Poster

Love Me or Leave Me ()

Reference View | Change View
A fictionalized account of the career of jazz singer Ruth Etting and her tempestuous marriage to gangster Marty Snyder, who helped propel her to stardom.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Won 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations.
  • See more »
Reviews:

Photos and Videos

132 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

Edit
...
Ruth Etting
...
Martin Snyder
...
Johnny Alderman
...
Bernard V. Loomis
...
Frobisher
...
Georgie
...
Paul Hunter
...
Fred Taylor
...
Eddie Fulton
...
Jingle Girl
John Harding ...
Greg Trent
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Orry (uncredited)
John Alban ...
Reporter (uncredited)
Mal Alberts ...
Reporter (uncredited)
...
Nightclub Horn Player (uncredited)
...
Club Patron (uncredited)
Hal Bell ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Dance Hall Hostess (uncredited)
Paul Bradley ...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
...
Chauffeur (uncredited)
Tex Brodus ...
Ziegfeld Audience Member (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks ...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
...
Stage Manager (uncredited)
...
Claire (uncredited)
...
Headwaiter (uncredited)
...
Brelston, Radio Station Manager (uncredited)
Dick Cherney ...
Reporter (uncredited)
Bud Cokes ...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
...
Club Patron (uncredited)
Jean Corbett ...
Ziegfeld Follies Girl (uncredited)
Joan Corbett ...
Ziegfeld Follies Girl (uncredited)
...
Photographer (uncredited)
...
Stagehand (uncredited)
...
Reporter (uncredited)
Walt Davis ...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Jerry Dealey ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Assistant Director (uncredited)
Helene Drake ...
Dance Hall Cashier (uncredited)
...
Assistant Director (uncredited)
...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
...
Reporter / Propman (uncredited)
...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Charles Ferguson ...
Studio Gate Guard (uncredited)
Jerry Glenn ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Man in Follies Audience (uncredited)
Charles Hagen ...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
...
Irate Customer (uncredited)
Michael Kostrick ...
Assistant Director (uncredited)
Henry Kulky ...
Bouncer (uncredited)
Tommy Ladd ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Club Patron (uncredited)
Richard Landry ...
Dancer (uncredited)
Bill Lee ...
Singer (uncredited)
Carey Leverette ...
Dancer (uncredited)
Marco Lopez ...
Autograph Seeker (uncredited)
Herb Lurie ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Doorman (uncredited)
...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Jack Mattis ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Paul McGuire ...
Drapery Man (uncredited)
...
Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
...
Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
Michele Montau ...
Minor Role (uncredited)
Patti Nestor ...
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Howard Parker ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Film Producer (uncredited)
Joseph Paz ...
Dancer (uncredited)
John Pedrini ...
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Hamil Petroff ...
Dancer (uncredited)
Henry Randolph ...
Photographer (uncredited)
Thurl Ravenscroft ...
Singer (uncredited)
Paul Rees ...
Dancer (uncredited)
Barry Regan ...
Studio Guard (uncredited)
...
Bouncer (uncredited)
...
Lothario Outside Dance Hall (uncredited)
...
Bouncer (uncredited)
...
Reporter (uncredited)
...
Movie Dance Director (uncredited)
Max Smith ...
Singer (uncredited)
Winona Smith ...
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
...
Waiter (uncredited)
Bob Stevens ...
Singer (uncredited)
...
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
...
Stagehand (uncredited)
Wally Walker ...
Reporter (uncredited)
Ray Weamer ...
Dancer (uncredited)
...
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Herbert Winters ...
Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by

Edit
Charles Vidor

Written by

Edit
Daniel Fuchs ... (screenplay) and
Isobel Lennart ... (screenplay)
 
Daniel Fuchs ... (story)

Produced by

Edit
Joe Pasternak ... producer

Cinematography by

Edit
Arthur E. Arling ... director of photography

Editing by

Edit
Ralph E. Winters

Editorial Department

Edit
Alvord Eiseman ... color consultant

Art Direction by

Edit
Cedric Gibbons
Urie McCleary

Set Decoration by

Edit
Jack D. Moore ... (set decorations)
Edwin B. Willis ... (set decorations)

Costume Design by

Edit
Helen Rose

Makeup Department

Edit
Sydney Guilaroff ... hair stylist
John Truwe ... makeup artist
William Tuttle ... makeup creator

Production Management

Edit
William Dorfman ... unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Edit
Ridgeway Callow ... assistant director
John Greenwald ... assistant director (uncredited)
Hank Moonjean ... assistant director (uncredited)
Sid Sidman ... assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department

Edit
Wesley C. Miller ... recording supervisor
Donald Flick ... sound (uncredited)
Arthur H. Pullen ... sound editor (uncredited)
Stewart Walden ... sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by

Edit
Warren Newcombe ... special effects

Music Department

Edit
Irving Aaronson ... music adviser
Percy Faith ... song arranger: Doris Day / song conductor: Doris Day
George Stoll ... musical supervisor / composer: music cues (uncredited)
Robert Van Eps ... composer: music cues (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

Edit
E. Darrell Hallenbeck ... script supervisor (uncredited)

Additional Crew

Edit
Alex Romero ... dances originated by / dances supervised by
Hal Bell ... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

Edit

Distributors

Edit

Special Effects

Edit

Other Companies

Edit

Storyline

Edit
Plot Summary

In 1920s Chicago, Ruth Etting wants to be a renowned singer, which is a far step away from her current work as a taxi dancer. Upon walking into the dance hall and seeing her, Chicago gangster Marty Snyder immediately falls for Ruth, and works toward being her lover, which he believes he can achieve by opening up singing opportunities for her. Ruth is initially wary of Marty, but makes it clear that she is not interested in him in a romantic sense. Regardless, he does help her professionally, and through his opportunities, which are achieved through intimidation and fear, Ruth does quickly start to gain a name as a singer, which she is able to do because of her talent and despite Marty's intimidation tactics. However, the greater her success, the more reliant she becomes on him. This becomes an issue in their relationship as she believes he can take her only so far before he becomes a liability, however he will never let her go that easily. The one person who tried and tries to get Ruth away from her unhappy life with Marty is Johnny Alderman, the musical advisor Marty hired for Ruth at the first gig he got for her, and who also loves Ruth himself. Written by Huggo

Plot Keywords
Taglines You'll Love it!...The Big Lavish Musical of the Roaring Twenties! See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

Edit
Also Known As
  • Les pièges de la passion (France)
  • Nachtclub-Affären (Germany)
  • Quiéreme o déjame (Spain)
  • Öldüren aşk (Turkey, Turkish title)
  • Обичай ме или ме остави (Bulgaria, Bulgarian title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 122 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $2,760,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

Edit
Trivia Of the 62 films he made, James Cagney wrote that he rated this among his top five. See more »
Goofs In the "Shaking The Blues Away" number, Doris Day sings the lyric "Do as Voodoos do/ Listenin' to/ A voodoo melody". The lyric that Ruth Etting performed in the 1920s was "Do as the darkies do/ Listenin' to/ A preacher way down south". The other lyric is from the revised version performed by Ann Miller in Easter Parade (1948), in which the original was censored for obvious reasons. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in 1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration (1955). See more »
Soundtracks I'm Sitting on Top of the World See more »
Quotes Martin Snyder: [to Ruth Etting when she visits him in jail] Tell 'em you seen me in the pokey and I looked great! Tell 'em I like it! Makes me feel like a kid again!
See more »
Getting Started | Contributor Zone »

Contribute to This Page


Clear your history

Recently Viewed