Skip to content
Home » Having Wonderful Time

Having Wonderful Time

  • by
Having Wonderful Time (1938) starring Ginger Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Spread the love

Having Wonderful Time (1938) starring Ginger Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. – Red Skelton’s film debut as camp social director. He does his famous Dunking donuts routine, amongst the romance and conflict …

Having Wonderful Time (1938) starring Ginger Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

In Having Wonderful Time, Ginger Rogers is an overworked New York office girl. She seeks 2 weeks of rest and relaxation at a camp in the Catskills. She’s definitely not a happy camper because of the crowded and noisy conditions. She tries her best to fit in and, after an initial dislike, falls for college educated Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., a waiter at the camp. Ginger becomes suspicious of his motives, however, and he becomes alarmed when she spends an innocent night in the cabin of a rival suitor. All ends happily, however.

Editorial review of Having a Wonderful Time courtesy of Amazon.com

Ginger Rogers also stars alongside Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in this screen adaptation of the Broadway play about young Romeos and Juliets who escape the grit and grind of Depression-era New York City for the canoeing and canoodling of Camp Kare-Free. The stars shine brightly at the resort: Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Grady Sutton and Jack Carson among them. And Red Skelton makes his film debut, dunking donuts and pratfalling down stairs as the camp social director.

Funny movie quotes

At the office

Frances (Dorothy Tree): Aren’t you lucky. The nearest I’ll get to a vacation this year is a far away look in my eye.

Frances (Dorothy Tree): Here comes old Ironsides.

Office Supervisor (Elise Cavanna): What’s the matter? Is there something wrong with your machine?

Teddy Shaw (Ginger Rogers): Oh, no. Not at all.

Office Supervisor (Elise Cavanna): This is an office, girls, not a social hall. You’ve been here long enough to know that. Or, have you been here, too long?

Getting Ready

Mrs. Shaw (Leona Roberts): I’ll go and make you some lettuce and tomato sandwiches.

Teddy Shaw (Ginger Rogers): Oh, never mind, Mom, it’s only a few hours away. Gosh, you’d think I was going to Europe or something.

Mrs. Shaw (Leona Roberts): You better take some heavy nighties, it gets pretty cold in the mountains.

Salesgirl (Frances Gifford): This place must be getting a rep with classy ladies like that buying in here.

Dress Shop Owner: They don’t fool me. The talk is Park Avenue; but, the accent is strictly the Bronx.

At Camp

Miriam (Lucille Ball): May I? [Pulls postcards out of Maxine’s hands]

Maxine (Dorothea Kent): They’re just my impressions of the Camp.

Miriam (Lucille Ball): Listen, Maxine, there ain’t no j in gorgeous. No kidding.

Maxine (Dorothea Kent): Well, the people I’m sending them to won’t know the difference anyway.

Miriam (Lucille Ball): See you later.

Maxine (Dorothea Kent): So will I.

Henrietta (Eve Arden): Oh, the food here is unbearable. I just had them change my liver.

Buzzy Armbruster (Lee Bowman): Don’t go away. I’ll be right back after I give Screwball, there, a workout.

Teddy Shaw (Ginger Rogers): I know myself very well. And when you come right down to it, I’m exactly like those other hillbillies from the Bronx.

Romance

Miriam (Lucille Ball): Honestly, you must get a lot of pleasure out of making me feel unnecessary.

Buzzy Armbruster (Lee Bowman): Oh, button the lip and and give me the body.

Chick Kirkland (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.): Well, I don’t want you to spread it about, but, when I get to be President, I’m going to…

Teddy Shaw (Ginger Rogers): Oh, you’re going to be President?

Chick Kirkland (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.): Yeah, haven’t you heard? Of course, I gotta get a job first, but, eh, any how, I’m going to make everyone work for two weeks and then they can spend the rest of the year looking at the moon.

Teddy Shaw (Ginger Rogers): Oh, that’s swell. Well, you got my vote.

Chick Kirkland (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.): And of course being President, I get special privileges. Not only do I get to look at the moon, but, I get to look at you, too. Oh, I beg your pardon, I didn’t catch your name?

Teddy Shaw (Ginger Rogers): If you think I’m going to listen to any more propositions, you’re crazy.

Chick Kirkland (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.): This isn’t a proposition. This is a proposal. The ring. The minister. The works.

Teddy Shaw (Ginger Rogers): Oh, and I suppose you think just because I just lost my reputation, I would be glad to marry the first fellow that comes along.

Waiters

Camp Waiter (Russell Gleason): It’s a vicious circle. Waiter by day. Gigolo by night. Well, I’m truckin’.

Camp Waiter (Russell Gleason) I: [Referring to the Camp Kare-Free Campers] They’re like cannibals, all painted and looking for a white man.

Shrimpo (Shimen Ruskin): Everytime I see one of those headhunters, my scalp itches.

Camp Waiter II (Ben Hall): You better watch out, Shrimpo, they’ll have you speared. You may not be much, but, you do wear pants.

Cast of characters

Tags:

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Exit mobile version