The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939).

The Housekeeper's Daughter(1939). Comedy. Directed and produced by Hal Roach. Cast: Joan Bennett, Adolphe Menjou and John Hubbard. The screenplay was written by Rian James, Gordon Douglas, Jack Jevne and Claude Martin, based on novel by Donald Henderson Clarke.

The film begins when Hilda decides to visit her mother, who is the housekeeper for the Randalls. The Randalls go on vacation, while their son Robert stays behind to start his career as a reporter.

While, Benny is selling his flowers, he is a witness to Gladys Fontaine kidnapping and follows close behind while she is taken to Gangster Floyd's houseboat. Benny, wanting to save Gladys, puts poison in a cup of coffee meant for Floyd, but Gladys drinks it instead. The next morning, Robert reads about Gladys death in the papers and decides to cover the story, hooking up with reporter Deakon Maxwell and photographer Ed O'Malley. At a police station, they find Benny confessing to Gladys' murder. After a night on the town with Deakon and Ed, Benny suggests to the drunken Robert that he call his editor and tell him that Gladys was thrown from a houseboat.

Robert's story makes Floyd believe that the reporter knows what happened and puts out a contract on his life. While, Deakon and Ed are shooting fireworks from the roof, the gangsters think the fireworks are gun shots and they shoot back. Will the police get there in time?

Loved the cast of this fun movie, Joan Bennett, now a brunette, who reminded me a little of Heddy Lamar. Menjou of course always gives a wonderful performance. The rest of the cast were wonderful character actors including: William Gargan, Marc Lawrence, Donald Meek, George E. Stone and Peggy Wood. Also.. in his debut film, Victor Mature.

Peggy Wood (February 9, 1892 – March 18, 1978), did not perform in many films. Her few film appearances include co-starring opposite Will Rogers in the film, Handy Andy, Jalna, a cameo in the film, A Star is Born(1937), playing a movie studio receptionist. Other films: "Call It a Day" with Olivia de Havilland, "The Housekeeper's Daughter" with Joan Bennett, "The Bride Wore Boots" with Barbara Stanwyck, "Magnificent Doll" with Ginger Rogers and "Dream Girl" with Betty Hutton.

Wood's final screen appearance was as the Mother Abbess in the, The Sound Of Music (1965), for which she received an Academy Award nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress. She was thrilled to be in the movie although she knew that she could no longer sing. Mother Abbess's performance of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is dubbed by Margery McKay. Her co-star Marni Nixon wrote in her memoir, "I Could Have Danced All Night", that Wood especially liked McKay's singing voice because it sounded like her own.

In 1969 she joined the cast of the ABC-TV soap, One Life to Live as Dr. Kate Nolan and had a recurring role until the end of the year.

Father Takes a Wife (1941).

Father Takes a Wife (1941). Cast: Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Swanson, John Howard and Desi Arnaz .

Shipping magnate Frederick Senior Osborne, enters his sons office one day and announces that he is turning the business over to him and plans to marry actress, Leslie Collier. later that night when he and his wife Enid meet Leslie, they talk about Senior and Leslie's age difference. After dinner, the Osbornes attend Leslie's farewell stage performance, where Senior becomes jealous over the attentions of Leslie's leading man. During their honeymoon cruise to Mexico, they discover a stowaway, singer, Carlos Bardez. Feeling sorry for the impoverished Carlos, Senior offers to help him. Once the three arrive home, Leslie appoints herself Carlos' impresario, which the Senior is not to happy about. On the night of Carlos' debut, Leslie comes home very late, angry Senior decides to move in with Junior and Enid. Trying to help, Junior invites Carlos to move in with him and Enid. Things don't go as planned when Leslie moves out of the house and refuses to speak to Senior.

Meanwhile, at Juniors house, same thing happens when Enid takes over the role of Carlos' impresario and Junior leaves in a jealous rage, on the night of Carlos' concert. Father and son then plan to rid themselves of Carlos once and for all, by sending him on a sixty-five city concert tour. Soon after, at their doctor's office, Enid and Leslie meet and both learn that they are pregnant. What will happen next?

Swanson looks gorgeous her beautiful clothes and I thought she gave a wonderful performance. Menjou is very believable playing the jealous spouse.  Arnaz gives a fun performance. This film did remind me a little of one of my favorite films,SUNSET BLVD. Trivia buffs may want to watch for unbilled performances by Loretta Young's ex-husband Grant Withers (as Judge Waters) and Ginger Rogers' future husband Jack Briggs (as Menjou's chauffeur).

FATHER TAKES A WIFE, deserves at least one viewing for the chance to see Gloria Swanson, in a sound motion picture.

Gloria Swanson

Florence Rice (February 14, 1907 – February 23, 1974), became an actress during the early 1930s and after several Broadway roles, eventually made her way to Hollywood. Rice was cast at first as the reliable girlfriend. During the 1930s, MGM gradually provided her with more substantial roles.

Rice never became a major figure in films, but performed in a number of screen pairings with Robert Young. Her best known  performances are in the films: Double Wedding (1937), Sweethearts (1938) and At The Circus (1939).

Turnabout(1940).

Turnabout(1940). Comedy film. Directed by Hal Roach. Cast: Adolphe Menjou, Carole Landis and John Hubbard. Based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Thorne Smith, the screenplay was written by Mickell Novack, Bernie Giler and John McClain with additional dialogue by Rian James.

