We're in the Money is a 1935 film directed by Ray Enright.
Ginger and Dixie (Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell) are process servers who work for an addle-minded lawyer, Homer Bronson. Ginger and Dixie use their feminine charms and street smarts to finagle their way past gate-keepers and serve subpoenas to reluctant targets. Currently, Homer is representing a tart named Claire LeClaire in a breach-of-promise suit against a wealthy playboy, C. Richard Courtney. Ginger and Dixie are running around serving subpoenas to Courtney's friends, with the eventual goal of serving Courtney himself. They are under time pressure, as the breach-of-promise law in New York expires in two weeks. (In Real Life this was the era in which states began to repeal breach-of-promise laws.)
Meanwhile, Ginger has fallen in love with a chauffeur named Carter, and they have gotten in the habit of meeting in the park for passionate necking. What Ginger doesn't know is that her Carter is actually C. Richard Courtney.
Tropes:
- Amoral Attorney: Homer. For all his childlike, giggling nature, he also was willing to submit a photo that he himself faked in order to win the breach-of-promise suit.
- As Himself: Man Mountain Dean, a professional wrestler, appears as himself. He is one of Courtney's friends and gets a subpoena from the ladies.
- Breach of Promise of Marriage: Claire is expecting $500,000 in 1935 money, so Courtney must be very, very rich. ginger and Dixie are in a time crunch as they must serve their subpoenas before the breach-of-promise law expires.
- Captain Obvious: Courtney and his lawyer are trying to hail a taxi. Homer tries to hail one for them, then says "You must be lookin' for a taxi, huh?"
- Celebrity Paradox: Dixie and Homer both briefly sing "We're in the Money," the song that titled this movie. "We're in the Money" was written for the 1933 film Gold Diggers of 1933, which co-starred Joan Blondell.
- Comically Missing the Point: Homer, in a Running Gag. When he asks Phil the singer what he does for a living, Phil says "I sing a bit on the side," and Homer says "On the side? What side?"
- Drives Like Crazy:
- Homer offers Courtney and his lawyer a ride. He then takes them on a terrifying high-speed trip through the streets of New York, during which he admits that he's only driven twice before and doesn't have a license.
- Soon after Homer does this with a boat! After realizing that the man sailing away is J. Richard Courtney, Homer tries to commandeer a motorboat, only to wind up circling madly around the harbor, unable to stop.
- Forgetful Jones: Homer (a bad trait in a lawyer!). He introduces Claire to Ginger and Dixie, then immediately forgets Claire's name.
- Hypocritical Humor: Homer berates Ginger and Dixie for letting J. Richard Courtney escape, without telling them that he was the one who drove Courtney to the pier.
- Money Song: The film is titled after the Trope Maker, "We're in the Money", which plays over the opening credits and in the background.
- Secretly Wealthy: C. Richard Courtney puts on a chauffeur suit and goes by "Carter" when he's with Ginger. It's a thing he does to avoid breach-of-promise suits.
- Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: The climax. After the justice of the peace delivers this line as he's marring Courtney and Claire, Ginger and Dixie burst in with the proof that the photo was faked, which means that Courtney doesn't have to marry Claire and can marry Ginger instead.
- Titled After the Song: Titled of course after the smash hit song "We're in the Money."
- Title Drop: Dixie says "We're in the money!", after getting $1000 for serving the subpoena, only for a furious Ginger to reveal that Carter had just asked her to marry him.
- Video Credits: Video credits of the main players at the start of the film, as was Warner Brothers house style during this era.
