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ComedyRomanceMusic

It Happened on Fifth Avenue

- It's 1947's Richest Comedy!

A New Yorker hobo moves into a mansion and along the way he gathers friends to live in the house with him. Before he knows it, he is living with the actual home owners.

Release Date : 1947-04-17

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Roy Del Ruth Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : It Happened on 5th Avenue

Cast

Don DeFore

Character Name : Jim Bullock

Original Name : Don DeFore

Gender : Male

Ann Harding

Character Name : Mary O'Connor

Original Name : Ann Harding

Gender : Female

Charles Ruggles

Character Name : Michael J. 'Mike' O'Connor

Original Name : Charles Ruggles

Gender : Male

Victor Moore

Character Name : Aloysius T. McKeever

Original Name : Victor Moore

Gender : Male

Gale Storm

Character Name : Trudy O'Connor

Original Name : Gale Storm

Gender : Female

Grant Mitchell

Character Name : Al Farrow

Original Name : Grant Mitchell

Gender : Male

Edward Brophy

Character Name : Gates Patrolman Cecil Felton

Original Name : Edward Brophy

Gender : Male

Alan Hale Jr.

Character Name : Whitey Temple

Original Name : Alan Hale Jr.

Gender : Male

Dorothea Kent

Character Name : Margie Temple

Original Name : Dorothea Kent

Gender : Female

Edward Ryan

Character Name : Hank

Original Name : Edward Ryan

Gender : Male

Cathy Carter

Character Name : Alice

Original Name : Cathy Carter

Gender : Male

Charles Lane

Character Name : Landlord (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Lane

Gender : Male

Arthur Hohl

Character Name : Brady - Gates Patrolman (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Hohl

Gender : Male

Edward Gargan

Character Name : Policeman in Park (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Gargan

Gender : Male

James Flavin

Character Name : First Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : James Flavin

Gender : Male

John Hamilton

Character Name : Harper (uncredited)

Original Name : John Hamilton

Gender : Male

Chester Clute

Character Name : Phillips (uncredited)

Original Name : Chester Clute

Gender : Male

Anthony Sydes

Character Name : Jackie Temple (uncredited)

Original Name : Anthony Sydes

Gender : Male

Eddie Marr

Character Name : Tour Guide on Bus (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Marr

Gender : Male

George Lloyd

Character Name : Head Moving Man (uncredited)

Original Name : George Lloyd

Gender : Male

Johnny Arthur

Character Name : Apartment Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Johnny Arthur

Gender : Male

Jean Andren

Character Name : Secretary (uncredited)

Original Name : Jean Andren

Gender : Female

Florence Auer

Character Name : Miss Parker (uncredited)

Original Name : Florence Auer

Gender : Female

Leon Belasco

Character Name : Musician (uncredited)

Original Name : Leon Belasco

Gender : Male

George Blagoi

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : George Blagoi

Gender : Male

Chet Brandenburg

Character Name : Man Tossing Pudding (uncredited)

Original Name : Chet Brandenburg

Gender : Male

John Breen

Character Name : Man Tossing Pudding (uncredited)

Original Name : John Breen

Gender : Male

James Cardwell

Character Name : Young Man (uncredited)

Original Name : James Cardwell

Gender : Male

Corky

Character Name : Sammy (uncredited)

Original Name : Corky

Gender : Male

Dudley Dickerson

Character Name : Joe (uncredited)

Original Name : Dudley Dickerson

Gender : Male

Adolph Faylauer

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Adolph Faylauer

Gender : Male

Al Fenney

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Fenney

Gender : Male

Jack George

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack George

Gender : Male

Pat Goldin

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat Goldin

Gender : Male

Arthur Hohl

Character Name : Brady (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Hohl

Gender : Male

Bert Howard

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Howard

Gender : Male

Major Kieffer

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Major Kieffer

Gender : Male

William Kline

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : William Kline

Gender : Male

Carl M. Leviness

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Carl M. Leviness

Gender : Male

Vera Lewis

Character Name : Woman in Chauffeured Car (uncredited)

Original Name : Vera Lewis

Gender : Female

George Lloyd

Character Name : Foreman of Movers (uncredited)

Original Name : George Lloyd

Gender : Male

Eddie Marr

Character Name : Tour Bus Spieler (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Marr

Gender : Male

David Martell

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : David Martell

Gender : Male

Rowland McCracken

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Rowland McCracken

Gender : Male

George Meader

Character Name : Music Store Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : George Meader

Gender : Male

Howard M. Mitchell

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Howard M. Mitchell

Gender : Male

Sol Murgi

Character Name : Man Tossing Pudding (uncredited)

Original Name : Sol Murgi

Gender : Male

William H. O'Brien

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : William H. O'Brien

Gender : Male

Garry Owen

Character Name : Detective (uncredited)

Original Name : Garry Owen

Gender : Male

Abe Reynolds

Character Name : Finkelhoff (uncredited)

Original Name : Abe Reynolds

Gender : Male

Linda Lee Solomon

Character Name : Young Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Linda Lee Solomon

Gender : Male

Bert Stevens

Character Name : Farrow's Associate (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Stevens

Gender : Male

Jack Stoney

Character Name : Man wearing Second Hand Clothing Advertising Sign (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Stoney

Gender : Male

Victor Travis

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Victor Travis

Gender : Male

Max Willenz

Character Name : Musician (uncredited)

Original Name : Max Willenz

Gender : Male

Al Winters

Character Name : Executive (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Winters

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Remind me to nail up the board in the back fence... It Happened on Fifth Avenue is directed by Roy Del Ruth and the screenplay adapted by Everett Freeman & Vick Knight from a story by Herbert Clyde Lewis & Frederick Stephani. It stars Don DeFore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles, Victor Moore, Gale Storm, Grant Mitchell and Alan Hale Jr. Aloysious T. McKeever (Moore) is a hobo gentleman who squats in empty mansions while their rich owners are away for the holiday seasons. This Christmas in New York he's having one of his stays at the home of Michael O'Connor (Ruggles), the second richest man in the world. But where once it was just him and his dog, McKeever opens up his adopted home to Jim Bullock (DeFore), an ex Army veteran who has fell on hard times. This sets the wheels in motion for old friends to also find their way to the mansion, so too does O'Connor's daughter, Trudy (Storm), who in all the confusion falls in love with Jim. But that's not all, this opens the way for Michael O'Connor to be coerced into posing as a hobo in his own home! Which in turn gets extra complicated when Mary O'Connor (Harding), Trudy's mother and Michael's divorced wife, also rocks up to be part of the homeless furniture. It's a nutty Christmas for sure, but Christmas is a time of miracles after all. The back story to the film sees it as the first release from "B" movie studio Allied Artists. The story was first optioned by Liberty Films as a project for "Frank Capra", who instead chose to make "It's a Wonderful Life". It's no surprise that Liberty thought it a good project for Capra because the story is very Capraesque, but as it turned out, Del Ruth acquired the story and made the film for A A. Though receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Original Story (It lost out to "Valentine Davies" for "Miracle on 34th Street"), Del Ruth's film has remained largely unknown in the pantheon of the Christmas movie. Obviously not helped by the success of Capra's film over the years, thus it has become the film that Capra left to make his holiday classic. Pic was further hindered by getting a release at Easter! Some what strange given that the film climaxes at Xmas and thematically ties in with the season of good will. After a run on the TV schedules in the 50s had ceased, the film practically disappeared from the public conscious, but a cult fan base existed and the advent of the internet kept the film alive and up for discourse on forums. Thankfully in 2008 Warner Home Video saw fit to give the film a scrub up DVD release, so now the film can rightly find a new and deserving audience. Everything in the film is telegraphed, this is a message movie at the holiday time and where it's going to is exactly where many other similar movies eventually end up. It's a testament to Del Ruth and his professional cast that we the audience are happy to be taken for a ride down this well sign posted road. Though not containing the overtly dark aspects of "It's a Wonderful Life", "Fifth Avenue" does contain a sad edge from which to launch onwards to the warmth that most Xmas movie viewers seek. Themes concerning the homeless (ex-servicemen no less), selfish wealth and broken hearts all feature prominently in the narrative, that these will flourish into happiness, life lessons learned and second chances is classic holiday season fervour. But the edginess has made its point and we still come away knowing that not everybody is well off around the Xmas period, so lets spare a thought indeed eh... Some minor itches do exist, though. The film is overlong at almost two hours and DeFore doesn't really cut it as an heroic ex army guy - come - romantic lead. However, with the likes of Moore, Harding and the brilliant Ruggles around him, not to mention Storm's classical beauty, DeFore's inadequacies barely make a ripple in the story. There's even some nice musical numbers to take in - with "That's What Christmas Means To Me" the undoubted highlight. In short the film is fit to be on the same list as "It's A Wonderful Life", "The Bishop's Wife" and "Miracle on 34th Street". So if you like those film's then you really should get much from this delightful little piece. Seek out and enjoy. 8/10