Tim Willows and his wife Sally continually argue in front of Mr. Ram, an Indian statue given to them by a relative. After a hard day at work for Tim and Sally a day as a lady of leisure, get into a heated argument, both making a wish to change places. Mr. Ram begins to speak and grants their wish.

The next morning, Tim and Sally find themselves in the other's body. Tim, in the body of Sally, stays home and causes problems at home, while Sally, in the body of Tim, goes off to the office and creates problems at work.

When Sally returns home from her day at the office, the couple beg Mr. Ram to put them back into their original bodies. Using Sally's pregnancy as an excuse for their strange behavior, they go out to smooth things over with the clients and friends. Just as you think things are back to normal, the real trouble begins.

I really wanted to see this film because I'm a huge Carole Landis fan. I thought the main cast was very charming. Even the minor roles by Donald Meek, Franklin Pangborn and Marjorie Main, were wonderful performances. John Hubbard, was hilarious in his gender switching role. The situations and the dialog were rather colorful for a 1940's film.

John Hubbard, took acting lessons at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, where he received movie offers. He was signed by Paramount in 1937, but his contract was sold to MGM a year later. At MGM, Hubbard played a leading role in, Dramatic School (1938), which lead to a four-picture deal with Hal Roach, who used Hubbard in comedies such as The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939), Road Show (1940) and Turnabout (1940). Hubbard did a dramatic turn in Whispering Footsteps(1943), but returned to comedy. In 1950 he became a supporting actor, he played "Brown" in The Mickey Rooney Show (12 episodes), "Bill Bronson" in My Little Margie (4 episodes), "Col. U. Charles Barker" in the military comedy Don't Call Me Charlie (18 episodes) and "Ted Gaynor" in Family Affair (8 episodes), but most of his television appearances were in one-off roles. Between acting roles, Hubbard worked as an automobile salesman and the manager of a restaurant. He retired from acting in 1974 after a character role in Herbie Rides Again, although he made one more appearance in a television movie in 1980.

Other John Hubbard films I have seen:
1941 You'll Never Get Rich
1951 Bullfighter and the Lady
1957 Pal Joey
1958 The Buccaneer
1974 Herbie Rides Again

Carole Landis picture below.

This is the list of  other "Body switch/swapping", movies I came up with:
1. Being John Malkovich
2. Big
3. Freaky Friday
4. Mulholland Drive
5. Face/Off
6. Vice Versa
7. 18 Again!
8. Like Father, Like Son
9. Dream a Little Dream

The Hucksters (1947).

The Hucksters (1947). Cast: Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, Sydney Greenstreet, Adolphe Menjou, Ava Gardner and Keenan Wynn .

War veteran Victor Albee Norman returns to New York City, wanting to land an advertising job with the Kimberly Advertising Agency. During his interview with Mr. Kimberly, Victor agrees to take on the company's toughest client, Evans Beauty Soap. Victor likes the idea of the new advertising campaign, in which twenty-five women, give testimonials for the soap in exchange for a donation to their favorite charity. At the photographer's studio, Victor and a representative from the Kimberly agency argue over how Kay should dress for the shoot. The argument results in an emergency board meeting, during which Victor meets Evans. To prove his point that consumers can be shocked into paying attention to advertisements, Evans catches the attention of the board members by spitting on the table. Evans shares his belief that the radio ad should irritate its listeners in order to be best remembered, Victor tell him that the soap should talk about cleanliness. Victor then impresses Evans with a new classier radio ad.



To celebrate, Kimberly and his wife take Victor and Kay out to the dinner club where Victor's past lover, Jean Ogilvie, is singing, Kimberly gets drunk and almost ruins the evening.

Later when they are alone, Victor and Kay make plans to spend a romantic evening together at the, Blue Penguin Inn. Victor is surprised to see that the hotel is under a new and less-than-attentive management. When Kay arrives, she takes one look at the hotel and misinterpreting Victor's intentions, immediately leaves. Victor is still waiting for Kay when he is called back to New York. His next job is to go to Hollywood to sign up radio personality Buddy Hare for the show.

While traveling Victor runs into Jean, after their conversation, Jean realizes that he is in love with Kay. Will Victor and Kay become engaged and will Victor complete his new assignment?

This was Ava Gardner's first big role in a major film. This was the first of three films she did with Gable, besides Lone Star and Mogambo. I think that you will love Ava's and Gable's, on screen chemistry.

Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was a character actor and member of a well-known show business family. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he very rarely had a lead role, he received prominent billing in most of his movie and TV roles.

List of Keenan films I have seen :
Week-End at the Waldorf
Easy to Wed (1946)
The Hucksters (1947)
Song of the Thin Man
Neptune's Daughter (1949)
Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
Angels in the Outfield (1951)
Royal Wedding (1951)
Kiss Me Kate (1953)
The Long, Long Trailer (1954)
Men of the Fighting Lady (1954)
The Glass Slipper (1955)
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)
That Kind of Woman (1959)
A Hole in the Head (1959)
The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)
Son of Flubber (1963)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Bikini Beach (1964)
The Great Race (1965)
Stagecoach (1966)
Welcome to Hard Times (1967)
The War Wagon (1967)
Point Blank (1967)
Terror in the Sky (1971) (TV)
The Mechanic (1972)
Hijack! (1973)
Herbie Rides Again (1974)
The Devil's Rain (1975)
The Shaggy D.A.
Best Friends (1982)