursday’s mystery gent No. 1), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery gents), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and all mystery guests), David Inman (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie and all mystery guests), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast) and Dan Nather (mystery movie and mystery guests).
The man with the Edison Mazda head . . .
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Ha!
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J.M. Kerrigan.
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Monday’s Mystery Man is J. M. Kerrigan.
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Sorry…it should say Tuesday’s Mystery Man is J. M. Kerrigan.
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Tuesday: J.M. Kerrigan.
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Monday: James T. Mack in DON’T BET ON WOMEN.
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Sometimes blonde Helene Millard.
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Wynne Gibson.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Helene Millard for Wednesday?
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Roland Young.
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Roland Young toda.y.
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A beleaguered Roland Young today…
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DON’T BET ON WOMEN. James T. Mack Monday, J. M. Kerrigan Tuesday, Una Merkel Wednesday, Roland Young, and Helene Millard today.
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Helene Millard for wednesday and Roland Young and Una Merkel today make this DON’T BET ON WOMEN.
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For Thursday: Roland Young. And also: I don’t know.
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Thursday’s Mystery letter writer is Roland Young. And the Mystery letter writer is J. M. Kerrigan.
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Well, one of ’em is writing a letter. Roland Young is who it is. Got that right I think!!
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Don’t Bet on Women
Monday – James T. Mack
Tuesday – J.M. Kerrigan
Wednesday – Helene Millard
Thursday – Roland Young; Una Merkel
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Roland Young, most probably Una Merkel, in “Don’t Bet on Women”?
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Our guess for this week is “Don’t Bet on Women” with J. T. Mack, J. M. Kerrigan, Roland Young, and Una Merkel.
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Don’t Bet on Women (1931) w/Roland Young, Una Merkel, Jeanette MacDonald, James T. Mack & Edmund Lowe.
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Well, if that’s Roland Young and Una Merkel on Thursday, the movie must be GOD’S GIFT TO WOMEN (1931) starring Edmund Lowe and Jeanette MacDonald. And is that J.M. Kerrigan on Tuesday?
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Sorry, that title should be DON’T BET ON WOMEN (same year). At times like this, I wish I could edit my posts!
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Edmund Lowe and Jeanette MacDonald today.
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Edmund Lowe and Jeanette MacDonald enter the picture.
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Edmund Lowe [Chandu to me] and Jeannette MacDonald [the Iron Butterfly] in DON’T BET ON WOMEN 1931. PS It comes perilously close to speaking lightly of a woman’s name
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Una Merkel, J.M. Kerrigan
Edmund Lowe; Jeanette MacDonald.
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Edmund Lowe and Jeanette MacDonald
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Roland Young, “One Hour with You”
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