Pat Wayne (Jessie Matthews) is a reporter and fed up. She longs for the exciting life that reporters seem to have in American movies - nothing ever happens in England.
Jessie first appears singing the bright and catchy "Gangway".
She is given a chance to get the low down on a film star by posing as her ladies maid. The big secret is the star is married to her secretary but that plot line peters out. As does the one about the dog, who the secretary gives to some passing boys. The dog is supposed to go to New York but Jessie hides in the dog's box - again nothing is made of the fact that the dog is not there. Sloppy direction from Sonnie Hale. Barry McKay plays a Scotland Yard inspector on the trail of "Sparkles" a lady jewel thief.(It is very easy to figure out who the real "Sparkles" is from the start.) Of course Jessie and McKay meet and sing "Lord and Lady Whoosit".
Suddenly she has all the excitement she needs with gangsters, jewel thieves, temperamental film stars and being mistaken for "Sparkle" of course. She accidentally stows away on board a ship bound for New York. Nat Pendleton plays Shorty who mistakes Jessie for "Sparkles". The haunting "Moon or No Moon" provides the music for a gorgeous Matthews dance with plenty of turns and high kicks. There is more comedy and even a "shoot-em-up dance" until the unsurprising finale.
Jessie Matthews popularity in America was at it's height when "Gangway" was released, so to have the plot involve gangsters and New York was very smart planning. Ray Milland was rumoured to be going to England to star with her but it fell through and once again Barry McKay was her co-star.
Jessie first appears singing the bright and catchy "Gangway".
She is given a chance to get the low down on a film star by posing as her ladies maid. The big secret is the star is married to her secretary but that plot line peters out. As does the one about the dog, who the secretary gives to some passing boys. The dog is supposed to go to New York but Jessie hides in the dog's box - again nothing is made of the fact that the dog is not there. Sloppy direction from Sonnie Hale. Barry McKay plays a Scotland Yard inspector on the trail of "Sparkles" a lady jewel thief.(It is very easy to figure out who the real "Sparkles" is from the start.) Of course Jessie and McKay meet and sing "Lord and Lady Whoosit".
Suddenly she has all the excitement she needs with gangsters, jewel thieves, temperamental film stars and being mistaken for "Sparkle" of course. She accidentally stows away on board a ship bound for New York. Nat Pendleton plays Shorty who mistakes Jessie for "Sparkles". The haunting "Moon or No Moon" provides the music for a gorgeous Matthews dance with plenty of turns and high kicks. There is more comedy and even a "shoot-em-up dance" until the unsurprising finale.
Jessie Matthews popularity in America was at it's height when "Gangway" was released, so to have the plot involve gangsters and New York was very smart planning. Ray Milland was rumoured to be going to England to star with her but it fell through and once again Barry McKay was her co-star.