This week’s mystery movie was the 1930 Columbia picture Rain or Shine, with Joe Cook, Louise Fazenda, Joan Peers, William Collier Jr., Tom Howard, Dave Chason (Chasen), Alan Roscoe, Adolph Milar, Clarence Muse, Nella Walker, Edward Martindale, Nora Lane and Tyrrell Davis.

Dialogue and continuity by Jo Swerling and Dorothy Howell.

Photography by Joe Walker.

Edited by Maurice Wright.

Sound by E.L. Bernds.

Musical director Bakaleinikoff.

Book by James Gleason and Maurice Marks.

Produced by Harry Cohn.

A Frank R. Capra production.

Directed by Frank R. Capra.

Rain or Shine is available in a Frank Capra box edition from Critics’ Choice Videos.

Further information on Rain or Shine is available from the AFI Catalog.

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Rain or Shine was a last-minute substitution for another mystery film that airs occasionally on TCM but isn’t available for streaming. Unfortunately, someone with no better way to pass the time uploaded more than 600 screen captures from the film to IMDB, ruining it as a mystery movie. And yes, 600 images means every camera setup in the film and sometimes multiple screen captures from the same shot.

I picked Rain or Shine on the basis of reviews in the trades, and it was considered extremely funny. Today, there isn’t much to distinguish the film from numerous other circus pictures, at least in terms of the plot. What’s most remarkable are the final scenes, in which Joe Cook performs some impressive juggling, trimmed down from what he did in the original Broadway show.

It is definitely a Pre-Code picture.

Here, for example, is a shot of Dave Chasen with Joe Cook and Tom Howard in a gag about what goes into a hot dog. The Hays Office would not approve of such goings-on.

For 1930, I’m guessing we’ll be in Mordaunt Hall territory and that the film will get a fairly decent review because it began on the stage.

J. Brooks Atkinson gave it a positive review (The New York Times, Feb. 10, 1928).

During the three firmly packed hours of Rain or Shine, put on at the George M. Cohan Theatre last evening, Joe Cook gives just a few simple exhibitions of his talents. As the leader of a bankrupt circus, of course, he is on stage most of the time with his cherubic smile, and he prattles rhymeless nonsense in a madly convincing way from start to finish. This might be sufficient in itself….

….To give playgoers the benefit of the full gamut in comedy the makers of  Rain or Shine have ingeniously placed Tom Howard in the opposite part. Nothing could be more delightful. For Howard is the perfect contrast to Joe Cook — dry, slow, thin, thick-witted in his comedy, the vaguely suspicious rube. As co-managers of a defunct circus, Cook and Howard keep Rain or Shine a prolonged orgy of merriment in the deathless vein of undiluted comedy.

Nailed it. Mordaunt Hall approves of such goings-on (The New York Times, Aug. 8, 1930):

Hot as it was last night in the Globe, where the audible pictorial version of  Rain or Shine was presented, the valiant and versatile shadow of Joe Cook succeeded admirably in keeping the perspiring audience in a constant state of merriment. The very applause that came from the screen extras for Mr. Cook’s remarkable balancing feats appears to be genuine, something which is quite unusual even in the best of films. Mr. Cook is ably supported by his stage colleagues, Tom Howard and David Chasen, who, like the stellar performer, do not appear to be in the least dismayed by having to perform before those temperamental twins, the camera and the microphone, under the glare of incandescent lights.

For Monday, we have a mystery woman. She does NOT approve of such goings-on!

Update: This is Ethel Loreen Greer.


For Tuesday, we have a mysterious mystery guest. He also does not approve of such goings-on!

Update: This is Tom Howard.

For “Hm Wednesday,” we have two mysterious, and I dare say disreputable, chaps.

Update: This is Alan Roscoe, left, and Adolph Milar.

Brain Trust roll call: Mike Hawks (mystery movie and both mystery guests).

For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mysterious woman.

Update: This is Louise Fazenda.

And a mysterious fellow.

Update: This is Clarence Muse.

Brain Trust roll call: Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie, Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests, and Wednesday’s mystery ringmaster), David Inman (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guest) and Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guests).

For Friday, here’s our mysterious leading man.

Update: This is Joe Cook.

And here’s our mysterious romantic leads.

Update: This is William Collier Jr. and Joan Peers.

Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests and Thursday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests) and Blackwing Jenny (Thursday’s mystery guests).