Ready, Willing, and Able (film)

93 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

Ready, Willing, and Able is a 1937 American musical film directed by Ray Enright and starring Ruby Keeler, Lee Dixon, Allen Jenkins and Ross Alexander.^[1] It was produced and distributed by Warner Brothers. Songs in the film were written by composer Richard A. Whiting and lyricist Johnny Mercer. The most successful song introduced by Wini Shaw and Ross Alexander, and reprised throughout, was "Too Marvelous for Words", which has become a pop and jazz standard.

In the final production number choreographed by Bobby Connolly, Ruby Keeler and Lee Dixon tap across the keys of a giant-sized typewriter while dancers’ legs mimic typebars striking letters. The film was released to lackluster business in the aftermath of Alexander's suicide.

Plot

Cast

• Ruby Keeler as Jane Clarke
• Lee Dixon as Pinky 'Pinkie' Blair
• Allen Jenkins as J. 'Katsy' Van Courtland
• Louise Fazenda as Clara Heineman
• Ross Alexander as Barry Granville
• Carol Hughes as Angie
• Hugh O'Connell as Truman Hardy
• Wini Shaw as The English Jane Clarke
• Teddy Hart as Yip Nolan
• Addison Richards as Edward 'Mac' McNeil
• E.E. Clive as Sir Buffington
• Jane Wyman as Receptionist
• Lillian Kemble-Cooper as Mrs. Buffington
• unbilled players include Beatrice Hagen, Virginia Dabney, and Milton Kibbee

References

Bibliography

• Bubbeo, Daniel. The Women of Warner Brothers: The Lives and Careers of 15 Leading Ladies, with Filmographies for Each. McFarland, 2001.

External links

• Ready, Willing, and Able at IMDb
• Ready, Willing, and Able at AllMovie
• Ready, Willing, and Able at the TCM Movie Database
• New York Times review