Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:39 — 27.3MB)
Featuring Gary Cooper in this classic story of a wealthy eccentric. Cecil B DeMill puts the spotlight on the stars of the feature, then sets the stage for the opening scene.
Mr Deeds writes poetry for greeting cards. He is about to learn that he is to inherit a large estate from his uncle. The eccentric Mr Deeds likes to take walks in the rain, and play tuba. Not necessarily at the same time though. He is unimpressed at the $20million that is coming to him. Mr Deeds doesn’t appear to want to do anything different in his life, but he is persuaded to leave mandrake Falls to take care of business in New York.
The big time lawyers try to take advantage of the naive Mr Deeds and secure as much of his money as possible. Though he may have a simple outlook on things, Mr Deeds has a way of seing through to the truth, and cutting through the clutter. Meanwhile, the newspaper sends a lady reporter after Mr Deeds to get an inside scoop. Mr Deeds may not be falling for the lawyers and other con men, but he seems to be a sucker for the game that the female reporter is playing on him. She acts the innocent one who doesn’t want or ask anything from him.
As sensitive news stories begin to appear, it rocks the boat for everyone in the handling and transfer of the estate affair. It becomes a mystery to everybody how things are leaking out. Even Mr Deeds is upset, but in trying to maintain his private affairs,he inadvertently is talking to nobody, but the person who is leaking his story. Oopsie.
The jaded news woman begins to soften up to the likeable Mr Deeds, and starts feeling guilty. Their relationship grows, she becomes more torn about the Cinderella Man stories that she has been writing, but they keep coming. Is she faking her feelings towards Mr Deeds? Is she just taking advantage of his simple, heroic nature?
After some soul searching, Mr Deeds realizes that he isn’t cut out for the big city life, and wants to return to Mandrake Falls. After reading the poem he wrote for her, Mary has also had enough. She tels her editor that she’s quitting, and wants to run off to Mandrake Falls herself. The story comes to a boil when the lady reporters cover is blown and doubts arise. Mr Deeds is hurt, and it’s the last straw that pushes him to leave the estate money and go home.
But wait, there’s more. In the big ending, Mr Deeds is taken to court in an attempt to prove him mentally incompetant to inherit the huge estate. In doing so, the law firm stands to get control of all the estate, and cut Mr Deeds out of the picture. As his court hearing gets around to his defense, his accusers get a big surprise by the time the judge makes his decision. There’s even a reconciliation between the reporter and Mr Deeds.
Definitely worth a listen to this light hearted romantic comedy.
