HAPPINESS C.O.D. (1935) Maude Eburne, Donald Meek, Irene Ware | Comedy, Romance | B&W

Happiness C.O.D. is a 1935 American romantic comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Maude Eburne, Donald Meek and Irene Ware.

SYNOPSIS
A young man, hard-pressed to pay off his mortgage and support his family, decides that he'll get money any way he can--honestly or otherwise.

When meek widower Thomas F. Sherridan, a construction engineer and owner of the Continental Construction Co., receives a telegram from his eldest son Ken informing him of his impending visit home, he promptly organizes a family reunion. Tom's sister Addie, who raised his three children and still manages his household, prepares a special dinner to celebrate Ken's homecoming. Ken, an architect "with new ideas" shows up with a mustache and a new girl friend, department store heiress Beatrice Manning, and announces that he has quit his job. When younger brother Larry and his sister Carroll arrive, the three siblings make plans to dine out, thoughtlessly leaving Tom and Aunt Addie behind. Once alone, Tom reveals to Addie that he is nearly bankrupt, in part because his extravagant offspring have always charged their various purchases to his account. Addie disapproves of this practice and also of Carroll's boyfriend, Jim Martin, who has been separated from his wife since she became an invalid after being seriously injured in a car accident while out with another man. Shortly after his arrival home, Ken, while dining with Beatrice and her father, sees Carroll and Jim together, and later, he tells Carroll that Jim isn't good enough for her.

Meanwhile, Tom insists on keeping his financial woes a secret from his family, and he is harassed by sleazy businessman Lester Walsh, holder of the $20,000 mortgage on Tom's house. Walsh attempts to bribe Tom into approving the use of an inexpensive and inferior cement for the construction of a hospital in which Walsh has an interest. Addie finally tells Ken, Larry and Carroll how dire their father's financial situation is, and realizing the error of their ways, they all resolve to help. Carroll offers to wed Jim in exchange for $20,000, but he refuses, saying that such an arrangement would spoil their relationship. Addie, who has been courted for several years by Sam Townsend, offers him her hand, and he gladly accepts. The Reverend Huxley, an old friend of Addie's, decides to adopt one of Ken's avant-garde designs, previously rejected by the Manning Department Store, for his new tabernacle, a project on which Tom, Ken and Sam are to be partners. The only dark cloud on the horizon is a series of armed robberies in the locale, which Addie fears may have been committed by Larry, who once bragged about owning a gun; however, it is soon discovered that Larry has sold his gun and car and is working as a soda jerk in order to help his father.

CAST & CREW
Maude Eburne as Aunt Addie
Donald Meek as Thomas Sherridan
Irene Ware as Carroll Sherridan
William Bakewell as Ken Sherridan
Polly Ann Young as Eleanor
Lona Andre as Beatrice Manning
Frank Coghlan Jr. as Larry Sherridan
Malcolm McGregor as Jim Martin
Edwin Maxwell as Lester Walsh
Robert McKenzie as Sam Townsend
Fred Sumner as Mr. Manning
Richard Carlyle as Rev. Huxley
John Dilson as Snyder

Directed by Charles Lamont
Written by Robert Ellis, Helen Logan
Produced by George R. Batcheller
Cinematography M.A. Anderson
Edited by Roland D. Reed
Production company Chesterfield Pictures
Distributed by Chesterfield Pictures
Release date September 10, 1935
Running time 69 minutes
Country United States
Language English