You're Telling Me!

Genre: Educational

Format: 16mm

Sound: sound

Description: "Sam Bisbee is a drunk and an unsuccessful inventor in the small town of Crystal Springs. His daughter Pauline hopes to marry Bob, son of the well-to-do and haughty Murchisons. Mrs. Murchison obstructs the union until, upon meeting Mrs. Bisbee, she learns that she is descended from the prominent Warren family of Virginia. Sam, however, walks in on the meeting carrying his latest invention: a puncture-proof tire, which rolls about the house smashing things. His display of what Mrs. Murchison calls 'naïve gaucherie' is enough for her to call off the wedding. Sam then attempts to sell his tire to the National Tire Company, but he illegally parks his car and a police car takes its place. When Sam demonstrates his tires by shooting at them, he damages the police car and is publicly humiliated. Taking the train back to Crystal Springs, Sam tries to commit suicide, but passes a cemetery and is unable to do it. Next, he wanders into the stateroom of Princess Marie Lescaboura, who, remembering a time she forfeited true love, is determined to help him. When the princess arrives in town and is met by the mayor and other prominent citizens, she insists on seeing her old friend Sam Bisbee, who, she says, saved her life in the war, and Sam, unaware that she is a princess, goes along with the gag. At her request, the Bisbees host her welcoming party instead of the Murchisons and Bob and Pauline announce their engagement with the princess' approval. Marie then gives Sam the honor of teeing off at the opening of the country club's new golf course the next day. At the golf course, Sam prepares to tee off while battling tissue paper, chocolate custard and his caddy, until he whacks the ball just as the men from the National Tire Company arrive and offer Sam $20,000 for his tire patent. The princess, however, manages to drive up Sam's price to a million dollars with royalties on every tire. As Pauline and Bob leave for their honeymoon, Sam tells Marie: 'We certainly put that princess stuff over, didn't we?' She responds, 'You're telling me!'"--AFI catalog, 1931-1940. Read less