It's a Great Life's primary photo
  • It's a Great Life (1935)
  • Passed
    64 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
It's a Great Life (1935)
Passed
64 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

Desperate for work, Johnny Barclay leaves Ma and Grandpop to join the newly formed Civilian Conversation Corps. On the way he meets cynical young hobo Roscoe "Rockie" Johnson, and, although Rockie believes that hopping freight trains is a ...See moreDesperate for work, Johnny Barclay leaves Ma and Grandpop to join the newly formed Civilian Conversation Corps. On the way he meets cynical young hobo Roscoe "Rockie" Johnson, and, although Rockie believes that hopping freight trains is a great life, Johnny convinces him to join the Corps. At first the hardship of the Corps induces Rockie to quit, but he returns with a recruit, Lazy Bones. Since Rockie has no family, Johnny induces him to send twenty-five dollars of his thirty-dollar paycheck to Johnny's neighbor, Mary Jennings, who has been raising her little brothers and sisters since her parents died. On a two-week vacation, Johnny brings Rockie home to meet the family, and Rockie is surprised to find Mary to be a beautiful and independent woman. Mary and Rockie fall in love, but when Johnny proposes marriage to Mary, she does not give a definite yes or no. Back at camp, Rockie throws himself into his work, but Johnny becomes jealous when he sees that Rockie is receiving letters from Mary and he is not, and accuses Rockie of stealing his girl. Mary comes for visitors' day, and Rockie avoids her to give Johnny time with her. Mary is mystified by Rockie's disappearance during the camp's informal stage show, during which she plays accompaniment to Johnny's song. When a forest fire erupts in the forest and entraps the trucks carrying the visitors home, Johnny grabs dynamite to explode the dam, so that their powder house will not be threatened by the fire, but Rockie knocks him out and does the job himself. Water from the broken dam extinguishes the fire, and Rockie recuperates in the hospital, and later, at Mary's house. After Rockie recovers, Johnny gladly acts as witness at Rockie and Mary's wedding, and then happily returns to the Corps. See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Writers
Arthur Lake (story) | Sherman Rogers (story) | Paul Gerard Smith (screenplay) (as Paul Girard Smith) | Harlan Thompson (screenplay)
Producer
Cinematographer
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Oct 4, 1935

Release date
Oct 4, 1935 (United States)

Contacts

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Cast

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30 cast members
Name Known for
Joe Morrison
Johnny Barclay Johnny Barclay   See fewer
Paul Kelly
Rockie Johnson Rockie Johnson   See fewer
Rosalind Keith
Mary Jennings Mary Jennings   See fewer
William Frawley
Lt. McNulty Lt. McNulty   See fewer
Charles 'Chic' Sale
Grandpa Barclay Grandpa Barclay   See fewer
David Holt
Ruddy Ruddy   See fewer
Dean Jagger
Arnold Arnold   See fewer
Baby LeRoy
Buddy Buddy   See fewer
Florence Nash
Ma Emmy Barclay Ma Emmy Barclay   See fewer
Gloria Ann White
Elizabeth Elizabeth   See fewer
Oscar Polk
Lazy Bones Lazy Bones   See fewer
Irving Bacon
Slim (uncredited) Slim (uncredited)   See fewer
Clarence Badger Jr.
Ranger (uncredited) Ranger (uncredited)   See fewer
George Barton
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Hurley Breen
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Thomas Carr
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Allan Cavan
Doctor (uncredited) Doctor (uncredited)   See fewer
Eddy Chandler
Assistant Leader (uncredited) Assistant Leader (uncredited)   See fewer
Jack Chapin
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Four Esquires
Vocal Quartette (uncredited) Vocal Quartette (uncredited)   See fewer
Al Hill
Robber in Lunch Car (uncredited) Robber in Lunch Car (uncredited)   See fewer
Howard Joslin
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Victor Lewis
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Frank Losee Jr.
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Frances Morris
Nurse (uncredited) Nurse (uncredited)   See fewer
Jack Murphy
Stevens (uncredited) Stevens (uncredited)   See fewer
Bryson Rogers
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Matty Roubert
CCC Boy (uncredited) CCC Boy (uncredited)   See fewer
Oscar Rudolph
Cook (uncredited) Cook (uncredited)   See fewer
Duke York
Driver (uncredited) Driver (uncredited)   See fewer
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