Beau James

Beau James (1957)

He took New York for its wildest joyride!

The story of Jimmy Walker who became mayor of New York in the '20s.

Date of release
1957-06-07
TMDB
5.4 / 10 (5)
Runtime
1h 45m
Genres
Drama
Director
Melville Shavelson

Casting

Interesting facts

Beau James is a 1957 American drama film directed by Melville Shavelson and starring Bob Hope, Vera Miles, Paul Douglas and Alexis Smith. It is based on a 1944 non-fiction book of the same name by Gene Fowler. The film features Hope in a rare dramatic role as Jimmy Walker, the colorful but controversial Mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932.

Production

Beau James was the second of two major dramatic roles Hope ever attempted in his long film career, the first being The Seven Little Foys released two years earlier. Beau James also marked his final film for Paramount Pictures, ending a 20-year association with the studio that began with Hope's breakthrough role in The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938).

One of the more memorable lines is when Walker is asked at a baseball game about a personal conduct scandal and replies: "My comment, and you can quote me, is I hope the Yankees win." Although Walker was actually the 97th mayor of New York, in a scene with reporters after his election, Hope claims he was the 100th.

The film includes cameo musical appearances by Jimmy Durante and Jack Benny as themselves. This was the final film of veteran comic actor Walter Catlett. Stock music from composers Elmer Bernstein, Nelson Riddle, David Rose and Victor Young is used throughout.

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