MCannady1 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 When I was very young (maybe 6 or 7) in the late 50's I recall seeing a great Bing Crosby film on TV. From the description of it it sounds like it was Pennies from Heaven. When I received a copy of it a year or so ago it was missing some key parts that I clearly recall. I began to think lately that I could be wrong about the title. I watched with my older sister at the time and she seems to recall it too. THe scenario goes like this: Bing is a singing troubadour on street corners who befriends an orphan girl who may be 9 or 10. She constantly begs him to adopt her, but he can't as he is broke and is not married. A social worker is always urging the girl to go into a foster home, but can never catch her. I seem to remember she clashes with Bing when she suspects him of hiding her. When he receives an offer to go overseas on a singing stint, the girl begs Bing to take her along. Of course he refuses. Somehow she manages to hide inside of an orchestra drum! When the ship lands, the orchestra takes out the instruments. Bing finds his drum is very heavy. He discovers the girl was sleeping inside the drum and actually spanks her through the drum, as he might have been arrested for kidnapping if anyone had reported the stowaway. I never forgot that scene! IT's like Celeste Holme said in All About Eve: Funny about the things you remember and the things you don't. Anyone recall this film? Bing does befriend an orphan girl in Pennies from Heaven, but there is no sequence on shipboard. Have any ideas? I am at my wit's end now, some 50 years later. I looked through American Film Institute description of the film, but it does not seem to match, as I discovered as well. One thing is, she must have been mighty hungry by the time they touched land! THat never occurred to me as a kid. Funny thing is, I remember the film actually aired twice around that time (maybe in '59 or '60). and we happened to see it both times. THanks for any ideas! I think it might be another film with Bing. I remember him singing beautifully there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 It actually sounds like HONEYMOON IN BALI, from 1939...a Paramount film that has Fred MacMurray and an orphaned girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Didn't Shirley Temple stow away in a drum once? Regrettably, she has no collaborations with Mr. Crosby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Didn't Shirley Temple stow away in a drum once? Regrettably, she has no collaborations with Mr. Crosby. She had a film called STOWAWAY, with Robert Young & Alice Faye. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stowaway_(1936_film) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 She had a film called STOWAWAY, with Robert Young & Alice Faye. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stowaway_(1936_film) That''s it. But it's not it. His movie, I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 That''s it. But it's not it. His movie, I mean. Scary...because I think I fully understand you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCannady1 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 She had a film called STOWAWAY, with Robert Young & Alice Faye. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stowaway_(1936_film) Shirley did in STowaway, but it was different. Thanks! I wish I could remember the title. THe story is so clear to me in some places and not in others. I remember so vividly about the 9 or 10 year old girl being spanked by the angry orchestra member (pretty sure it was Bing) as the stowaway on the ship. He could have been arrested and blamed as one of the orchestra members.. So Bing was pretty mad. THat scene was at the very end of the film. You can tell it ends happily as they all smile and help her out of the drum. Thanks! HAve seen all the Shirleys, but appreciate the kindness and info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCannady1 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 It actually sounds like HONEYMOON IN BALI, from 1939...a Paramount film that has Fred MacMurray and an orphaned girl. I will have to catch that one again. Did not recall that scene, but I do remember Fred with an orphan girl. Thanks! (It was a delightful film too, as I recall). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaytonf Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 MCannady1, it really looks like Pennies From Heaven is your movie. You get your orphan in a bass drum. Mr. Crosby intends to go to Venice, but you have probably interpolated the stowaway element from somewhere else. It happens not infrequently that people conflate elements from different sources. Memory is a squirrelly thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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