Tonight's Movie: They Wanted to Marry (1937)

The Lew Landers "B" movie marathon rolls on here today with a cute romantic comedy, THEY WANTED TO MARRY.

Gordon Jones, who starred in Landers' NIGHT WAITRESS (1936) the previous year, plays news photographer Jim Tyler. Jim crashes a society wedding on behalf of his newspaper and hits it off with the sister of the bride, Sheila Hunter (Betty Furness).

Jim and Sheila are soon spending all their time together, with Sheila helping Jim with his work, but Jim's career causes problems with Sheila's father (Henry Kolker) -- especially when Jim inadvertently publishes a photo of Mr. Hunter in a gambling den.

This is a cute little 60-minute movie. Jones and Furness have good chemistry and do a nice job communicating the fun that Sheila and Jim enjoy together. There are a couple original touches, such as Jim's use of a carrier pigeon to transport his negatives, while lovely Art Deco sets provide visual pleasure. The supporting cast is a big plus, with E.E. Clive as the Hunters' stuffy butler and Franklin Pangborn as a hotel employee.

The cast includes Charles Wilson, Frank M. Thomas, Diana Gibson, Patsy Lee Parsons, and William Benedict. This is also one of the many '30s films in which Dennis O'Keefe worked as an extra or bit player.

Dress extra extraordinaire Bess Flowers is in the film -- but only in a photograph! She's standing next to Mr. Hunter in the newspaper photo of him gambling.

The movie was photographed by future Oscar winner Russell Metty.

This film isn't out out DVD or VHS, but it has been shown on Turner Classic Movies.

Films directed by Lew Landers which have previously been reviewed at this site: NIGHT WAITRESS (1936), WITHOUT ORDERS (1936), FLIGHT FROM GLORY (1937), THE MAN WHO FOUND HIMSELF (1937), DOUBLE DANGER (1938), CRASHING HOLLYWOOD (1938), SKY GIANT (1938), SMASHING THE RACKETS (1938), TWELVE CROWDED HOURS (1939), CONSPIRACY (1939), STAND BY ALL NETWORKS (1942), and THUNDER MOUNTAIN (1947).