It All Came True

Director: Lewis Seiler Lewis Seiler

Overview

Humphrey Bogart is a gangster again, this time as counterpoint to the comic elements of It All Came True. On the lam from the cops, Bogart hides out in a theatrical boarding house, where most of the residents are old-timers dreaming of a comeback. Amused by these offbeat characters, Bogart arranges to transform the boarding house into a nostalgia-oriented nightclub, along the lines of Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe. Thanks to his intervention, singer Ann Sheridan gets her big break, introducing the Warner Bros. standard "Angel in Disguise." Based on the Louis Bromfield novel Better Than Life, It All Came True is typical of the lighthearted fare in which Bogart frequently was forced to act before The Maltese Falcon allowed the actor to pick and choose his roles.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/23/2012
UPC:	0883316280393
Original Release:	1940
Rating:	PG
Source:	Warner Archives
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Sound:	[monaural]
Language:	English
Time:	1:37:00
Sales rank:	19,379

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Ann Sheridan	Sarah Jane 'Sal' Ryan
Jeffrey Lynn	Tommy Taylor
ZaSu Pitts	Miss Flint
Una O'Connor	Maggie Ryan
Humphrey Bogart	Grasselli/Chips Maguire
Jessie Busley	Mrs. Nora Taylor
John Litel	Mr. Roberts
Grant Mitchell	Rene Salmon
Felix Bressart	The Great Boldini
Charles Judels	Henri Pepi de Bordeaux/Leantopopulos
Brandon Tynan	Mr. Van Diver
Howard Hickman	Mr. Prendergast
Herb Vigran	Monks
Tommy Reilly	Appearing
White and Stanley	Themselves

Technical Credits

Edwin DuPar	Special Effects
Byron Haskin	Special Effects
Mark Hellinger	Producer
Lewis Seiler	Director

Editorial Reviews

It All Came True is a frothy little gangster film -- and yes, there is such a thing. It's not exactly a gangster comedy, as it's a bit too light and airy for that without being actually funny enough. Certainly, the combination is a bit odd and doesn't always work; the murder angle is too heavy for such a silly piece, and the gangster's conversion (both in terms of his desire to turn the boarding house into an entertainment venue and to abruptly decide to drop his frame-up of an innocent man and face a murder conviction) simply can't be believed. But if one can view these as the contrivances they are and just accept them, one is apt to be pleasantly entertained. It definitely helps that the gangster/impresario is being played by the inimitable Humphrey Bogart, who must have rolled his eyes at this set-up but plays it with all the determination and gusto required, and makes it work beautifully. And it also helps that Ann Sheridan is around to look beautiful, crack wise as needed and deliver a few songs in her soothing little voice. Throw in able support from Zasu Pitts, Felix Bressart, Una O'Connor and others, and the result is an agreeable way to wile away a bit of time.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler