Films of the mid-1930s were uneven. Some were great, some were flops, and some had the potential to be pretty decent...but didn't quite make it. "Duble Or Nothing" is one in the latter group.
The premise was decent: A millionaire (still during the Depression) leaves his fortune to several people if they (as individuals) can double a $5,000 grant within a given period of time. How are the individuals chosen? By their honesty in returning a planted "lost" wallet (failing to realized that at least one was expecting a reward for returning the "lost" wallet, not doing it out of the goodness of his heart. So along come Bing, Martha Raye, Andy Devine, and William Frawley returning the lost wallets. They are pitted against the millionaire's money hungry family -- Mary Carlisle, Samuel Hinds (a veteran character actor whom you'll recognize), William Henry, and Fay Holden. Raye and Devine come up with harebrained ideas that fail, Frawley can at least admit he isn't honest enough or smart enough to succeed (even though he appears the wisest of the four), and Crosby develops a nightclub (which is pretty fancy for just $5,000). Of course, it's Crosby who succeeds AND falls in love with the rich relative Mary Carlisle.
There are things to like here. Crosby is affable (but what's wrong with his forehead throughout the film...a sunburn badly covered up?). Raye's silliness shines through. During the nightclub scene there's a fantastic exotic vaudevillian dance routine. And my favorite Crosby early recording is here -- "The Natural Thing To Do" (although the record is better than this rendition.
There are things not to like here, too. In the last third of the film, the basic premise pretty much disappears as we see much less of Devine and Frawley; an failure in continuity. Raye was never as good a singer as she thought she was; she usually muddle through songs (yes, I know she was once a big band singer). The "choral orchestra" is a flop; such a bad idea. But worst of all is the bizarre ending which was totally illogical (I won't ruin it for you).
In terms of acting, Crosby is just Crosby...which is pretty good. Every one else does their job, but perhaps most notable is Bill Frawley (Fred on "I Love Lucy"), who has a far more substantial role than in most of his films where he was often not much more than a bit player. He gets significant screen time here.
Oh well. It's a passable film that is mostly (today) for Crosby fans...of which I am usually one.
The premise was decent: A millionaire (still during the Depression) leaves his fortune to several people if they (as individuals) can double a $5,000 grant within a given period of time. How are the individuals chosen? By their honesty in returning a planted "lost" wallet (failing to realized that at least one was expecting a reward for returning the "lost" wallet, not doing it out of the goodness of his heart. So along come Bing, Martha Raye, Andy Devine, and William Frawley returning the lost wallets. They are pitted against the millionaire's money hungry family -- Mary Carlisle, Samuel Hinds (a veteran character actor whom you'll recognize), William Henry, and Fay Holden. Raye and Devine come up with harebrained ideas that fail, Frawley can at least admit he isn't honest enough or smart enough to succeed (even though he appears the wisest of the four), and Crosby develops a nightclub (which is pretty fancy for just $5,000). Of course, it's Crosby who succeeds AND falls in love with the rich relative Mary Carlisle.
There are things to like here. Crosby is affable (but what's wrong with his forehead throughout the film...a sunburn badly covered up?). Raye's silliness shines through. During the nightclub scene there's a fantastic exotic vaudevillian dance routine. And my favorite Crosby early recording is here -- "The Natural Thing To Do" (although the record is better than this rendition.
There are things not to like here, too. In the last third of the film, the basic premise pretty much disappears as we see much less of Devine and Frawley; an failure in continuity. Raye was never as good a singer as she thought she was; she usually muddle through songs (yes, I know she was once a big band singer). The "choral orchestra" is a flop; such a bad idea. But worst of all is the bizarre ending which was totally illogical (I won't ruin it for you).
In terms of acting, Crosby is just Crosby...which is pretty good. Every one else does their job, but perhaps most notable is Bill Frawley (Fred on "I Love Lucy"), who has a far more substantial role than in most of his films where he was often not much more than a bit player. He gets significant screen time here.
Oh well. It's a passable film that is mostly (today) for Crosby fans...of which I am usually one.