The Cat's-Paw Page #3

Synopsis: A naive missionary brought up in China returns to America to seek a wife. Corrupt politicians enlist him to run for mayor as a dummy candidate with no chance of winning.
Genre: Comedy
Director(s): Sam Taylor, Harold Lloyd
Production: Fox Film Corporation
 
IMDB:
6.9
NOT RATED
Year:
1934
102 min
99 Views


Yeah. Drop over

to the City Club about 1:00.

Yeah, it's in

the city hall building.

Yeah, so long.

All right, boys, now we go.

You'll have to

put it over big, Jake.

They've got to know him.

Now, leave it to me.

That sap will be...

the best known guy

in Stockport.

Remember,

City Club tomorrow at 1:00.

Say, who is this Ezekiel Cobb?

I never heard of him.

Must be Jake's new candidate.

Where did they dig him up?

Well, they had to run somebody.

Well, we'll get a good feed

out of it anyway.

I told him 1:
00. You heard me!

Personally,

I think the guy is nuts.

An hour late!

Say, this is getting serious.

We can't wait much longer.

What are we gonna do?

He's not at his boarding house.

They don't know where he is.

- Did you call the jail?

- Huh?

- Mr. Mayo?

- Yeah?

I'll bet it's from him.

"My honored friend Tien Wang...

"has graciously

invited me to tea.

"If it will not

inconvenience you...

"I'll meet you

at the City Club...

"later in the afternoon."

Who in blazes is Tien Wang?!

Must be a Chink.

Tea with a Chink! Holy cats!

Where's that telephone book?

Say, how do you spell Tien Wang?

It is a great privilege

to welcome...

so honorable a guest

to my lowly abode.

No, I beg

to differ with you, sir.

The privilege is mine.

I am indebted to you

for your gracious courtesy.

Oh! If I may humbly

beg your pardon, sir.

A cordial greeting,

my worthy friend.

Never mind the cordial greeting.

You get yourself up

to the City Club...

and make it snappy!

But, Mr. Mayo, I'm enjoying...

a bowl of rice

with my gracious host.

Well, we'll give you

some rice up here!

Now, you bust out of there

in a hurry.

I regret

I cannot leave so abruptly.

Courtesy forbids it.

Courtesy? Rats!

Now, you jump into a taxi

and step on it!

I shall leave only after...

a respectful period

of friendly discourse.

I shall be delighted

to converse with you...

later in the afternoon.

- Well?

- Well, I'll be!

He won't come. He's eating rice.

Oh, he won't come, eh?

Well, I'll get him.

Wait a minute! You can't bring

a guest of honor...

to a banquet

at the point of a gun.

No. Courtesy forbids it.

How about the old nosebag, Jake?

We can't take all afternoon

for lunch, you know.

Start right way, Nick.

Right away.

Jake, we've got

to go through with it.

He may arrive in time

for my speech.

Yeah, let's go.

All right, boys.

We won't wait for Mr. Cobb.

Eatin' rice with a Chink.

I regret, sir,

that I cannot tarry to view...

some of your treasures

of ancient China.

Ah, but you will visit me

quite frequently, my friend.

I'm very grateful, sir...

for the great kindness

you have shown me.

And now, if you so desire...

I will point out the way

to the city hall.

And, gentlemen,

I regret to inform you...

that at the last moment...

our guest of honor

was taken ill.

A slight attack of indigestion,

wasn't it, Mr. Mayo?

Yes, from eatin' rice.

But the Good Government

League...

is going to honor him

just the same...

and as chairman

of the reception committee...

I now propose a toast.

Gentlemen,

I give you Ezekiel Cobb!

Ezekiel Cobb!

A man of honor,

a man of ideals...

a man of determination...

a man of whom

Stockport is proud.

Pardon me.

Where is that voice coming from?

It's the radio, of course,

in that car.

We need a man

of his experience...

in the great work of Reform...

and we are going to ask him

to continue this work...

in the city of his birth.

To take up the burden...

where the late Reverend

Junius P. Withers laid it down.

We are going to ask Mr. Cobb

a momentous question.

The Good Government League

wants him to carry on...

for his faithful friend

and associate...

and we are going to ask him if

he will join forces with us...

in our grim battle

against graft and corruption.

We are going to ask him

at the last moment...

to replace

the late Junius P. Withers...

and to accept

the nomination for mayor!

