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IMDbPro

If You Could Only Cook

  • 19351935
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 12m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
Jean Arthur and Herbert Marshall in If You Could Only Cook (1935)
ComedyRomance
An executive lets an attractive cook talk him into taking a job as butler.An executive lets an attractive cook talk him into taking a job as butler.An executive lets an attractive cook talk him into taking a job as butler.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
    • William A. Seiter
    • Howard J. Green(screen play)
    • Gertrude Purcell(screen play)
    • F. Hugh Herbert(story)
  • Stars
    • Herbert Marshall
    • Jean Arthur
    • Leo Carrillo
    • William A. Seiter
    • Howard J. Green(screen play)
    • Gertrude Purcell(screen play)
    • F. Hugh Herbert(story)
  • Stars
    • Herbert Marshall
    • Jean Arthur
    • Leo Carrillo
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Jean Arthur, Herbert Marshall, and Leo Carrillo in If You Could Only Cook (1935)
    Jean Arthur and Herbert Marshall in If You Could Only Cook (1935)
    Jean Arthur and Herbert Marshall in If You Could Only Cook (1935)
    Jean Arthur, Herbert Marshall, and Leo Carrillo in If You Could Only Cook (1935)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Herbert Marshall
    Herbert Marshall
    • Jim Buchanan
    Jean Arthur
    Jean Arthur
    • Joan Hawthorne
    Leo Carrillo
    Leo Carrillo
    • Mike Rossini
    Lionel Stander
    Lionel Stander
    • Flash
    Alan Edwards
    Alan Edwards
    • Bob Reynolds
    Frieda Inescort
    Frieda Inescort
    • Evelyn Fletcher
    • (as Frieda Inescourt)
    Gene Morgan
    Gene Morgan
    • Al
    Ralf Harolde
    Ralf Harolde
    • Swig
    Matt McHugh
    Matt McHugh
    • Pete
    Richard Powell
    • Chesty
    Mariska Aldrich
    • Swedish Cook
    • (uncredited)
    William Anderson
    • Newsboy
    • (uncredited)
    John Ardell
    • Member of Board of Directors
    • (uncredited)
    William Arnold
    • Second Inspector
    • (uncredited)
    William Begg
    William Begg
    • Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Wyrley Birch
    Wyrley Birch
    • Minister
    • (uncredited)
    Joan Blair
    • Kate
    • (uncredited)
    Ralph Brooks
    • Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
      • William A. Seiter
      • Howard J. Green(screen play)
      • Gertrude Purcell(screen play)
      • F. Hugh Herbert(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In order to cash in on Frank Capra's popularity in England, Columbia Pictures released this film in London as "A Frank Capra Production, produced by Frank Capra." Capra, who had never even seen the film, was furious. This led to a bitter year-long dispute between head of Columbia Harry Cohn and Capra, who sued the studio for libel. It almost cost Cohn his job and almost resulted in Capra leaving the studio. It was resolved when Cohn relented and promised to buy for Capra the rights to the play "You Can't Take It with You" for $200,000, and pay him some back salary if he would drop the suit. Capra did.
    • Goofs
      When Rossini pulls up to tell his gang the hit is off, a reflection of the boom microphone is visible on the trunk of his car, lower right of the frame.
    • Quotes

      Jim Buchanan: Do you think I'm out of my mind?

      Jennings: I'm hoping for the best sir!

    • Connections
      Featured in The Lady with the Torch (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)
      (uncredited)

      from "Lohengrin"

      Written by Richard Wagner

      [Played on piano by Walter Byron at the wedding rehearsal, reprised by the band at the wedding]

    User reviews25

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Keeping Up Appearances
    Entertaining, almost screwball-like, comedy about successful car designer, James Buchanan (Herbert Marshall), soon to be married in what seems like a "marriage of convenience" to a society woman he doesn't love. Well, he meets a pretty out-of-work blonde named Joan (Jean Arthur) on a park bench where she is busy reading the want ads. Finding an ad desiring a married couple for "cook and butler", they decide to pretend they are married and apply for the job (James agreeing to go along with the idea 'cause he "likes" her). Well, they get the job, the employers are a bunch of gangsters, and they end up living in the servants quarters above the garage with just one double bed!

    This is a very enjoyable film, much better than I was expecting. The plot is lots of fun, and features a couple of my favorite actors, Jean Arthur and Herbert Marshall, who are both great in this - they even seemed to have some chemistry together (even though the first kiss between them looked almost like a boy kissing his grandma). The actors who play the gangsters in this are quite funny, especially Lionel Stander as the main man's sidekick, a guy named Flash who seems like just another dumb mug, but is actually the one who immediately catches on, via snooping around, that James and Joan may not really be a married couple. A really good film that deserves to be more well known than it is.
    helpful•22
    1
    • movingpicturegal
    • Jan 18, 2007

    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 30, 1935 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 12 minutes
      • Black and White

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