Here Comes Mr. Jordon (1941)

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) is a comedy film in which a boxer, mistakenly taken to Heaven before his time, is given a second chance back on Earth. It stars Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains and Evelyn Keyes. The movie was adapted by Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller from the play Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall. It was directed by Alexander Hall. It won Academy Awards for Best Writing, Original Story and Best Writing, Screenplay. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Robert Montgomery), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (James Gleason), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Director and Best Picture. SYNOPSIS Boxer Joe Pendleton, who is affectionately known as "the Flying Pug", because of his interests in flying and playing the saxophone, crashes his plane while piloting to a match in New York. The dead boxer's spirit is escorted by Messenger 7013 to meet Mr. Jordan, the celestial registrar. When they arrive in heaven, however, Mr. Jordan is horrified to discover that the over-eager messenger has plucked Joe's spirit from his body before the plane hit the ground and ascertains that the boxer's name does not appear on his list for another fifty years. Intending to reunite Joe with his body, the messenger accompanies him to the site of the crash, but when they discover that Joe's manager, Max Corkle, has cremated the body, they return to heaven to confer with Mr. Jordan. Jordan agrees to compensate Joe with another body "in the pink," but after a tour of the world fails to yield the perfect specimin, Jordan transports Joe to the Farnsworth mansion, where millionaire Bruce Farnsworth is scheduled to be murdered by his wife Julia and her paramour and Farnsworth's secretary, Tony Abbott. When Jordan offers him Farnsworth's body, the boxer refuses until he sees Bette Logan arrive at the house to ask the millionaire's help in clearing her father's name. When Joe learns that Farnsworth has sold worthless securities using Logan's name, the boxer, who is bewitched by Bette, consents to assume temporarily the millionaire's identity so that he can help her. Before leaving his charge, Jordan explains that although others will see him as Farnsworth, Joe will retain his own personality. Certain that they have drowned Farnsworth, Julia and Abbott are dumbfounded when Joe strolls into the room and greets Bette. At first unsure of himself, Joe regains his self-confidence when Sisk, his valet, hands him the saxophone. After ordering Abbott to get Logan out of jail and buy back all the bad investments, Joe's attention returns to pugilism when he reads a newspaper story announcing that his opponent, fighter K.O. Murdock, is scheduled to face the world champion. Sending for Mr. Jordan, Joe demands that he be accorded his rightful place in the championship bout. Having discovered that Joe's destiny is to be the world champion, Jordan is about to free Joe from Farnsworth's body when Bette comes to thank him for helping her father. Electing to remain as Farnsworth in order to court Bette, Joe decides to condition the millionaire's body for the bout. Joe sends for Max to help with his training, but when Max hears Farnsworth explain that he is really Joe, the manager thinks that the man has lost his mind. After Joe wins him over by playing his favorite tune on the saxophone, Max agrees to approach Murdock's manager with a lucrative financial offer to set up the match. As Abbott and Julia scheme to eliminate her husband again, Bette arrives with some papers for Joe to sign. Soon after, Messenger 7013 delivers the news that Joe can no longer inhabit Farnsworth's body. Fearful of losing Bette forvever, Joe asks her promise never to forget him and rambles on that if someday, someone, possibly a fighter, approaches her and acts like he's seen her before, she should look into his eyes and give him a "break." After Bette departs, Jordan appears and Joe pleads for more time as Farnsworth. When Jordan denies his request, Joe angrily struts into the foyer and is gunned down by Abbott. When Max learns that Farnsworth has "disappeared," he becomes suspicious and files a report with the bureau of missing persons. On the night that Murdock is to fight for the championship title, Joe insists on returning to the Farnsworth mansion to retrieve his saxophone and arrives just as Inspector Williams is questioning Bette, Max, Julia and Abbott. When Max accuses Julia and Abbott of murdering Farnsworth, the inspector demands the body as proof. Joe, who is now only a spirit and therefore invisible, concentrates on Max to get him to turn on the radio broadcast of the fight. When Murdock is shot in the ring for refusing to throw the fight, Jordan offers to let Joe take his place and Joe grabs his saxophone and awakens in Murdock's body lying on the floor of the ring. Climbing to his feet, Joe defeats his opponent and wins the title of world champ. Still tuned to the broadcast, Max hears the announcer exclaim that Murdock is carrying a saxophone from the ring and when he notices that Joe's saxophone is missing, Max realizes that Joe has entered Murdock's body. Rushing to the boxer's dressing room, Max is welcomed by Joe who has just fired Murdock's manager for dishonesty. After showing Max the bullet hole in his chest, Joe tells him that Farnsworth's body is hidden in the basement refrigerator, and when Max passes the information to the inspector, Julia and Abbott are arrested for