Wonder Man (film)

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Not to be confused with The Wonder Man (film).
Wonder Man
Wonder Man original cinema poster.jpg
Original 1946 cinema poster
Directed byH. Bruce Humberstone
Screenplay byDon Hartman
Melville Shavelson
Philip Rapp
Jack Jevne (adaptation)
Eddie Moran (adaptation)
Story byArthur Sheekman
Produced bySamuel Goldwyn
StarringDanny Kaye
Virginia Mayo and Vera Ellen
CinematographyVictor Milner
William E. Snyder
Edited byDaniel Mandell
Music byRay Heindorf
Heinz Roemheld
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byRKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • June 8, 1945 (1945-06-08) (US)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,450,000[1]

Wonder Man is a 1945 musical film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. It is based on a short story by Arthur Sheekman, adapted for the screen by a staff of writers led by Jack Jevne and Eddie Moran, and produced by Samuel Goldwyn. Mary Grant designed the film's costumes.

Plot[]

Danny Kaye plays a double role as a pair of estranged "super-identical twins". Despite their almost indistinguishable looks, the two have very different personalities. Buster Dingle, who goes by the stage name "Buzzy Bellew", is a loud and goofy performer at a classy nightclub (the Pelican Club), while Edwin Dingle is a studious, quiet bookworm writing a history book. The two brothers have not seen each other for years.

Buster becomes the witness to a murder committed by mob boss "Ten Grand" Jackson (Steve Cochran), and is promptly murdered himself. He comes back as a ghost, calling on his long-lost brother for help to bring the killer to justice. As a result, the shy Edwin must take his brother's place until after his testimony is given.

In the meantime, he has to dodge Jackson's hitmen and fill in for Buster at the nightclub. To help him out, Buster—who cannot be seen or heard by anyone but Edwin—possesses him, with outrageously goofy results.

A famous scene features Edwin, possessed by Buzzy, performing at the Club. Under Buzzy's influence, Edwin pretends to be a famous Russian singer with an allergy to flowers. A vase of flowers is nonetheless placed on a table near him, and his song, "Otchi Chornya", is frequently interrupted by his loud and goofy-sounding sneezes.

The story is further humorously complicated by the love interests of the brothers; whilst the murdered Buster was engaged to entertainer Midge Mallon (Vera-Ellen), Edwin is admired by librarian Ellen Shanley (Virginia Mayo).

In the end, Ellen marries Edwin, whilst Midge consoles herself (apparently without regret) by marrying the owner of the club where Buster was appearing.

Cast[]

Production credits[]

Awards[]

The film won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects at the 18th Academy Awards in 1946, and was also nominated for Best Original Song, Best Musical Score, and Best Sound Recording.[2]

The film was also entered into the 1946 Cannes Film Festival.[3]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Variety 12 September 1945 p 12
  2. ^ "The 18th Academy Awards (1946) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2011-08-19.
  3. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Wonder Man". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-01-04.

External links[]

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