THE STORK CLUB (1945)
A grumpy, well off curmudgeon, Barry Fitzgerald, helps hat check girl Betty Hutton out, a la Daddy Long-Legs. Her hubby returns from the service, sees her set up, and thinks she's a kept woman. The old man helps her woo the boyfriend back. The story has been told a million times, older asexual man helps young vibrant woman out financially, often as a secret benefactor, but Betty Hutton is so energetic, and so sincere, she's fun to watch. Her wisecracking girlfriend and co-worker tosses off some great one liners, like "Just the same - he's round forty, and that's a dangerous age." The movie is sitcom before television and a 30 minute time slot. Made under Hutton's contract with Paramount. Fitzgerald had just won the Supporting Actor Academy Award for "Going My Way" when the movie was released.
