Too Hot to Handle (1938 film)
Encyclopedia
Too Hot to Handle is a 1938 film about a newsreel
reporter, the aviatrix he is attracted to, and his fierce competitor, played by Clark Gable
, Myrna Loy
, and Walter Pidgeon
respectively. Many of the gags in this sequence were devised by an uncredited Buster Keaton
.
. When the Japanese
do not oblige with a convenient aerial attack to film, Chris fakes one with a model airplane with his cameraman José Estanza (Leo Carillo).
Outraged when he finds out, Chris's main competitor, Atlas Newsreel's Bill Dennis (Walter Pidgeon) decides to do the same, having his aviatrix friend Alma Harding (Myrna Loy) fly in "serum" for an imaginary cholera
outbreak. Chris finds out and swoops in to film her landing. José, however, drives too close to the plane, causing it to crash and burst into flame. Chris rescues Alma, but when he starts to go back for the serum, she has to admit the truth.
Chris piles on lie after lie to romance Alma, even pretending to get fired by his boss, "Gabby" MacArthur (Walter Connolly
), for burning the footage. Chris convinces her to work for Union. She reveals that she needs the money to mount a search for her brother Harry, lost in the Amazon jungle and given up for dead by everyone else. They travel to New York (where Gabby is eagerly awaiting the landing footage Chris is secretly bringing). Bill follows to protect the woman he has loved for years from his unscrupulous competitor.
However, the whole charade is eventually revealed, discrediting Chris, Bill and Alma. Both reporters are fired, and people begin to question whether Alma's brother is really missing. Chris's budding romance with Alma is quashed when she learns of his numerous lies. Ashamed, Chris and Bill hock their equipment and have José pretend to be a generous, kind-hearted South American plantation owner. He presents Alma with nearly $8000 and a compass supposedly from Harry's airplane. He tells her one of his workers brought it to him. In reality, Chris etched a fake serial number on it.
Alma buys a floatplane
and supplies, and sets out for South America. Both Chris and Bill follow. They eventually find a native who claims to know where Harry is. Despite José's warning that the man is a follower of voodoo and means them no good, Alma is convinced when the native produces Harry's watch.
To protect Alma, Chris and José set out on their own with their guide in a canoe. As they near the village, the native escapes, though José shoots and wounds him. Chris spots an ill white man through his binoculars. José suspects the natives intend to sacrifice him that night, so, using their camera equipment, Chris makes the frightened natives believe he is a powerful magician or god. He and José tend to the unconscious man. Despite a tense moment when their former guide shows up and denounces them, Chris maintains a tenuous control of the situation. When he hears Alma flying by, he has the natives show the wreckage of Harry's plane. She and Bill land nearby. Chris disguises himself and his cameraman as witch doctors, and film Alma and Bill without their knowledge. The natives finally turn hostile. Alma and Bill get Harry into their airplane, but when Chris and José try to board it (still in disguise), Bill hits Chris. The plane takes off, leaving Chris and José to paddle for their lives.
When Alma, Bill and Harry return to New York, they are welcomed by reporters. However, "Pearly" Todd (Henry Kolker
), Bill's annoyed boss, wants to know how Chris got footage of Harry's dramatic rescue and he did not. Realizing that Chris must have been the helpful witch doctor, Alma reconciles with Chris (in the midst of a dangerous police shootout).
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
reporter, the aviatrix he is attracted to, and his fierce competitor, played by Clark Gable
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
, Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
, and Walter Pidgeon
Walter Pidgeon
Walter Davis Pidgeon was a Canadian actor, who starred in many motion pictures, including Mrs...
respectively. Many of the gags in this sequence were devised by an uncredited Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
.
Plot
Union Newsreel reporter Chris Hunter (Clark Gable) is sneakier and has fewer scruples than his rivals in war-torn ChinaSecond Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. When the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
do not oblige with a convenient aerial attack to film, Chris fakes one with a model airplane with his cameraman José Estanza (Leo Carillo).
Outraged when he finds out, Chris's main competitor, Atlas Newsreel's Bill Dennis (Walter Pidgeon) decides to do the same, having his aviatrix friend Alma Harding (Myrna Loy) fly in "serum" for an imaginary cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
outbreak. Chris finds out and swoops in to film her landing. José, however, drives too close to the plane, causing it to crash and burst into flame. Chris rescues Alma, but when he starts to go back for the serum, she has to admit the truth.
Chris piles on lie after lie to romance Alma, even pretending to get fired by his boss, "Gabby" MacArthur (Walter Connolly
Walter Connolly
Walter Connolly was an American character actor who appeared in almost fifty films between 1914 and 1939.Connolly was a successful stage actor who appeared in twenty-two Broadway productions between 1916 and 1935, notably revivals of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author and Chekhov's...
