Overworked and exhausted, Maisie (Ann Sothern) heads to Reno on a vacation. She meets a soldier on the way and hears his sob story. Once in Reno she tries to find the soldier's rich wife (Ava Gardner) to stop her from divorcing him. This proves to be more difficult than it seems and Maisie winds up investigating a plot to steal the wife's fortune. But there's always time for romance and Maisie's love interest this time is a blackjack dealer (John Hodiak).
Enjoyable eighth entry in the Maisie series. Ann Sothern's adorable as ever. She even gets to sing a song: "Panhandle Pete." Early role for Ava Gardner, who's very pretty but gets nothing to do. The running gag throughout the picture is that Maisie has developed a nervous tick from overworking and all the men think she's winking at them. It's a funny bit that never gets old, especially with the cute way Sothern sells it. A fun movie that fans of the series should enjoy. Don't forget: skittle-dee-ruff-ka-doo!
Maisie Goes to Reno
1944
Action / Comedy / Romance
Maisie Goes to Reno
1944
Action / Comedy / Romance
Plot summary
After sixteen months working for Victory Aircraft without a break, streetwise but kind-hearted Maisie Ravier, who usually works as a vaudeville performer, is diagnosed by the company doctor as being under stress, which leads to a company ordered two week paid vacation. Bandleader Tommy Cutter, with who she has worked before, suggests she spend her two weeks in Reno to perform twice nightly as a singer with him, while she whiles away the days as she likes, the only catch being that she has to find her own way to Reno, which during the war is not that easy. Maisie is eventually able to get to Reno, but rather than focus on her singing gig, she gets involved in the goings-on of Sgt. Bill Fullerton and his wealthy wife, Gloria Fullerton, who is in Reno to get a quickie divorce since she believes he is after her money, which he states he isn't. Maisie believes something not quite right is going on, specifically with Gloria's business manager and personal secretary, Roger Pelham and Winifred Ashbourne, who she believes have ulterior motives in wanting to break up the Fullerton's marriage, which she is out to prove in Bill's absence, he who can't get a leave from the army. Maisie gets help in her task by a starry-eyed bellhop named Jerry, while in turn her actions threaten her burgeoning relationship with blackjack dealer, Flip Hennahan. Through it all, the manifestation of Maisie's stress may get her into more trouble, that symptom which is an eye muscle twitch which most mistake for a wink.
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"I'm riding on a cloud, baby, and I'm not giving anybody my seat."
Double Talk
This middling entry in MGM's answer to Warner's Torchy Blaine series has Maisie going to Reno, getting involved in a mystery surrounding a divorcing couple.
It is a rather dull entry, the result of an uninvolving script and bland characterizations. Harry Beaumont, one of MGM's longtime B directors, does his best with the visual story telling, but even Anne Southern, aided and abetted by some up-and-coming players like Ava Gardner and John Hodiak can't do much with the story but talk fast.
MGM, once Thalberg was dead, never quite knew what to do with unglamorous characters and a smattering of 40s jive talk dates the story and gives an infantile air to the entire operation. For completest of the talent involved, but if you miss this, you won't suffer.
Strange and contrived...but entertaining.
This eighth installment of the Maisie franchise is pretty strange and the plot very contrived. Yet, it still manages to entertain. It begins with Maisie being ordered to take a vacation from the defense plant, as she's exhausted and hasn't had a vacation in almost a year and a half. When she meets an old friend who is a band leader, he invites her to sing with his band in Reno. This way, her vacation will be paid for and all she'll need to do is get there. At the bus station, however, she meets a soldier (Tom Drake) who tells her a sob story in order to get her to give him her bus ticket. It seems his wife is now in Reno trying to get a divorce and he wants to stop her, as it's all just a bit misunderstanding. She gives him the ticket but then all leaves are canceled--and he's ordered back to camp. Maisie agrees to see the wife and deliver a letter to her.
When Maisie arrives at where the wife is staying, he gives her the letter and learns that the husband is a creep. Maisie is satisfied and decides to stay out of the situation. BUT, she then learns accidentally that the lady she spoke with is NOT the soldier's wife! What gives? Who is impersonating the wife and why? Perhaps it's because the real wife (Ava Gardner) is very rich and someone is trying to steal her fortune. The problem is no one believes Maisie and she has a devil of a time convincing any one! As I said, the plot is strange and contrived. But, it manages to be pretty entertaining as well--especially at the end. Not among the better Maisie films but all are awfully good, so it's worth your time.