Aah!

What's the matter with you?

And if he will accept

this nomination...

the Good Government League

will be able...

to point to him

with pride and say...

"There, gentlemen,

is the next mayor of Stockport!"

And it doesn't make

any difference...

whether you know anything

about politics or not.

Why, we haven't elected

a candidate in 12 years...

and it's a cinch you ain't

gonna spoil our record.

Gentlemen, if there's no chance

of my being elected mayor...

why do you wish me

to become a candidate?

Don't you understand?

We gotta put up a show

to make the people think...

they're really having

an election.

Morgan gets in,

licks up the gravy...

and there's plenty left

to pass around among the boys.

No, that isn't

the idea at all, Jake.

Listen, Cobb, you believe in

standing up for a principle...

even if they knock you down,

don't you?

Certainly.

Well, that's the idea.

The city government

is full of graft and corruption.

Are you gonna sit by...

and not even raise your voice

in protest?

Perhaps you're right.

You know, the lowly fisherman

is helpless...

to hold back the tidal wave.

But his warning cry may save

his neighbor's children.

Ling Po.

You took the words

right out of my mouth.

Cobb, it's your duty.

Your sacred duty.

Perhaps it is.

But on the other hand,

I have another duty...

to my father in China.

You see, gentlemen,

it is his wish...

that our family perpetuate

his mission there.

And therefore,

I came to America...

simply to find

a mother for my children.

Say, now listen, Cobby...

the election will be

all over by Tuesday.

You won't need a mother

for your children...

till next Tuesday, will you?

Oh, no. Of course not.

You might as well pick out

a good one while you're at it.

And after Tuesday...

you'll have plenty of time

to look the dames over.

You really feel

that it's my duty?

Sure it is! It's...

What did you say it was, Spike?

His sacred duty.

I must return to China

as soon as the election's over.

I'll accept the nomination

only on condition...

that you assure me

that there isn't a chance...

of my being elected mayor.

Not a chance.

- Not a chance!

- Not a chance!

Better hurry, boys.

He's liable to be down

any minute now.

How will we know who he is?

Don't worry. Jake Mayo will be

leading him by the hand.

Hey, Red!

Hi, Pet.

What's all the rumpus?

Mayo's got his new candidate

for mayor...

up in the City Club.

We're just hangin' around

to grab off a few headlines.

This has got to be

a one-day campaign...

and there isn't much

you can do...

seeing as

you're new in the game.

You desire me merely

to lend my moral support.

Yes, you just lay low...

and we'll tell them

all about you.

- Oh, Jake!

- Huh?

Did you get him to accept

the nomination?

Uh... Hey! Wait a minute!

Hey, here he comes, boys!

This ought to be him!

OK, let him come.

- Ohh!

- Ohh!

Nertz! Where is that guy?

Aw, Jake must be

holding onto him.

Hey, sonny!

Out of the way, will you,

or you'll be in the picture.

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Clarence Budington Kelland

Clarence Budington "Bud" Kelland (July 11, 1881 – February 18, 1964) was an American writer. He once described himself as "the best second-rate writer in America".Although largely forgotten now, Kelland had a long career as a writer of fiction and short stories, stretching from 1913 to 1960. He was published in many magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post and The American Magazine. A prolific writer, his output included sixty novels and some two hundred short stories. His best known juvenile works were the Mark Tidd series and the Catty Atkins series, while his best known adult work was the Scattergood Baines series. Other notable adult books by Kelland include Conflict (1920), Rhoda Fair (1925), Hard Money (1930), Arizona (1939), and Dangerous Angel (1953). Kelland was the "literary idol" of the teenaged John O'Hara. He was referred to in a 1995 installment of Harlan Ellison's television commentary, Harlan Ellison's Watching for the program Sci-Fi Buzz, wherein Ellison laments what he perceives as a prevailing cultural illiteracyKelland's work resulted in some thirty Hollywood movies, including Speak Easily (1932) starring Buster Keaton. Opera Hat, a serial from The American Magazine, was the basis for the film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) starring Gary Cooper. Opera Hat later was turned into the short-lived television series Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1969–70), and the movie Mr. Deeds (2002). One of Kelland's best-known characters was featured in the Scattergood Baines series of six films from 1941 to 1943, starring Guy Kibbee. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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