), for burning the footage. Chris convinces her to work for Union. She reveals that she needs the money to mount a search for her brother Harry, lost in the Amazon jungle and given up for dead by everyone else. They travel to New York (where Gabby is eagerly awaiting the landing footage Chris is secretly bringing). Bill follows to protect the woman he has loved for years from his unscrupulous competitor.
However, the whole charade is eventually revealed, discrediting Chris, Bill and Alma. Both reporters are fired, and people begin to question whether Alma's brother is really missing. Chris's budding romance with Alma is quashed when she learns of his numerous lies. Ashamed, Chris and Bill hock their equipment and have José pretend to be a generous, kind-hearted South American plantation owner. He presents Alma with nearly $8000 and a compass supposedly from Harry's airplane. He tells her one of his workers brought it to him. In reality, Chris etched a fake serial number on it.
Alma buys a floatplane
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
and supplies, and sets out for South America. Both Chris and Bill follow. They eventually find a native who claims to know where Harry is. Despite José's warning that the man is a follower of voodoo and means them no good, Alma is convinced when the native produces Harry's watch.
To protect Alma, Chris and José set out on their own with their guide in a canoe. As they near the village, the native escapes, though José shoots and wounds him. Chris spots an ill white man through his binoculars. José suspects the natives intend to sacrifice him that night, so, using their camera equipment, Chris makes the frightened natives believe he is a powerful magician or god. He and José tend to the unconscious man. Despite a tense moment when their former guide shows up and denounces them, Chris maintains a tenuous control of the situation. When he hears Alma flying by, he has the natives show the wreckage of Harry's plane. She and Bill land nearby. Chris disguises himself and his cameraman as witch doctors, and film Alma and Bill without their knowledge. The natives finally turn hostile. Alma and Bill get Harry into their airplane, but when Chris and José try to board it (still in disguise), Bill hits Chris. The plane takes off, leaving Chris and José to paddle for their lives.
When Alma, Bill and Harry return to New York, they are welcomed by reporters. However, "Pearly" Todd (Henry Kolker
Henry Kolker
Henry Kolker was an American stage and film actor and director...
), Bill's annoyed boss, wants to know how Chris got footage of Harry's dramatic rescue and he did not. Realizing that Chris must have been the helpful witch doctor, Alma reconciles with Chris (in the midst of a dangerous police shootout).
Cast
- Clark Gable as Christopher "Chris" Hunter
- Myrna Loy as Alma Harding
- Walter Pidgeon as William O. "Bill" Dennis
- Walter ConnollyWalter ConnollyWalter Connolly was an American character actor who appeared in almost fifty films between 1914 and 1939.Connolly was a successful stage actor who appeared in twenty-two Broadway productions between 1916 and 1935, notably revivals of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author and Chekhov's...
as Arthur "Gabby" MacArthur - Leo CarrilloLeo CarrilloLeopoldo Antonio Carrillo , was an American actor, vaudevillian, political cartoonist, and conservationist.-Family roots:...
as Joselito "José" Estanza - Johnny Hines as Mr. Parsons
- Virginia WeidlerVirginia WeidlerVirginia Weidler was an American child actress, popular in Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life and career:...
as Hulda Harding - Betty Ross ClarkeBetty Ross ClarkeBetty Ross Clarke , was an American actress. She appeared in 33 films between 1920 and 1940. Her most noteworthy silent film was the 1920 Fox Film If I Were King with William Farnum...
as Mrs. Ruth Harding - Henry KolkerHenry KolkerHenry Kolker was an American stage and film actor and director...
as "Pearly" Todd - Marjorie MainMarjorie MainMarjorie Main was an American character actress, mainly at MGM, perhaps best known for her role as Ma Kettle in a series of ten Ma and Pa Kettle movies.-Early life and career:...
as Miss Kitty Wayne - Gregory GayeGregory GayeGregory Gaye was a Russian-American actor. The son of an actor, he was born Gregory De Gay in Petrograd, now known as St. Petersburg....
as Popoff - Al SheanAl SheanAl Shean was the stage name for comedian Abraham Elieser Adolph Schönberg, although other sources give his birth name variously as Adolf Schönberg, Albert Schönberg, or Alfred Schönberg. He is most remembered for being half of the vaudeville team Gallagher and Shean, and as the uncle of the Marx...
as "Gumpy" Gumpert - Willie Fung as Willie
- Lillie Mui as "Tootsie"
- Patsy O'Connor as Fake Hulda