The Man Who Walked Alone


1h 10m 1945

Brief Synopsis

Marion Scott (Dave O'Brien), honorably discharged WW II soldier, in "civies" and carrying a suitcase containing his uniform and medals, is hitch-hiking to the small hometown of a buddy killed overseas, intending to make it his home. En-route, he encounters wealthy society girl Wilhelmina Hammond (Kay Aldridge), who is running away from her stuffed-shirt fiancee, Alvin Bailey (Smith Ballew) and has taken his car without permission. Marion and Wilhelmina are bickering over a blow-out and an empty gas tank when the local cops appear and haul them off to jail on a car-theft charge. Wilhelmina establishes her identity and is released and, intrigued by Marion whom she suspects is a deserter, arranges his release also. She takes him to the Hammond estate and tells Marion, who does not know her true identity, she is Mrs. Hammond's secretary. Wilhelmina has no keys to the home and they are arrested again when they are caught crawling into the house through a window. This time reporters and photographers discover her identity and plaster the papers with a story of an heiress running out on her rich fiancee to take up with an unknown stranger. Over the objections of the Hammond caretaker, Wiggins (Walter Catlett), she hires Marion as a chauffeur and stands her ground when her irate mother (Isabel Randolph) and angry fiancee rush home from New York with their entourage, including: Aunt Harriet (Ruth Lee), an old maid who had an unfortuance love affir during WW I; Patricia (June Robinson), "Willie's" young and mischievous sister; Camille (Vicki Saunders), the family dressmaker, and Champ (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams), Alvin's physical instructor. It becomes a battle of wills as Mrs. Hammond and Alvin are determined to break up a romance that doesn't exist, as "Willie" and Marion are constantly bickering, and Aunt Harriet who is all for the pair getting together.

Film Details

Also Known As
G. I. Guy, Joe Comes Home, You Can't Stop Romance
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Mar 15, 1945
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Producers Releasing Corp.
Distribution Company
Producers Releasing Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 10m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
6,700ft (7 reels)

Synopsis

Captain Marion Scott is nearly killed while hitchhiking by runaway socialite Wilhelmina "Willy" Pierce Hammond when her car blows a tire while attempting to avoid him. Marion agrees to change her tire if Willy agrees to give him a ride into the town of Plainfield. The two soon run out of gas, however, and while Marion walks to the nearest gas station, Willy goes through his luggage, where she discovers his military uniform. Just outside of town, they are arrested for driving a stolen car, as Willy had "borrowed" the car from her politician fiancé, Alvin Baily III. Upon their release from jail, Willy tells Marion that she is the wealthy Hammond family's secretary, and offers to let him stay at the estate while the family is out of town. The two are arrested once again for breaking into the mansion, but this time Willy is recognized by the reporters at the police station. Back at the Hammond estate, Willy admits to Marion her suspicions that he is a deserter, only to learn that he is a wounded veteran who has been discharged from the military for medical reasons. Marion then tells Willy that he is an orphan who had never been to Plainfield before, but now considers it his home town, having been told all about it by one of his deceased comrades. Learning that her family and Alvin are returning to Plainfield the next day, Willy hires Marion as the new chauffeur, though her interest in him is more personal than professional. Despite the objections of her family, Willy confesses her love for Marion and attempts to break her engagement to Alvin. The family and Alvin, however, decide to go on with the planned wedding the next day, moving its locale from New York City to Plainfield. After Alvin fails in his attempts to throw Marion off the estate, Willy's mother offers to pay Marion to leave, thinking that he is a fortune hunter. That night, Marion drives off with Willy and proposes to her, but she refuses out of loyalty to her family. The family, however, has called for the police, believing that Marion is both a kidnapper and a deserter. The next morning, the townspeople of Plainfield arrive at the Hammond estate, not for the wedding of Willy and Alvin, but for the wedding of Willy and Marion, who they have discovered is a bona fide war hero. Willy then stands up to her family and is finally united with Marion.

Film Details

Also Known As
G. I. Guy, Joe Comes Home, You Can't Stop Romance
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Mar 15, 1945
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Producers Releasing Corp.
Distribution Company
Producers Releasing Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 10m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
6,700ft (7 reels)

Award Nominations

Best Score

1945

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

The working titles of this film were G. I. Guy, You Can't Stop Romance and Joe Comes Home. For his work on the picture, Karl Hajos received an Academy Award nomination in the Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) category.