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''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 comedy directed by George S. Kaufman. It is a farce about politics.
U.S. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, in spite of his brainless incompetence, wants to be President. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist. His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run.
U.S. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, in spite of his brainless incompetence, wants to be President. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist. His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run.
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''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 comedy American political farce written by Charles [=MacArthur=] and directed by George S. Kaufman. It is a farce about politics. \n\n
U.S. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who,in spite of notwithstanding his brainless incompetence, wants to be President. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's Ashton's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, ambitions, much to the disgust of his girlfriend girlfriend, newspaper columnist Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist.Raines). His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run.
U.S. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who,
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Changed line(s) 3,6 (click to see context) from:
''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 comedy film directed by George S. Kaufman. It is a farce about politics.
Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, in spite of his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist. His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run.
Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, in spite of his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist. His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run.
to:
''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 comedy film directed by George S. Kaufman. It is a farce about politics.
U.S. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, in spite of his brainless incompetence, wants to bepresident.President. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist. His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run.
U.S. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, in spite of his brainless incompetence, wants to be
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* UncomfortableElevatorMoment: Ashton, in his pajamas, dashes out an emergency exit--and finds himself on a platform of Grand Central Station. He has to walk back to the hotel and take an elevator back to his room, still clad in his pajamas, getting the side-eye from the other people in the elevator.
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* UncomfortableElevatorMoment: Ashton, in his pajamas, dashes out an emergency exit--and finds himself on a platform of Grand Central Station. He has to walk back to the hotel and take an elevator back to his room, still clad in his pajamas, getting the side-eye from the other people in the elevator.elevator.
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[[quoteright:201:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_senator_was_indiscreet_poster.jpg]]
''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 film directed by George S. Kaufman.
It is a farce comedy about politics. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, despite his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist.
His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run. It so happens however that Ashton has kept a diary throughout his 35 years in politics, and that diary is chock full of incriminating material. Faced with this threat, Houlihan does an about face and supports Ashton's campaign, and Ashton starts to climb in the polls. Poppy breaks up with Lew.
Senator Ashton returns to New York to make a big campaign speech at Madison Square Garden. However, after the speech he realizes that his diary--his extremely sensitive, incriminating diary--has been stolen. Panic breaks out as not just Ashton but all his party cronies realize they face disgrace and prison.
[[OneBookAuthor The only film ever directed]] by Kaufman, who's far better known for his hugely successful career as a playwright. This film, a silly comedy about politics, is very similar to Kaufman's UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning theatrical comedy ''Theatre/OfTheeISing''.
''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 film directed by George S. Kaufman.
It is a farce comedy about politics. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, despite his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist.
His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run. It so happens however that Ashton has kept a diary throughout his 35 years in politics, and that diary is chock full of incriminating material. Faced with this threat, Houlihan does an about face and supports Ashton's campaign, and Ashton starts to climb in the polls. Poppy breaks up with Lew.
Senator Ashton returns to New York to make a big campaign speech at Madison Square Garden. However, after the speech he realizes that his diary--his extremely sensitive, incriminating diary--has been stolen. Panic breaks out as not just Ashton but all his party cronies realize they face disgrace and prison.
[[OneBookAuthor The only film ever directed]] by Kaufman, who's far better known for his hugely successful career as a playwright. This film, a silly comedy about politics, is very similar to Kaufman's UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning theatrical comedy ''Theatre/OfTheeISing''.
to:
''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 comedy film directed by George S.
Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who,
It so
Senator
[[OneBookAuthor The only film ever directed]] by Kaufman, who's far better known for his hugely successful career as a playwright. This film, a silly comedy about politics, is very similar to Kaufman's UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning theatrical comedy
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Look for "Iron Eyes" Cody, the CryingIndian himself, as one of the Native Americans meeting Ashton in the opening scene.
to:
Look for "Iron Eyes" Cody, Creator/IronEyesCody, the CryingIndian himself, as one of the Native Americans meeting Ashton in the opening scene.
