Cinderella Jones (1946)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Better Late Then Never

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

The number of laughs, chuckles, and smiles a movie classified Comedy affords me as I'm watching it and the overall feeling I have when it's ended is what determines the stars I award in my effort to encourage viewership.I'm shocked to read these old-posted reviews that say in so many words that this movie is not only not funny but also dumb, even to the point of getting 0 stars from someone. I TOTALLY DISAGREE.I had never heard of Cinderella Jones and the little information shown in the guide actually had me skipping it. However, since I'm on a comedy kick and desirous of seeing movies pre-1950 now that they're available on TCM (and I'm retired), I happened to switch channels to it 20 minutes into the film and started watching. After 10 minutes, I knew when it ended that I was going online to see if it's available for purchase. I want to see it again and I want to loan it out to others I know who enjoy a good 'old' comedy. While it goes into song a few times, you can fast-forward if that bores you. And, there's a bit of dancing...so ditto that....although I now enjoy watching dance moves, spins and taps or intended funny moves (esp. since acquainting myself with Astaire/Rogers routines.)What really makes this movie worth 8 STARS, however, is the fact that I had to press the Pause button over ten times to make a note of some clever remarks and behavior by a number of the actors/actresses that I intend to use sometime first chance I get. (SPOILER, but you'll forget) 1) A military parade is going by holding them up in traffic when they have an arrival deadline and the fabulous character actor, SZ Sakall, says "Fine time to invade California". 2) Robert Alda (Alan's father in real life) is going to the bar to set a guy straight; and, as soon as he gets there, he picks up a mixed drink, chugs it down, puts it back on bar, turns to the guy and says "Anybody drinking that?" and the guy says "Not Now!". 3) Joan Leslie gets hired on the spot as a waitress w/ absolutely no experience and no knowledge of the joint's 'lingo' in taking orders. (I barely knew what the order was w/o re- listening): "I'll have a couple of sinkers, a cup of java, save the cow (donuts, coffee, no cream) ... other guy says,"same, but shoot some chalk juice into my caffeine" (cream in coffee). Joan, of course, has no idea what they just said and guy adds "you know, bovine juice". 4) The other waitress tells her to change an order to: "take a cannibal for a walk" (hamburger to go) And, there's constant plays on words and sound-alike wrong words used by Joan (whose character had very little formal schooling) and by SZ Sakall (with his foreign accent and English translation) that I find amusing ala comedian Norm Crosby and Raising Hope's TV show Mom, Virginia in more recent times): 5) Joan: "What do you think I am, an immigrant?" (ignorant)..."Ignorance shouldn't be so bliss" (Ignorance is bliss) -----and a lot more goofy remarks that I thought were clever just to think of using them for plays on words. Sakall: "You take the words right out of my mouth...that's very unsanitary". ---and he has a ton more of sound and sight gags, as well as a minute's amusing dance for a man his age and size.While this is not an A-List of actors starring, it's all the more fun watching goofy behavior from most of the other characters who may only have a line or three in the entire movie; but, enough of those lines are clever and/or funny...which equals viewing enjoyment.Hey, watch for the airing of this movie. It's fun, funny, clever in parts, kudos to the character actors, and a pleasant viewing that I could've enjoyed seeing back to back ...had I recorded it. Yes, Joan and a few had some obvious facial overplays....so what. By the way, Joan is alive at 89 yrs.old.

Any flick directed by B. Berkeley, and has Edward E. Horton (small part) can't be ALL bad. Sure, that silly plot is pretty flimsy, but you also have some respectable song and dance numbers, Robert Alda and Joan Leslie, and of course "Cuddles" Sakall as the stubborn Professor. Judy ( Leslie ) and Tommy ( Alda ) work on a radio show that gives away money and prizes, and helps locate long lost relatives. But there are conditions to be met when they DO find the rightful heir, and the conditions are almost more trouble than they are worth... but in this case, its ten million dollars at stake. Also keep an eye out for Elisha Cook as the "roommate" at college... he was the weakling villain in "Maltese Falcon". The running gag in "Cinderella Jones is the list of malaprops said almost non-stop for the second half of the film. Half the cast ends up in jail, and then we're in court trying to straighten it all out, like any good, respectable, farce. Funny to note that in the credits, Sakall's role is listed as Gabriel Popik, but about halfway through the film, everyone starts calling him "Cuddles", his real nickname. Sit back and enjoy the 90 minute story, as long as you're willing to buy into the silliness.

Maybe it's just me, but is no one else troubled by the apparent ability of just about everyone in this movie to change who they love and whom they want to marry almost at will. No concept of everlasting love troubles the writer and certainly will not trouble any ensuing marriage that would come from this movie. I just found it disappointing. Joan Leslie is good enough, but haven't we come too far (even by 1946) than to think it's funny that women are stupid. And just too idiotically stupid to continue living. Unlike other commentators I did not think the bubbles from the mouth bit funny at all, I just thought it dumb. Which pretty well sums up the movie for me.

Busby didn't have the $$ to make any spectacular dance scenes, but the musical numbers are still quite good with some artful but floor-bound camera moves. Joan Leslie is lovely, playing an idiotic bimbo with such charm that we blame the script, not her, for her dumb moves. Which is basically the movie's major problem: the film's best gag, bubbles coming out of a character's mouth, is done to death, indicating a worse lack of intelligence on the part of its makers than the one they ascribe to the funny but obviously smarter-than-the-material Leslie.