It Happened to Jane

1959 "It's bigger than all of us!"
6.5| 1h37m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 05 August 1959 Released
Producted By: Columbia Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

Jane Osgood runs a lobster business, which supports her two young children. Railroad staff inattention ruins her shipment, so with her lawyer George, Jane sues Harry Foster Malone, director of the line and the "meanest man in the world".

Genre

Comedy, Romance

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Director

Richard Quine

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

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It Happened to Jane Audience Reviews

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie
Pluskylang Great Film overall
ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
HotToastyRag You'd think with two actors who are masters in comic timing-Jack Lemmon and Doris Day-their film together would be a smash hit. I still think if they'd been given a different script they'd have made a fantastic movie, but the plot of It Happened to Jane just doesn't work. Doris Day plays a single mother and career woman. Jack Lemmon plays her lawyer. See what I mean?Doris's company sells lobsters, but when Ernie Kovacs crosses her, she and Jack sue him and wind up in a nasty court battle. On the whole, the film isn't really a drama and it isn't really a comedy. It's a neutral film without much pizzazz, despite the natural pizzazz of the two leading stars. Plus, there's very little to root for. Doris's character isn't particularly likable, since she puts more focus on her business and pride than her children, and Jack's character mostly fades into the background until it's time for him to make a speech.If you absolutely love the two leads and like watching all their movies, go ahead and rent It Happened to Jane. Just don't expect much out of it. And then rent Irma la Douce afterwards, for a truly energetic, entertaining Jack Lemmon movie.
kerry-pay I was a fan of Doris Day always! They don't make comedic actresses such as her EVER! They don't make actors like Jack Lemmon anymore either! I feel sorry for the audiences of the future because the comedic actors today cannot hold a candle to the actors of the past! The only time I had to watch TV during the year was in the summer when I could stay up late and what the late late show when all the old movies from the 30-50's were shown. Movies have only become worse and worse as the decades have passed and I hardly go to a movie today because they can't write scripts or stories anymore or have actors who are as good as they were then. I'm 62 now and CGI movies don't write scripts anymore!
Amy Adler Jane (Doris Day) is a widow with two young children, living in Maine. She is a lobster trapper and her kids help her with the business. But one unlucky day, her shipment of lobsters, headed toward restaurants and businesses down the east coast, are not picked up by the scheduled train. Consequently, the lobsters die. Jane fumes, not only because this shipments' loss hurts, but her disappointed customers cancel future shipments, too. Turning to her lawyer friend, George (Jack Lemmon) for help, the two decide to petition the railroad for her losses. However, the head of the train company, Harry (Ernie Kovacs) is one tough nut and he offers her a paltry $750, take it or leave it. Nothing doing! Now, Jane sues. Harry, naturally, fights back, rerouting his train, among other things, to the dismay of the locals. Will Jane and George win the battle? And, since Jane has met a handsome, Manhattan journalist in the course of the resulting publicity, will George finally "wake up" and realize he loves Jane, too? I hate what I am about to write but it is so...this film is far from Day's best work and is NOT the lighthearted movie depicted on the cover. It is much more serious and has very few comedic situations. Also, it is quite contrived, from Day's leading her son's boy scout troop in a rousing (?) song of goody-two-shoes merits to the "we-are-the-last-to-know-we're-in-love" coupling of Jane and George. Lemon, to his credit, gets more out of his role but is still not given much of a chance to show off his comedic talents. On the plus side, the scenery is beautiful and the David/Goliath storyline has some good aspects. Therefore, perhaps, you the viewer should judge for yourself and give the flick a chance. As for me, I was totally let-down, for I thought there was no way that a Day-Lemon pairing could falter. I was wrong.
bgarry999 This is a fun period movie. It's a great snap shot of rural New England in the late 1950's. I remember watching this movie when I was a young boy growing up in the Hartford area of Connecticut. Thought the story is about the fictitious town, Cape Anne, Maine, the story was actually filmed in Connecticut. I remember everyone being excited about the movie because they had filmed scenes at the Hartford Railroad Station, one being where George kisses Jane. Back then we all had traveled someplace from the Hartford Station. The movie's vivid color gives us great views of the landscape, the old New England houses, stores, churches, and court house. The "Town Meeting" as it was, and still is, in some ways still in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The various types of cars of the time, and of course the different trains. It's a great story of the little guy (gal in this case) against the big corporation. Doris Day and Jack Lemmmon are at their best as well as the supporting cast. This is a movie the whole family can sit down to and have a great time, especially if you are from New England.

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