Name of 1930s romantic comedy

[Johnt333]

I am looking for the name of a 1930's romantic comedy in the madcap or screw-ball genre, very similar in the feel and viewpoint to - BUT IT'S NOT- "You Can't Take It With You (1938)." The plot revolves around a wiley, free-spirited farmer who likes to use the barter system instead of cash and has failed to pay his taxes. A young, inexperienced and handsome tax assessor arrives to either collect back taxes owed or inventory the farmers back taxes for seizure. When the farmer notices his daughter has taken a shine to the handsome IRS man, he manipulates him into staying with them on the farm and then leads him on a merry chase - bartering all his assets away as quickly as the IRS man can categorize them. Of course the farmer wins the man in the end - he quits his job, marries the girl and joins the family.

[musicalnovelty]

That sounds like it could be THE MATING GAME (1959) starring Debbie Reynolds and Tony Randall.

 

Plot summary here:

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053054/plotsummary

 

Cast & credit details here:

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053054/combined

[Johnt333]

It's not The Mating Game but it has a similar plot. Perhaps it was an earlier version of this type of movie in the 30s or 40s? The movie I remember was in black & white.

 

Thanks for the help,

 

John

[slaytonf]

It would be unlikely that a movie of that story line would have been made in the thirties or forties, as the book that The Mating Game was based on (The Darling Buds of May, by H. E. Bates) was published in 1958.