As Young As You Feel (1951), starring Monty Wooley, David Wayne, Jean Peters, Thelma Ritter, Constance Bennet, Marilyn Monroe
Synopsis of As Young as You Feel
In As Young as You Feel, a senior (Monty Wooley) decides to impersonate the head of a company — to dispense with their over-65 rule.
Frank Erickson: [Trying to convince Gallagher that their visitor was a fake] All you have to do is to look at his picture in the file, sir.
Horace Gallagher: Never mind the file. Now let me get this straight. You say the whole world thinks that the man who inspected our plant yesterday was the president of the Consolidated Motors, is that it?
Frank Erickson: Yes, sir. Then he made a speech at the Chamber of Commerce.
Horace Gallagher: Mr. McKinley thinks he is the president of the Consolidated Motors, the papers think so, the Chamber of Commerce thinks so, but you don’t. You think he is a measly little printer in our hand-press department.
Frank Erickson: I am sorry if you refuse to believe me, Mr. Gallagher.
Horace Gallagher: [sarcastically] Aw, don’t be silly Erickson. Of course I believe you. And by the way, my name isn’t Gallagher. I am Harry Truman, President of the United States. And you are not Erickson. You’re Princess Elizabeth’s baby, bonny Prince Charley, remember?
Review of As Young as You Feel
In short, As Young As You Feel is a very funny comedy, that touches on a very real-world issue. Printer John Hodges is forced to retire at the age of 65, despite being more than capable of doing his job. He tries to speak to management about it, but to no avail. Lower level management’s sympathetic, but unable to do anything. And upper level management’s unreachable. Until he’s mistaken for the head of the corporation!
He doesn’t initially plan to change things at the company. But he’s invited to give a speech. A speech that’s printed by national newspapers! And he’s swept up in notoriety, and forced to keep up his impersonation. Of course, the real head of the corporation wants to find out what’s going on! And mix in with this some family issues, and you’ve got a very enjoyable comedy.
Della Hodges: …I can’t wait to get to be your age… so I can live out my life with dignity.
John R. Hodges: Dignity can be a very empty feeling, Della.
Della Hodges: Yeah, well, you can get used to it, like me with the cooking.
One quick note: See Marilyn Monroe on the cover? She actually has a fairly minor role, and marketing’s simply trying to cash in on her (later) fame.
Cast
- Monty Woolley (The Bishop’s Wife) … John R. Hodges
- Thelma Ritter (Move Over Darling) … Della Hodges
- David Wayne (The Andromeda Strain) … Joe Elliott
- Jean Peters (O. Henry’s Full House) … Alice Hodges
- Constance Bennett (Merrily We Live) … Lucille McKinley
- Marilyn Monroe (Bus Stop) … Harriet
- Allyn Joslyn (Only Angels Have Wings) … George Hodges
- Albert Dekker (The Forest Rangers) … Louis McKinley
- Clinton Sundberg (In the Good Old Summertime) … Frank Erickson
- Minor Watson (A Southern Yankee) … Harold P. Cleveland
- Wally Brown (Zombies on Broadway) … Horace Gallagher
- Russ Tamblyn (The Haunting) … Willie McKinley
Product Description
When a gentleman (Monty Woolley) is forced to retire at age 65, he’ll do just about anything to beat the system. Dying his hair black, he poses as the president of his former employer’s holding company. Suddenly free to air his views on everything from company policy to national economics, comic craziness ensues when he meets not only the firm’s top executives, but someone equally impressive – a beautiful secretary, played by Marilyn Monroe, in one of her first and funniest roles.