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One Night in the Tropics
a.k.a: Love Insurance, Moonlight in the Tropics, Caribbean Holiday, Daylight Saving, Rivera
Universal Pictures
Released: November 15, 1940
Runtime: 82 minutes
This was Abbott and Costello’s film debut. The movie has great supporting characters like Robert Cummings, Mary Boland, William Frawley, and Leo Carillo. Wonderful music is provided by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.
Stephen Harper, a goofy, clumsy kind of guy, is engaged to Cynthia Merrick. Jim, or “Lucky,” Moore is an insurance man who needs to make some money to impress his father, head of the company. Seeing that Steve is so enamored with Cynthia, he invents “love insurance.” He sells Steve a million dollar love insurance plan so that in the case that Cynthia refuses marriage, Steve collects the money. It appears that Lucky will live up to his nickname, until Mickey, the ambitious ex-girl friend of Steve’s (his real love), does everything she can to get him back. Also, Cynthia’s fussy Aunt Kitty has superstitions that spell trouble with Steve. On the other, though, her superstitions tell her that Lucky is the perfect man…
Lucky arranges that nightclub owner, Roscoe finance the insurance policy; when he talked to his father, he blew up and told him to take the ridiculous plan elsewhere. Lucky, Steve, and Cynthia meet in Roscoe’s club. But, Mickey comes too, and makes sure to draw Steve’s attention as she sings to him, “Remind Me.” To top it off, she makes a scene when she kisses Steve in a telephone booth. Infuriated with him, Cynthia runs away with her Aunt to San Marcos in South America. Lucky and Steve plan to follow her, but Mickey again makes her way to his apartment and stalls Steve until he is late. Lucky, who is waiting for him at the docks, gets on the boat. Roscoe and his henchmen storm into Steve’s apartment and send him on a plane to the tropics, making doubly sure that he gets married so they won’t have to pay up. Lucky tries to talk to Cynthia, but she ignores him. Finally, Lucky sings “You and Your Kiss” to draw her out. Enchanted with his voice and romance, another problem arises as the two begin to feel for each other. The first night in the tropics, they are alone and spend the day together. That night, during a perfectly romantic evening, Lucky sings, “Back in My Shell” to keep things safe. Steve arrives just before they two kiss. Mickey surprises Cynthia in her hotel room, and spills out the whole insurance plan and her intentions with Steve. Again infuriated that they would pull a trick like that, Cynthia works with Mickey to make sure the boys suffer. Mickey agrees, just as long as she gets Steve.
The four go out to a bullfight the next day. As part of the girls’ plan, Mickey (who Lucky told Cynthia was his girlfriend) cuddles with Lucky, while Steve grows with jealousy. That night, they are all sitting outside, again under the moonlight. Each woman deliberately caresses the man who longs to be with the other girl. There is a period of silence and slight tension; the men are frustrated that they can’t be whom they have to be with. Steve wants to be with Mickey, and Lucky wants to be with Cynthia. Some music starts, and Cynthia sings, “Your Dream” making it harder for Lucky to ignore her. No longer able to control his feelings, he sings his turn, walking towards Cynthia. She turns away from him as he sings to her romantically. Towards the end her eyes fill with tears as she realizes her love for him, and then quickly exits before she makes a fool of herself.
Meanwhile, Abbott and Costello tag along and provide comic relief. Their skits include, “Who’s on First?”, “Two Tens For a Five,” “Jonah and the Whale,” “Mustard,” and “365 days-firing.” On the day of the wedding, still in the tropics, Cynthia says she can’t marry Steve, and starts a wild goose chase as she and Lucky try to run away from Roscoe. Instead, Steve and Mickey get married. At the same time, there is a dance festival with the song, “Farandola,” so the two dress up to try and blend in. Here, Lucky sings along a bit and belts out some high notes with the singers, but draws Roscoe’s attention after his fake mustache flies away. They are about to get busted until Roscoe explains that Steve got married (he assumes that Mickey was Cynthia), so they don’t have to pay up. With all problems behind them, Steve gets Mickey, Lucky gets Cynthia (to Aunt Kitty’s delight), and they all live happily ever after.
Credits
Director…A. Edward Sutherland
Producer…Leonard Spigelgass
Cinematography…Joseph A. Valentine
Film Editing…Milton Carruth
Art Direction…Jack Otterson
Set Decoration...Russell A. Gausman
Costumes…Vera West
Sound Department…Bernard B. Brown (supervisor), Joe Lapis (sound technician)
Writers…Earl Derr Biggers (novel, “Love Insurance”), Kathryn Scola and Francis Martin (adaptation), Gertrude Purcell and Charles Grayson (screenplay), John Grant (uncredited)
Musical Direction…Charles Previn
Orchestrations…Frank Skinner
Assistant Director…Joseph A. McDonough, Joseph E. Kenney
Associate Art Director…Martin Obzina
Dance Director…Larry Ceballos
Composer: stock music (uncredited)…Ralph Freed, Milton Rosen, Hans J. Salter
Composer: incidental music/Orchestrator…Frank Skinner
Cast
Allan Jones…James G. “Jim”/ “Lucky” Moore
Nancy Kelly…Cynthia Merrick
Bud Abbott…Abbott
Lou Costello…Costello
Robert Cummings…Stephen “Steve” Harper
Mary Boland…Aunt Kitty Marblehead
William Frawley…Roscoe
Peggy Moran…Mickey Fitzgerald
Leo Carrillo…Escobar, Mayor of San Marcos
Don Alvarado…Rudolfo the Bullfighter
Nina Orla…Nina
Richard Carle…Mr. Moore
Soundtrack
• “Your Dream”
o Sung by Allan Jones and Nancy Kelly (dubbed)
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Otto A. Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II
• “You and Your Kiss”
o Sung by Allan Jones, also played as background music
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
• “Remind Me”
o Sung by Peggy Moran (dubbed), also played as background music
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
• “Back in My Shell”
o Sung by Allan Jones, also played as background music
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
• “Cielito Lindo”
o Played as traditional music during bullfight
• “Bridal Chorus”
o Played during wedding
o Written by Richard Wagner (from “Lohengrin”)
• “Farandola”
o Played/sung/danced to by hotel guests after wedding, Sung by unidentified baritone and Allan Jones (shortly)
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Dorothy Fields
• “Simple Philosophy”
o Credited onscreen and possibly played as background music
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Dorothy Fields