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''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' is a 1947 film directed by George S. Kaufman.
to:
''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' (also known as ''Mr. Ashton Was Indiscreet'') is a 1947 film directed by George S. Kaufman.
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It is a farce comedy about politics. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, despite his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=], a newspaper columnist.
His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan, doesn't want Ashton to run. It so happens however that Ashton has kept a diary throughout his 35 years in politics, and that diary is chock full of incriminating material. Faced with this threat, Houlihan does an about face and supports Ashton's campaign, and Ashton starts to climb in the polls. Poppy breaks up with Lew.
His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan, doesn't want Ashton to run. It so happens however that Ashton has kept a diary throughout his 35 years in politics, and that diary is chock full of incriminating material. Faced with this threat, Houlihan does an about face and supports Ashton's campaign, and Ashton starts to climb in the polls. Poppy breaks up with Lew.
to:
It is a farce comedy about politics. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, despite his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson (Peter Lind Hayes) is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=], [=McNaughton=] (Ella Raines), a newspaper columnist.
His own party, represented by boss FredHoulihan, Houlihan (Ray Collins), doesn't want Ashton to run. It so happens however that Ashton has kept a diary throughout his 35 years in politics, and that diary is chock full of incriminating material. Faced with this threat, Houlihan does an about face and supports Ashton's campaign, and Ashton starts to climb in the polls. Poppy breaks up with Lew.
His own party, represented by boss Fred
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[[OneBookAuthor The only film ever directed]] by George S. Kaufman, far better known for his hugely successful career as a playwright. This film, a silly comedy about politics, is very similar to Kaufman's UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning theatrical comedy ''Theatre/OfTheeISing''.
to:
[[OneBookAuthor The only film ever directed]] by George S. Kaufman, who's far better known for his hugely successful career as a playwright. This film, a silly comedy about politics, is very similar to Kaufman's UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning theatrical comedy ''Theatre/OfTheeISing''.
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Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:201:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_senator_was_indiscreet_poster.jpg]]
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* SleazyPolitician: Played for laughs, but apparently Ashton's whole party is filled with crooks. When Poppy publishes Ashton's incriminating diary, they all flee the country.
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* IWantYouToMeetAnOldFriendOfMine: The last few seconds of the film have Mrs. Ashton, previously TheGhost, finally appear. She's played by William Powell's frequent co-star Creator/MyrnaLoy.
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Added DiffLines:
''The Senator Was Indiscreet'' is a 1947 film directed by George S. Kaufman.
It is a farce comedy about politics. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, despite his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=], a newspaper columnist.
His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan, doesn't want Ashton to run. It so happens however that Ashton has kept a diary throughout his 35 years in politics, and that diary is chock full of incriminating material. Faced with this threat, Houlihan does an about face and supports Ashton's campaign, and Ashton starts to climb in the polls. Poppy breaks up with Lew.
Senator Ashton returns to New York to make a big campaign speech at Madison Square Garden. However, after the speech he realizes that his diary--his extremely sensitive, incriminating diary--has been stolen. Panic breaks out as not just Ashton but all his party cronies realize they face disgrace and prison.
[[OneBookAuthor The only film ever directed]] by George S. Kaufman, far better known for his hugely successful career as a playwright. This film, a silly comedy about politics, is very similar to Kaufman's UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning theatrical comedy ''Theatre/OfTheeISing''.
Look for "Iron Eyes" Cody, the CryingIndian himself, as one of the Native Americans meeting Ashton in the opening scene.
----
!!Tropes:
* AsYouKnow: Poppy provides some exposition when, while interviewing Ashton, she says "This is your first term in the Senate, isn't it?"
* TheCameo: Creator/MyrnaLoy pops up at the very end of the movie as Senator Ashton's previously unseen wife. It was the 14th and last film pairing of Powell and Loy, one of the most famous [[invoked]]ThoseTwoActors pairs in Hollywood history.
* ChekhovsGun: When Ashton is seen writing in a diary early in the film, it's not hard to guess that it will be relevant to the plot.
