Cary Knits

A woman walks on a pier, her eyes fixed on the sea.  The waterfront guard, fearful that she is a potential suicide, is about to confront her when he is stopped by a sailor.  The sailor, Hard Swede (Charles Bickford) proceeds to tell her story. Our film for tonight is Mr. Lucky (1943).

Cary Grant is magnificent as the somewhat shady Joe Adams. He walks a fine line in making Joe (who'll use the name Joe Bascopolous throughout the film) both suspect and likeable. Classified as 1-A by the Draft Board, Joe gambles for, and wins the identity of the dying Bascopolous, as well as the gambling ship Fortuna from his former partner, Zepp (Paul Stewart), an equally devious character who's quite willing to cheat to get what he want. Joe then sets about finding some suckers to rent the ship. He focuses on a War Relief charity, run by Dorothy Bryant (Laraine Day). She's suspicious of his motives, but is eventually won over by his charm and seeming dedication to the war efforts. 

We, the audience, know that Joe is up to no good, but with Cary Grant in charge, it's easy to understand Dorothy's change of heart. And, as he gets to know her, we learn more about his life - Joe has not had it easy, and he's determined that nothing, not even war (it's not his war, he tells us) will alter his path. His growing affection for Dorothy is displayed by a tie she gives him as a gift - watch as he refuses to remove it (she tied it on for him).

 

Laraine Day is a good match for Mr. Grant - she's smart and determines. One doesn't feel that she is an easy mark, which makes her changing relationship with him all the more convincing.  Both Ruth Warwick and Anna Lee tested for the part (and Mr. Grant's new wife Barbara Hutton wanted to play Dorothy as well. Mr. Grant nixed that idea. (TCM article)), Ms. Day, however is ideal casting. The scene in which she uses the Australian (or Cockney) rhyming slang that Joe taught her to warn him away is beautifully done.

There are a number of wonderful actors in supporting parts. Charles Bickford's part is small but pivotal (we wish we'd seen more of him). Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Steadman) finally gets to play a good person - she is lovely as Dorothy's colleague in the charity. She, too, is intrigued by Joe; she's also immensely supportive of Dorothy when the going gets tough. Alan Carney (The Crunk) is amusing as Joe's henchman, and Paul Stewart is properly intimidating as Joe's enemy (when Mr. Stewart plays evil, he is most convincing). 

We had a bit of a problem with Mr. Bryant, as played by Henry Stephenson. Mr. Stephenson is  prim as Dorothy's grandfather, but he also has a loving relationship with his granddaughter. Is is hard to imagine him calling the police when it is sure to get Dorothy arrested.

As a knitter, I'm terrifically intrigued with Cary Grant learning to knit for the cause (you can see him in his early efforts here). And though the film gets chuckles out of men learning to knit, they also show him and The Crunk appreciating the craft after they learn it. Joe's admiration for a hand-knit tea cosy ("nice work") is endearing  Dorothy also points out that many men in England who are unable to serve in the military are learning to knit so they can provide warm clothing for the troops. If you would like to learn more about knitting in World War II, visit Knitting for Victory. Efforts still continue for today's veterans at the National World War II Museum (Knit Your Bit).

Based on Milton Holmes' story "Bundles for Freedom," which appeared in Cosmopolitan, the original ending of the story was far different that the one we see (AFI catalog), and it is for the best. Cary Grant asked RKO to purchase the film rights for him, and they obliged. Mr. Holmes and Adrian Scott were credited with the screenplay (Radical Innocence: A Critical Study of the Hollywood Ten by Bernard F. Dick).

Mr. Lucky opened at Radio City Music Hall and received a positive New York Times review - they called it "is a picture of many moods, and they are all handled expertly by Director H. C. Potter." Ms. Day and Mr. Grant reprised their roles for Lux Radio Theatre in October 1943. In 1959, a television series, loosely based on the film, premiered with John Vivyan (as Mr. Lucky) and Ross Martin.

If you've never seen this film, you are in for a treat. Here is the trailer: