Molly and Me

Molly and Me
Directed by Lewis Seiler
Produced by Robert Bassler
Written by Roger Burford
Leonard Praskins
Based on Molly, Bless Her
1937 novel
by Frances Marion
Starring Monty Woolley
Gracie Fields
Reginald Gardiner
Roddy McDowall
Music by Cyril J. Mockridge
Cinematography Charles G. Clarke
Edited by John W. McCafferty
Distributed by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Release dates
  • May 25, 1945 (1945-05-25)
Running time
 76 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Molly and Me is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Lewis Seiler and released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was based on the novel written by Frances Marion and adapted by Roger Burford. It starred Monty Woolley, Gracie Fields, Reginald Gardiner and Roddy McDowall.

Plot

In 1937 London, struggling vaudeville actress Molly Barry (Gracie Fields) grows tired of the hopeless search for acting roles and instead applies for a job as housekeeper for upper class gentleman John Graham (Monty Woolley). She informs her friends and fellow actors, Lily (Queenie Leonard) and Julia (Edith Barrett), at the boardinghouse where she lives about her plans, but since she does not have any housekeeping references, she convinces former exotic dancer, Kitty Goode (Natalie Schafer), who has married into the peerage and become Lady Burroughs, to act as a fake reference.

Graham's butler, Peabody (Reginald Gardiner), comes to the boardinghouse to interview Molly, but when Kitty shows up, he recognizes her because he himself is former actor Harry Phillips, who left the profession because of a drinking problem he has since conquered. He then remembers Molly from her theatre work. Peabody does not want another former actor in the household.

Desperate to get the job, Molly persuades Peabody to join a party at a pub, where he falls off the wagon. She brings the half-unconscious man back to the Graham house, occupies the housekeeper's room, and in the morning informs Mr. Graham that Peabody has hired her. When Peabody sees what she has done, he has no other alternative than to go along.

Graham entertains an old friend, Jamie McDougall (Gordon Richards), who asks him to stand again for Parliament. Graham is reluctant to do so and shows an old newspaper clipping to McDougall to remind him that Graham ended his previous political career to avoid public disgrace after his wife ran off with a "sportsman." McDougall burns the clipping in the fireplace and tells Graham it all happened 15 years ago and will not be remembered. After he leaves, Molly brings Graham a late snack and hot drink to cure him of his insomnia.

Graham is convinced to travel to Suffolk to meet a man who could be of great help in his election bid, with Peabody acting as his chauffeur. While they are gone, Molly discovers that the domestic staff all steal from the household. When she confronts them, they threaten to quit en masse, but she sacks them instead. Molly puts the house in order by herself. From a fragment of the clipping she finds in the fireplace, Molly learns the truth about Graham's ex-wife, who went abroad because of the scandal.

That night Graham's teenage son Jimmy (Roddy McDowall) unexpectedly returns home from prep school. Jimmy suffers from a fever and Molly takes care of him. Jimmy confides in Molly about difficulties with his father. While he was young, Jimmy was told that his mother died and is convinced that Graham does not like him because he is a constant reminder that Mrs. Graham "died."

The next day, Peabody sends Molly a telegram telling her to prepare a formal dinner for eight because a man of influence, Sir Arthur Burroughs (Lewis L. Russell), publisher of a big London newspaper, will be guest. Unable to find professional help on short notice, Molly hires her theatre friends from the boardinghouse to become the new staff.

Peabody recognizes them, but has no choice but to accept their services. Despite numerous mistakes made in their amateur efforts, the dinner is a success with Sir Arthur. The new staff celebrates downstairs in the kitchen, particularly pleased that the common English fare Molly improvised for dinner instead of food "of subtlety and distinction" impressed Sir Arthur much more. Jimmy joins their celebration. Graham comes down to the kitchen to congratulate them, but overhears Jimmy join in by imitating Graham's gruff pomposity and sour outlook. He sends Jimmy to bed and sacks the staff, including Peabody, when he learns from Molly that they are former entertainers. Molly uses the opportunity to scold Graham for being a poor father to his teenage son.

By the next morning, Graham has thought over matters and gives his delighted son permission to re-hire the staff by whatever means it takes. The former Mrs. Graham makes an unexpected and untimely appearance, however, to extort £1000 from her former husband. Molly tells her he is still asleep, but promises to inform him of the sum she wants.

Molly tells Graham that "something has happened," but before she can go into detail, he assures her that he has full confidence in her ability to fix any problem. To keep Graham from ever learning of the extortion attempt and Jimmy from discovering the truth about his mother, Molly uses her friends to con Mrs. Graham into thinking that she has been a participant in a shooting death at the hotel. Mrs. Graham flees the country. When Jimmy and Graham return from a show, Molly prepares Graham a late snack, in the kitchen at his request.

Cast

References

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