AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Movie Detail
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In the Money
Director: Frank Strayer (Dir)
Release Date:   7 Nov 1933
Production Date:   at Mack Sennett Studios
Duration (in mins):   62 or 65-66
Duration (in reels):   7
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Cast:   Richard "Skeets" Gallagher (Spunk Hobbs)  
    Lois Wilson (Mary "Lambie" Higginbottom)  
    Warren Hymer ("Gunboat" Bimms)  
    Sally Starr (Babs Higginbottom)  
    Arthur Hoyt (Professor Higginbottom)  
    Junior Coghlan (Dick Higginbottom)  
    Erin La Bissonier (Genie)  
    Harold Waldridge (Lionel)  
    Louise Beavers (Lily)  

Summary: The Higginbottom household is forced to change dramatically its affluent lifestyle after Professor Higginbottom learns that his chemical company has gone into receivership, cutting off the family's income. Mary "Lambie" Higginbottom, the oldest daughter, tries to cut corners but has a difficult time influencing her siblings' spending habits. Babs is too preoccupied with the prowess of her ex-prizefighter boyfriend Bibbs to be concerned with money matters, and her spoiled sister Genie and brother-in-law Lionel are of no help either. Dick, the youngest child, bravely attempts to win $500 in a motorcycle race. Tragically, he crashes his bike on the speedway and paralyzes his legs. It is Spunk Hobbs, Bibbs's manager, who finally solves the family's problems. If Bibbs wins one last boxing purse, the family will be able pay for Dick's surgery, and if Spunk marries Lambie, she will gain control of enough stock shares to vote her father back in control of his business. In the end, Bibbs wins the match, Dick is cured, the business is saved by the promised union of Spunk and Lambie, and Bibbs is free to retire once more and pursue his new passion--Shakespeare. 

Production Company: Invincible Pictures Corp.  
Distribution Company: Chesterfield Motion Pictures Corp.  
Director: Frank Strayer (Dir)
  Melville Shyer (Asst dir)
Producer: Maury M. Cohen (Prod)
Writer: Robert Ellis (Scr and dial)
Photography: M. A. Anderson (Photog)
Art Direction: Edward C. Jewell (Art dir)
Film Editor: Roland Reed (Film ed)
Sound: Pete Clark (Rec eng)
Country: United States

Copyright Claimant Copyright Date Copyright Number
Invincible Pictures Corp. 26/11/1933 dd/mm/yyyy LP4278

Physical Properties: Sd:
  b&w;:

 
Genre: Comedy
Sub-Genre: Domestic
 
Subjects (Major): Boxers
  Chemists
  Family relationships
  Finance--Personal
  Financial crisis
 
Subjects (Minor): Boxing managers
  Motorcycle accidents
  Motorcycle racing
  Paralysis
  Professors
  William Shakespeare
  Stocks
  Operations, Surgical

Note: At the beginning of the film, Skeets Gallagher introduces each character to the audience as the actor appears on screen. 

Bibliographic Sources:   Date   Page
Film Daily   13 Oct 33   p. 10.
Film Daily   6 Jan 34   p. 6.
Motion Picture Daily   6 Jan 34   p. 4.
Motion Picture Herald   13 Jan 34   p. 42.
Variety   9 Jan 34   p. 17.

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.
 
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