The Egg and I (film)

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The Egg and I
Directed by Chester Erskine
Screenplay byChester Erskine
Fred F. Finklehoffe
Based on The Egg and I
1945 novel
by Betty MacDonald
Produced byChester Erskine
Fred F. Finklehoffe
Leonard Goldstein (associate producer)
Starring Claudette Colbert
Fred MacMurray
Marjorie Main
Cinematography Milton R. Krasner
Edited byRussell F. Schoengarth
Music by Frank Skinner
Production
company
Universal Pictures
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates
  • March 21, 1947 (1947-03-21)(Los Angeles, premiere)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,900,000 [1]
Box office$5.5 million (U.S. and Canada rentals) [2]

The Egg and I is a 1947 American romantic comedy film directed by Chester Erskine, who co-wrote the screenplay with Fred F. Finklehoffe, based on the book of the same name by Betty MacDonald and starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray, with Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride as Ma and Pa Kettle.

Contents

The box office success of The Egg and I influenced the production of Universal-International's Ma and Pa Kettle series, which consists of nine feature films most of which star Main and Kilbride together.

At the 20th Academy Awards, Main was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Plot

The film tells the story of a young married couple who become chicken farmers. Betty follows her husband Bob to the countryside where his dream is to be a successful chicken farmer. The problem is, their home is old and needs to be repaired and the baby chicks need constant care. When a rich single woman with a new house and new farm equipment flirts with Bob, Betty questions their decision to move to the farm in the first place. In the end, she finds out that Bob was trying to buy the new house for Betty as a surprise. In the end, Bob and Betty celebrate the birth of their newborn daughter, Anne.

Cast

Production crew

Reception

The Egg and I was a box office success, earning $5.5 million in domestic theatrical rentals [2] against its budget of $1.9 million. [1]

Radio adaptations

References

  1. 1 2 GLADWIN HILL (Dec 10, 1950). "BUSIEST FILM PRODUCER IN HOLLYWOOD: Four on the Way Success Key What Corn Belt? Yard Boy". New York Times. p. X10.
  2. 1 2 "All-Time Top Grosses". Variety. January 4, 1961. p. 49. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  3. "Radio "Scoop"". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 28, 1946. p. 17. Retrieved September 4, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. "Those Were The Days". Nostalgia Digest. 39 (2): 32–39. Spring 2013.
  5. "Radio Programs - Monday". Lewiston Evening Journal (Maine). 1947-05-05. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-03-08.