It All Came True (1940) **1/2

Release Date: April 6, 1940

Running Time: 97 minutes

Cast: Ann Sheridan, Jeffrey Lynn, Humphrey Bogart

Director: Lewis Seiler

Right out the gate we can tell from watching It All Came True that it suffers from clashing tones and inconsistency. The film opens up with a stark look at a boarding house on the verge of bankruptcy, its tenants a bunch of elderly washed up performers. The sole exception to this is Sarah-Jane Ryan (Ann Sheridan), a talented singer who seems to be unable to hold down a gig. Her introduction shows off her brassy personality as a man is offering her a nightclub singing position and she not only refuses but pushes the man down the steps of the boarding house. It’s comical and over the top, in stark contrast to the previous scene. Shortly afterwards we are “treated” to a murder, a moment too dark for the tone of the rest of the picture.

Meanwhile, Tommy (Jeffrey Lynn), a piano player and composer works for gangster “Chips” Maguire has found himself in a predicament. A sudden raid on the establishment by the police has lead to the two men fleeing, a man murdered, and the murder weapon being conveniently registered to Tommy by Chips as a form of insurance against betrayal. Chips needs a place to hide out and using his leverage on Tommy, forces him to return home to his mother (Jessie Busley) whom he hasn’t seen in years, and hide him in a room under the name Grasselli, claiming he is ill and needing a lot of rest and privacy. His mother, along with another Sarah-Jane’s mother (Una O’Connor), owns and manages the afore mentioned boarding house and are excited to have Tommy back home since this means Tommy and Sarah-Jane, raised together like siblings, can rekindle their romance. Naturally, neither is all that interested in that prospect, at least outwardly, squabbling whenever they run into each other. Sarah-Jane is also suspicious of Grasselli having only heard about the mysterious boarder without actually getting to see him. She previously sang in one of Chip’s nightclubs so he has deliberately avoided being seen by her lest she recognize him. But Sarah-Jane is smart enough to figure a way to meet the elusive Grasselli despite all of his precautions.

Eventually it comes to light that the boarding house is in danger of being repossessed over back taxes. Sarah-Jane appeals to Chips for assistance and he comes up with a plan to convert the house to a nightclub with her and Tommy as the headliners. By his admission he is getting bored hiding out and needs something to occupy his time. This will solve both of their problems as well as provide a stage for the many residents to perform before an audience once again. 

This film was advertised as a musical comedy and for the most part this is a misnomer. There are plenty of humorous moments but nothing that would peg this as a comedy. The musical aspect of it really doesn’t play out until the final act when the nightclub gets up and running. Then it overloads the screen with musical number after musical number bringing the pacing to a screeching halt. Chip’s change of motive in the final act is not exactly on a dime but it still doesn’t feel earned. There is some lip service given to him possibly growing up with a real mother figure in his life. This is played up for laughs as Tommy and Sarah-Jane’s mothers practically baby him in their attempts to help “cure” him of the illness he is purportedly there for in the first place. It’s never in doubt that he is a mobster on the lam but through his exposure to these two women as well as the other residents he softens up a little losing his tough edges. However his sacrifice in the final acts still comes across a little false and unearned, like it was written into the script to ensure it ended on a sweet note but wasn’t developed throughout the rest of the picture. 

There is a lot of things to like about this film. Bogart seems to be enjoying himself in a role that, while not too far removed from his many other gangster roles in the past, allows him to stretch a little and show a lighter side to his persona. Ann Sheridan is scene stealing as the brassy, no nonsense Sarah-Jane who isn’t intimidated by anyone, not even a gangster. Each of the boarding house residents have their own little quirks that help them stand out from the scenery. The only weak point is Jeffrey Lynn as Tommy. All he seems to do is scowl and look put upon by those around him. He isn’t much of a character and Jeffrey does nothing to elevate it. Overall it is a shallow film with an obvious message that it doesn’t quite know how to get across without spelling it out. It’s light and frothy but not a whole lot of substance.