THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES
US, 1941, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Jean Arthur, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn, Edmund Gwynn, Spring Byington, S.Z. Sakall, William Demarest, Florence Bates.
Directed by Sam Wood.
The Devil and Miss Jones is a pleasant social comedy. It was written by Norman Krasna, writer of many light comedies with social point over the decades including Mr and Mrs Smith, It Started With Eve, Dear Ruth, Dear Wife, White Christmas and Indiscreet. It was directed by Sam Wood, veteran director who made a wide range of films from the Marx Bros’ A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races to such serious films as Our Town, King’s Row, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
The film is about unions and stores in New York City in the early 40s. Charles Coburn plays a tycoon who is angry at the unionisation of his stores and goes undercover to find out who the ringleaders are. Of course, he learns about real life as well as being charmed by the young union leaders. They are played by Jean Arthur and Robert Cummings. There is a pleasant supporting cast with Edmund Gwenn and Spring Byington as an older woman with whom the tycoon falls in love.
Jean Arthur appeared in a number of films like this including Capra’s Mr Deeds Goes to Town and Mr Smith Goes to Washington and You Can’t Take It With You. She was to team with Charles Coburn in George Stevens’ The More the Merrier in 1943 – for which Charles Coburn won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
1.The title, the credits?
2.The atmosphere of 1941, pre-World War Two involvement by the United States, business? Ordinary life? Social concern? The unions? The stars, the studio, its style, the musical score?
3.J.P. Merrick and his age, experience? The ruthless tycoon? His appearance and manner? The board meetings, his scaring them? The tyrant? His concern about money? His antagonism towards the unions? Wanting spies, trying to hire a private detective? Firing people? The challenge, his decision to go into the stores undercover?
4.Mary Jones, a good young woman, pleasant, at work? Joe O’ Brien as the leader of the group wanting the union? Elizabeth Ellis and her friendship with Mary? Work in the shop? The life in the store, the protest – and the hanging of the effigy of the tycoon?
5.J.P. and his application to get the job, the difficulties, Hooper and his continual nastiness towards J.P? J.P. trying to sell, the butler helping him? Mary and her kindness? The clashes with Hooper? His failure at sales, the returns?
6.J.P. and the change of character, the encounters with Elizabeth, lunch, his being seen as poor, his beginning to enjoy himself, the friendship with Joe, the attraction towards Mary? Learning from them? The importance of the outing, the beach? His being lost, the police and their treatment? His getting home?
7.The protests, Mary and Joe? Their love for each other, the clash, making up?
8.The shock of the truth? The board meeting and control? The revelation? Hooper and his comeuppance?
9.The happy ending, Mary and Joe together, the union, the humanising of the devil in J.P., the humiliation of Hooper, love for Elizabeth? A happy ending just prior to America in World War Two?