murder. Jordan then appears and informs Joe that Murdock is his destiny. Protesting, Joe steps into the shower, but Jordan permanently transplants his soul into Murdock's body and erases all memory of Joe Pendleton. After Joe steps out of the shower, Max is totally bewildered when the boxer claims to be Murdock and offers him a job as his manager. Now dressed, Joe walks out into the corridor, and when he passes Bette, who has come to look for Max, she seems familiar to him. Recognizing something about this stranger's eyes, Bette finds herself strongly attracted to him, and when he invites her to dinner, she recalls Joe's words about meeting a fighter one day and accepts. Cast & Crew Alexander Hall Director Robert Montgomery as Joe Pendleton [Bruce Farnsworth/K.O. Murdock] Evelyn Keyes as Bette Logan Claude Rains as Mr. Jordan Rita Johnson as Julia Farnsworth Edward Everett Horton as Messenger 7013 James Gleason as Max Corkle John Emery as Tony Abbott Donald MacBride as Inspector Williams Don Costello as Lefty Halliwell Hobbes as Sisk Benny Rubin as Bugs Release Date 21 Aug 1941 Color/BW Black and White Sound Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording) Production Dates 21 Apr--5 Jun 1941 Alternate Title(s) Heaven Can Wait, Mister Jordan Comes to Town Duration (in mins) 93 Duration (in feet) 8,436 Premiere Information New York premiere: 7 Aug 1941 Distribution Company Columbia Pictures Corp. Production Company Columbia Pictures Corp. MOVIE REVIEW ORIGINAL PUBLISHED AUGUST 8, 1941 Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) NYT Critics' Pick This movie has been designated a Critic's Pick by the film reviewers of The Times. August 8, 1941 ' Here Comes Mr. Jordan,' in Which Robert Montgomery Appears, Opens at the Music Hall Published: August 8, 1941 There is going to be heaven to pay when the folk around St. Peter's gate see "Here Comes Mr. Jordan," but who cares? For in the new film at the Music Hall Columbia has assembled its brightest people for a delightful and totally disarming joke at heaven's expense. Even the celestial guardians, it seems, can make an occasional mistake. And just because Messenger 7013 was overanxious to make a good impression on the boss, Joe Pendleton had to win the world's boxing championship in another man's body. A fantastic story? Well, we got it from Max Corkle, Joe's manager, who was there at the time. And if you don't believe us, just go to the Music Hall and see for yourself. Because "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" is gay, witty, tender and not a little wise. It is also one of the choicest comic fantasies of the year. Joe was plenty sore about the whole thing, and who could blame him? Here he was, "in the pink of condition," as he kept telling Mr. Jordan afterward, and all set to take the championship, until Messenger 7013, who collected souls from a "place called New Jersey," gave him his ticket to heaven fifty years before his time. The fact that Joe's earthly remains were taken from the crashed plane and cremated made it difficult for Mr. Jordan to make amends. It didn't make things easier that when they looked over some of the bodies to be "shortly available" Joe was disgruntled and choosy. When a man's soul is intent on the world's championship he has to have a body that's in the pink. Well, after a few tries, Joe did get his body, the championship and even a tidy little blonde that he'd met a couple of transmigrations back. Heaven, and especially Messenger 7013, breathed easier. But don't ask us to explain everything that happened. Even Corkle, we're afraid, never got things straight. It was pathetic when for the first time in his life he thought heaven was handing him a sure thing in a fighter and he was anxiously discussing his 40 per cent with a man who wasn't there. Pathetic and hilariously funny. However you look at it, "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" is rollicking entertainment. Sidney Buchman and Seton Miller, who wrote the script, and Alexander Hall, who directed it, have had the rare sense to keep the comedy where it belongs—in the characters and situations rather than in a series of double exposures and process shots of ectoplastic spooks. The performances, with the exception of the distaff side, are tops. Robert Montgomery's dazed prizefighter keeps his place secure as one of the screen's deftest comedians. Jimmy Gleason again steals the film's most comic scene as the manager with cosmic premonitions. Claude Rains, as Mr. Jordan, has all the kindly authority of an archangel. And save a line for Edward Everett Horton, the peripatetic Messenger 7013, who started it all. Meanwhile, if all the heavenly guardians are as obliging and convivial as those in "Here Comes Mr. Jordan," we know why Little Eva couldn't wait. HERE COMES MR. JORDAN, screen play by Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller; based on a play by Harry Segall; directed by Alexander Hall and produced by Everett Riskin for Columbia Pictures. At the Radio City Music Hall. Joe Pendleion . . . . . Robert Montgomery Bette Logan . . . . . Evelyn Keyes Mr. Jordan . . . . . Claude Rains Julia Farnsworth . . . . . Rita Johnson Messenger 7013 . . . . . Edward Everett Horton Max Corkle . . . . . James Gleason Tony Abbott . . . . . John Emery Inspector Williams . . . . . Donald MacBride Lefty . . . . . Don Costello Sisk . . . . . Halliwell Hobbes Bugs . . . . . Benny Rubin

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jakebot (2011-02-16)

Thank-you!

LastPanda (2012-07-19)

Thank you and also for staying and seeding.