Maureen O'Sullivan was an Irish discovery who Fox bought to America for the ingenue role in "Song of My Heart", a musical highlighting Irish tenor John McCormack. She was placed under a short term contract but left after realising nobody there was particularly interested in her. "The Big Shot" was made in the short time she was a free agent - just before she signed with MGM. The movie was a piece of small town whimsy (Will Rogers was a big star at the time and most studios wanted to show they too could make Americana) and the star, Eddie Quillan, before he became an interesting character actor, specialized in "go getter" comedy roles.
Ray (Quillan), a hotel clerk from Pottsville, is a little guy with big ideas and he hopes his new "Safe T Puncture Proof" tyres are going to put him into the big time - but they are, literally, a blow out!!! Never mind - he has lots more schemes up his sleeve and he believes the next one will make him a big shot. The next one is the "Blue Bird Auto Camp" and he does such a good job of convincing Doris's mother (Belle Bennett) that she willingly loans him the money to get started. The reality is very different from the glossy coloured leaflet - it is a gopher infested ghost town whose one human inhabitant is a grizzly Old Timer (Arthur Stone).
Enter Fay (Mary Nolan), a girl on the run who immediately has designs on hapless Ray. (Actually Ray has a girl back home, the sweet and pretty Doris, played by the equally sweet and pretty Maureen O'Sullivan). You could almost hear the writers saying "how are we going to make this movie longer and more interesting - I know! let's throw in a Vamp"!! Even though Nolan has the most intriguing part in the movie, you don't find out anything about her. She is on the run from pursuers, she has a wad of money that she gives to Ray, who in turn gives it Doris's mother in an effort to repay part of the loan. This leads to a potentially funny scene in which town gossips get the idea that Ray is indeed a success but it doesn't go anywhere. Next thing you know Fay is driving out of the park (and the movie) chased by her gangster boyfriend.
The one thing that is stopping the camp from being a success is the putrid swamp - but surprise!! surprise!! the townsfolk discover a plan that proves the swamp is really a healthy spa and there is a last minute rescue as Doris (in an effort to get to Ray before the villain (yes, of course, there's always a villain) can convince him to sell) drives her car into the swamp and is almost consumed by quicksand.
Mary Nolan's part was such an afterthought but I am so glad she was in it. A vamping woman was a role she could play in her sleep - she was still very pretty but no longer the raving beauty of only a year or two previously. She was also no longer a sought after actress but a known trouble maker, of whom only small independent studios would employ.
Ray (Quillan), a hotel clerk from Pottsville, is a little guy with big ideas and he hopes his new "Safe T Puncture Proof" tyres are going to put him into the big time - but they are, literally, a blow out!!! Never mind - he has lots more schemes up his sleeve and he believes the next one will make him a big shot. The next one is the "Blue Bird Auto Camp" and he does such a good job of convincing Doris's mother (Belle Bennett) that she willingly loans him the money to get started. The reality is very different from the glossy coloured leaflet - it is a gopher infested ghost town whose one human inhabitant is a grizzly Old Timer (Arthur Stone).
Enter Fay (Mary Nolan), a girl on the run who immediately has designs on hapless Ray. (Actually Ray has a girl back home, the sweet and pretty Doris, played by the equally sweet and pretty Maureen O'Sullivan). You could almost hear the writers saying "how are we going to make this movie longer and more interesting - I know! let's throw in a Vamp"!! Even though Nolan has the most intriguing part in the movie, you don't find out anything about her. She is on the run from pursuers, she has a wad of money that she gives to Ray, who in turn gives it Doris's mother in an effort to repay part of the loan. This leads to a potentially funny scene in which town gossips get the idea that Ray is indeed a success but it doesn't go anywhere. Next thing you know Fay is driving out of the park (and the movie) chased by her gangster boyfriend.
The one thing that is stopping the camp from being a success is the putrid swamp - but surprise!! surprise!! the townsfolk discover a plan that proves the swamp is really a healthy spa and there is a last minute rescue as Doris (in an effort to get to Ray before the villain (yes, of course, there's always a villain) can convince him to sell) drives her car into the swamp and is almost consumed by quicksand.
Mary Nolan's part was such an afterthought but I am so glad she was in it. A vamping woman was a role she could play in her sleep - she was still very pretty but no longer the raving beauty of only a year or two previously. She was also no longer a sought after actress but a known trouble maker, of whom only small independent studios would employ.
