It All Came True is a 1940 comedy film.^[1][2] It stars Humphrey Bogart as a gangster who hides from the police in a boarding house. Costar Ann Sheridan introduced the hit song "Angel in Disguise".

Plot [link]

Aspiring songwriter Tommy Taylor (Jeffrey Lynn) pins his hopes on the promises of his employer, gambler and gangster "Chips" Maguire (Bogart). However, Chips uses the gun he had registered under Tommy's name to kill Monks (Herb Vigran) when he betrays Chips to the police. It turns out Chips had Tommy carry the gun for just such a situation, to provide him with a fall guy. Needing a place to hide out, Chips blackmails Tommy into taking him to the boarding house owned by his mother, Nora Taylor (Jessie Busley), and her longtime friend, Maggie Ryan (Una O'Connor), by threatening to turn the gun over to the police.

Nora is overjoyed to see her son after an absence of five years. Tommy introduces them to Chips, who pretends to be a man named Grasselli recovering from a nervous condition. By chance, Maggie's showgirl daughter, Sarah Jane (Sheridan), returns the same day. The two mothers dream of their children getting married, but Tommy seems indifferent to Sarah Jane.

Sarah Jane becomes suspicious of Grasselli, who does his best to avoid being seen. She eventually hides in the hall bathroom and recognizes him, having worked for him once. Unwilling to get Nora and Maggie in trouble, she agrees to keep Chips' secret.

Nora starts mothering Chips, as does Maggie after a while. Tired of hiding in his room all the time, Chips emerges and becomes acquainted with the other boarders: Miss Flint (Zasu Pitts), Mr. Salmon (Grant Mitchell), washed up magician The Great Boldini (Felix Bressart), and Mr. Van Diver.

When Sarah Jane learns that Nora and Maggie are about to lose their house due to unpaid taxes, she turns to Chips for help. He gives her the money, but as that will only postpone their financial problem, suggests (out of sheer boredom) that they set up a small exclusive nightclub in the boarding house, with the added advantage that Tommy and Sarah Jane can showcase their talents. Nora is enthusiastic, but it takes some persuasion to get Maggie to go along.

There is one problem. Miss Flint sees Chips' picture in a crime magazine. Sarah Jane intimates that Chips will have her killed in a gruesome manner if she tells anyone what she knows, but on opening night, after drinking too much champagne, she becomes so frightened by Chips' remarks she goes to the police. Two detectives spot Chips in the nightclub, but agree to let him watch the rest of the show. Tommy sees the cops and assumes the worst. He goes to the roof to be alone. When Sarah Jane joins him there, he finally admits he loves her. She urges him to flee, but he refuses to run away. Though he can easily incriminate Tommy, Chips decides to confess to the murder.

Cast [link]

• Ann Sheridan as Sarah Jane Ryan
• Jeffrey Lynn as Tommy Taylor
• Humphrey Bogart as Grasselli / Chips Maguire
• Zasu Pitts as Miss Flint
• Una O'Connor as Maggie Ryan
• Jessie Busley as Mrs. Nora Taylor
• John Litel as Mr. "Doc" Roberts
• Grant Mitchell as Mr. Rene Salmon
• Felix Bressart as The Great Boldini
• Charles Judels as Henri Pepi de Bordeaux, the head waiter Chips hires for the nightclub
• Brandon Tynan as Mr. Van Diver
• Howard C. Hickman as Mr. Prendergast
• Herb Vigran as Monks (as Herbert Vigran)
• Tommy Reilly as Performer
• The Elderbloom Chorus as Group Performers
• Bender and Daum as Performing Duo
• White and Stanley as Performing Duo
• The Lady Killer's Quartet as Singing Quartet

Notes [link]

1. ^ Variety film review; April 10, 1940, page 14.
2. ^ Harrison's Reports film review; April 6, 1940, page 54.

External links [link]

• It All Came True at the Internet Movie Database
• It All Came True at the TCM Movie Database
• It All Came True at AllRovi

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