Carnival promoters and gangsters back a math genius rube in a big money bridge tournament.Carnival promoters and gangsters back a math genius rube in a big money bridge tournament.Carnival promoters and gangsters back a math genius rube in a big money bridge tournament.
Erville Alderson
- Sheriff
- (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley
- Prof. Spring
- (uncredited)
Tyler Brooke
- Andrews
- (uncredited)
George Chandler
- Bank Clerk
- (uncredited)
Jack Chefe
- Spectator at Bridge Tournament
- (uncredited)
Harvey Clark
- Chairman
- (uncredited)
Frank Faylen
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film's earliest documented telecast took place in Honolulu Monday 13 May 1957 on KHVH (Channel 13); it first aired in Altoona PA 3 June 1957 on WFBG (Channel 10), in Chicago 17 June 1957 on WBBM (Channel 2), in Los Angeles 25 June 1957 on KTTV (Channel 11), in Seattle 15 July 1957 on KING (Channel 5), in Portland OR 31 July 1957 on KGW (Channel 8), in Omaha 7 August 1957 on WOW (Channel 6), in Norfolk VA 9 October 1957 on WTAR (Channel 3), in Hartford CT 7 December 1957 on WHCT (Channel 18), in Tampa 9 December 1957 on WFLA (Channel 8), in Philadelphia 2 January 1958 on WFIL (Channel 6), followed by San Francisco 16 November 1958 on KGO (Channel 7) and, finally by New York City 3 June 1961 on WCBS (Channel 2).
Featured review
Pretty limp and an inexplicable ending.
Robert Armstrong (Bill), Edmund Gwenn (Jeffrey) and Betty Furness (Kitty) play three sharpies who work with the carnival. One day, Bill witnesses a local yokel doing some amazing addition--all in his head and faster than an adding machine. Bill thinks maybe he can put Elmer (Stu Irwin) into his traveling show as an attraction. However, no one seems to really care and they soon run out of money.
On a train trip, Elmer is convinced to play a game of bridge. Although he has no idea, he's apparently a fast learner and he and his partner win. One of the people he beat is considered the world's best player and now Bill and another agent decide to cash in on this by arranging a well-publicized rematch. But before the rematch, Elmer's miraculous mathematical skills vanish--and the answer to this didn't make any sense--have Kitty pretend to love him. Huh? Well, she does, his skills return and she marries him. The end. Huh?!
This plot is so paper-thin and silly, I wonder why they bothered making it in the first place. Most of it makes no sense and the ending is one of the most inexplicably ones I've seen--and it comes so quickly that you can't believe the movie is finished! A pretty poor film all around and one you could easily skip.
On a train trip, Elmer is convinced to play a game of bridge. Although he has no idea, he's apparently a fast learner and he and his partner win. One of the people he beat is considered the world's best player and now Bill and another agent decide to cash in on this by arranging a well-publicized rematch. But before the rematch, Elmer's miraculous mathematical skills vanish--and the answer to this didn't make any sense--have Kitty pretend to love him. Huh? Well, she does, his skills return and she marries him. The end. Huh?!
This plot is so paper-thin and silly, I wonder why they bothered making it in the first place. Most of it makes no sense and the ending is one of the most inexplicably ones I've seen--and it comes so quickly that you can't believe the movie is finished! A pretty poor film all around and one you could easily skip.
helpful•24
- planktonrules
- May 6, 2014
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Chain Lightning
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 3 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content