Excuse My Dust (1951 film)

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Excuse My Dust
Excuse My Dust (1951 film poster).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Roy Rowland
Edward Sedgwick
Written by Stephanie Nordli
George Wells
Bellamy Partridge
Buster Keaton (uncredited)
Produced by Jack Cummings
Starring Red Skelton
Sally Forrest
Macdonald Carey
William Demarest
Monica Lewis
Raymond Walburn
Cinematography Alfred Gilks
Edited by Irvine Warburton
Music by George Stoll
Production
company
Distributed by Loew's, Inc.
Release date
  • June 29, 1951 (1951-06-29)
Running time
82 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,789,000 [1]
Box office$2,298,000 [1]

Excuse My Dust is a 1951 musical comedy film starring Red Skelton. It was directed by Roy Rowland and an uncredited Edward Sedgwick. It is based on the 1943 book of the same name by Bellamy Partridge.

Contents

Plot

Amateur inventor Joe Belden has his Indiana hometown in a tizzy over his new "horseless carriage" in 1895. It runs on gasoline, but the townspeople aren't impressed and only Joe's mom and his sweetheart Liz Bullitt are supportive.

Mechanical breakdowns make Joe even more unpopular with some, including Liz's father, who prefers his daughter's other suitor, Ivy Leaguer Cyrus Ransom, Jr.

A $5,000 first prize in a road race attracts newfangled contraptions from all over the land. Cy enters one himself that runs on ether and cheats in every way he can to drive Joe off the road. He succeeds, but Liz comes to the rescue and joins Joe all the way to the finish line—well, almost all the way.

Cast

Production

The film was an original script by George Wells. Van Johnson was at one stage intended to star. [2]

Musical numbers

Performed by Macdonald Carey and Male Chorus

Performed by Monica Lewis and Chorus, introduced by Herbert Anderson and Sally Forrest

Sung by Macdonald Carey, Monica Lewis, Sally Forrest, Red Skelton and Chorus

Performed by Red Skelton and Sally Forrest (dubbed by Gloria Gray)

Performed by Macdonald Carey, William Demarest and Chorus

Performed by Monica Lewis, Red Skelton and Chorus

Danced by Sally Forrest and Male Chorus, in French Apache style

Sung by Sally Forrest (dubbed by Gloria Gray)

Reception

According to MGM records, the film earned $1,645,000 in the US and Canada and $653,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $501,000. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. Schallert, E. (Jul 24, 1950). "Skelton to go straight; rains in sea thriller; U-I buys best seller". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest   166104700.