Pardon My Past
| Pardon My Past | |
|---|---|
1945 Theatrical Poster
|
|
| Directed by | Leslie Fenton |
| Produced by | Leslie Fenton Fred MacMurray |
| Written by |
Patterson McNutt (story) Harlan Ware (story) Earl Felton Karl Kamb |
| Starring | Fred MacMurray Marguerite Chapman Akim Tamiroff |
| Music by | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| Cinematography | Russell Metty |
| Edited by | Richard V. Heermance Otho Lovering (sup) |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Pardon My Past is a 1945 comedy film about a penniless ex-veteran who gets mistaken for a millionaire by the latter's family and an unpaid bookie.
Eddie York and Chuck Gibson are two ex-soldiers leaving the service to become mink farmers in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. As they leave New York City to travel to their new home, they stop at a tailor to get new suits. While at the tailor, Eddie is mistaken for a wealthy playboy, Francis Pemberton, by a local thug. Since Francis owes $12,000 to a bookie named Jim Arnold, the thug decides to bring Francis back with him to his boss.
The thug holds Eddie and Chuck at gunpoint and makes them follow him to Arnold, where the bookie claims his money back. Not for a second buying Eddie's explanation that he is not Francis, Arnold takes Eddie's wallet containing $3,000 in cash, and tells Eddie to come back the next day with the rest, or else.
Eddie sees no other alternative than to find Francis and straighten him out to get his money back. He goes to the Pemberton mansion to find Francis, but it turns out Francis hasn't been home in two years, but spent his time boozing in Mexico. Eddie is again mistaken for Francis
Chuck tries to get their money back by telling the people at the house that Francis has promised to invest $3,000 in a mink farm. This meets no objection in the household, and hey tell "Francis" to go and get cash in the family safe. Of course Eddie doesn't have the combination to the safe.
Awaiting someone who can help them open the safe, the two men are invited by Joan, a young woman who is a distant relative to the family, to stay the night at the mansion. In the evening, more Pembertons arrive back at the house, including Grandpa Pemberton, Francis' wife Mary and his daughter Stephanie. Eddie is ordered by Grandpa to talk to his wife and daughter, and when he meets them they notice that there is a noticeable change in Francis' behavior. Joan and Mary are very impressed by Francis' sudden generosity and capacity. Even Grandpa notices something different about his grandson.
Uncle Wills, the man with the safe combination, arrives in the morning, and is stunned by the audacity of Francis, who usually is much more evasive and timid. Mary has left a note to Francis, where "her side of the story" is explained. It turns out that there is a feud going on between husband and wife regarding custody of their daughter Stephanie. Wills is helping Francis to get sole custody of his daughter. Unaware of this, Eddie tells uncle Wills to let Mary see Stephanie as much as she wants, making Wills surprised.
Soon Arnold arrives to the mansion to collect his money, and Eddie orders Wills to get the money from the safe. Wills tells "Francis" that he will lose half his fortune if he loses custody of the daughter, and reminds him of the lawsuit where they try to declare Mary unfit as a mother. Wills then writes a check for the sum of $12,000 to pay off Arnold.
...
Wikipedia