* ExtraExtraReadAllAboutIt: At the end newspaper boys are calling out the extra edition of the paper with the report about Ashton's diary.
* TheGhost: Mrs. Ashton, whom Sen. Ashton calls on the phone multiple times and talks about a lot, but is not seen onscreen--until the end when she's revealed to be Creator/MyrnaLoy.
* IHaveToWashMyHair: Valerie Shepherd says she has to leave town, saying "my sister's very sick." The real reason is that she's the one who stole Ashton's diary.
* IntrepidReporter: Poppy, who is determined to bring Ashton the fraud down. She finally does when Lew's conscience gets to him and he hands over the diary.
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Houlihan notes that Ashton's speech is an old one from December 6, 1941, and suggests that he take out the part where he mocks the idea of going to war with Japan.
* TheMole: Valerie Shepherd, the pretty young lady who gets a job with the Ashton campaign and romances Lew. She turns out to be a spy sent by a political enemy of Ashton, and she steals his diary.
* {{Newsreel}}: A fake newsreel dramatizes Senator Ashton's whistlestop tour around America. The narrator of the newsreel says "When in Hollywood, Senator Ashton had looked closely into the question of oil deposits and other natural resources," while the image actually shows him looking at the bottom of a scantily-clad chorus girl.
* NoodleIncident: When Ashton reveals that he keeps a diary and has written everything he's done or heard about in it, a horrified Houlihan stammers "Like...like Boston?". When Ashton confirms that yes, he wrote about Boston, Houlihan gasps and says "But not like Denver?". Ashton wrote about Denver, too.
* NoNameGiven: The one guy in the party entourage who seems to be some sort of black ops specialist. After the diary disappears he starts calling around all over the nation, telling corrupt party operatives what flights are leaving the country and what nations lack extradition treaties with the United States. He is never named and is listed in the credits as "You Know Who".
-->"Theodore, this is you-know-who. We got a little situation here, and I want you to contact certain parties and tell 'em to stand by for a get-away. Better have their bags packed. Ready? Honest John [=McAfferty=] in Boston. Honest John Mancuso in Philadelphia. Honest John Mankiewicz in Pittsburgh. Major Culpepper in Richmond. Colonel Culpepper in Atlanta. Brig. Gen. Culpepper in New Orleans."
* NoPartyGiven: Ashton's party is never named.
* PigLatin: While Houlihan is at dinner, Ashton calls him, and attempts to tell him about the diary in Pig Latin. Houlihan says "Say, what are you, some kind of foreigner?", then covers the receiver and says to the other people at the table, "Sounds like a drunk with no teeth."
* PoliticiansKissBabies: The film starts out with a dedication, which begins with "To every politician who has ever jeopardized a baby's health with unsanitary kisses...".
* SpinningPaper: Spinning papers demonstrate that Ashton's non-denial denial of any interest in being president is big news.
* UncomfortableElevatorMoment: Ashton, in his pajamas, dashes out an emergency exit--and finds himself on a platform of Grand Central Station. He has to walk back to the hotel and take an elevator back to his room, still clad in his pajamas, getting the side-eye from the other people in the elevator.
It is a farce comedy about politics. Senator Melvin G. Ashton (Creator/WilliamPowell) is a bumbling goof who, despite his brainless incompetence, wants to be president. Publicist Lew Gibson is well aware of his boss's incompetence but is pushing his boss's campaign to further his own ambition, much to the disgust of his girlfriend Poppy [=McNaughton=], a newspaper columnist.
His own party, represented by boss Fred Houlihan, doesn't want Ashton to run. It so happens however that Ashton has kept a diary throughout his 35 years in politics, and that diary is chock full of incriminating material. Faced with this threat, Houlihan does an about face and supports Ashton's campaign, and Ashton starts to climb in the polls. Poppy breaks up with Lew.
Senator Ashton returns to New York to make a big campaign speech at Madison Square Garden. However, after the speech he realizes that his diary--his extremely sensitive, incriminating diary--has been stolen. Panic breaks out as not just Ashton but all his party cronies realize they face disgrace and prison.
[[OneBookAuthor The only film ever directed]] by George S. Kaufman, far better known for his hugely successful career as a playwright. This film, a silly comedy about politics, is very similar to Kaufman's UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning theatrical comedy ''Theatre/OfTheeISing''.
Look for "Iron Eyes" Cody, the CryingIndian himself, as one of the Native Americans meeting Ashton in the opening scene.
----
!!Tropes:
* AsYouKnow: Poppy provides some exposition when, while interviewing Ashton, she says "This is your first term in the Senate, isn't it?"
* TheCameo: Creator/MyrnaLoy pops up at the very end of the movie as Senator Ashton's previously unseen wife. It was the 14th and last film pairing of Powell and Loy, one of the most famous [[invoked]]ThoseTwoActors pairs in Hollywood history.
* ChekhovsGun: When Ashton is seen writing in a diary early in the film, it's not hard to guess that it will be relevant to the plot.
* ExtraExtraReadAllAboutIt: At the end newspaper boys are calling out the extra edition of the paper with the report about Ashton's diary.
* TheGhost: Mrs. Ashton, whom Sen. Ashton calls on the phone multiple times and talks about a lot, but is not seen onscreen--until the end when she's revealed to be Creator/MyrnaLoy.
* IHaveToWashMyHair: Valerie Shepherd says she has to leave town, saying "my sister's very sick." The real reason is that she's the one who stole Ashton's diary.
* IntrepidReporter: Poppy, who is determined to bring Ashton the fraud down. She finally does when Lew's conscience gets to him and he hands over the diary.
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Houlihan notes that Ashton's speech is an old one from December 6, 1941, and suggests that he take out the part where he mocks the idea of going to war with Japan.
* TheMole: Valerie Shepherd, the pretty young lady who gets a job with the Ashton campaign and romances Lew. She turns out to be a spy sent by a political enemy of Ashton, and she steals his diary.
* {{Newsreel}}: A fake newsreel dramatizes Senator Ashton's whistlestop tour around America. The narrator of the newsreel says "When in Hollywood, Senator Ashton had looked closely into the question of oil deposits and other natural resources," while the image actually shows him looking at the bottom of a scantily-clad chorus girl.
* NoodleIncident: When Ashton reveals that he keeps a diary and has written everything he's done or heard about in it, a horrified Houlihan stammers "Like...like Boston?". When Ashton confirms that yes, he wrote about Boston, Houlihan gasps and says "But not like Denver?". Ashton wrote about Denver, too.
* NoNameGiven: The one guy in the party entourage who seems to be some sort of black ops specialist. After the diary disappears he starts calling around all over the nation, telling corrupt party operatives what flights are leaving the country and what nations lack extradition treaties with the United States. He is never named and is listed in the credits as "You Know Who".
-->"Theodore, this is you-know-who. We got a little situation here, and I want you to contact certain parties and tell 'em to stand by for a get-away. Better have their bags packed. Ready? Honest John [=McAfferty=] in Boston. Honest John Mancuso in Philadelphia. Honest John Mankiewicz in Pittsburgh. Major Culpepper in Richmond. Colonel Culpepper in Atlanta. Brig. Gen. Culpepper in New Orleans."
* NoPartyGiven: Ashton's party is never named.
* PigLatin: While Houlihan is at dinner, Ashton calls him, and attempts to tell him about the diary in Pig Latin. Houlihan says "Say, what are you, some kind of foreigner?", then covers the receiver and says to the other people at the table, "Sounds like a drunk with no teeth."
* PoliticiansKissBabies: The film starts out with a dedication, which begins with "To every politician who has ever jeopardized a baby's health with unsanitary kisses...".
* SpinningPaper: Spinning papers demonstrate that Ashton's non-denial denial of any interest in being president is big news.
* UncomfortableElevatorMoment: Ashton, in his pajamas, dashes out an emergency exit--and finds himself on a platform of Grand Central Station. He has to walk back to the hotel and take an elevator back to his room, still clad in his pajamas, getting the side-eye from the other people in the elevator.
