Ma and Pa Kettle

"It's Loaded . . . with new laffs !!! All Your Favorites fresh from"

1949 1h 16m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 22

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The Kettles and their fifteen children are about to be evicted from their rundown rustic home when Pa wins the grand prize by coming up with a new tobacco slogan. Birdie Hicks is jealous of the family's new wealth, which includes a completely automated modern home, and accuses Pa of stealing the slogan. Reporter Kim Parker proves Birdie wrong and marries Tom Kettle.

“It's Loaded . . . with new laffs !!! All Your Favorites fresh from”

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Cast

Marjorie Main
Phoebe 'Ma' Kettle
Percy Kilbride
Frank 'Pa' Kettle
Richard Long
Tom Kettle
Meg Randall
Kim Parker
Patricia Alphin
Secretary
Esther Dale
Mrs. Birdie Hicks
Barry Kelley
Mr. Victor Tomkins
Harry Antrim
Mayor Dwiggins

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Charles Lamont
Writers: Betty MacDonald, Al Lewis
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

77 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Ma and Pa Kettle Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Charles Lamont, shot by Maury Gertsman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Milton Schwarzwald. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Russell F. Schoengarth shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride and Richard Long carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "It's Loaded . . . with new laffs !!! All Your Favorites fresh from".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Charles Lamont directs. Maury Gertsman behind the camera. Milton Schwarzwald scores. Russell F. Schoengarth cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
277 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Ma and Pa Kettle Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Charles Lamont, shot by Maury Gertsman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Milton Schwarzwald. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Russell F. Schoengarth shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride and Richard Long carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "It's Loaded . . . with new laffs !!! All Your Favorites fresh from".
9IMDB entry: tt0041613 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 22 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Maury Gertsman
Original score: Milton Schwarzwald
Editing: Russell F. Schoengarth
Makeup / hair: Carmen Dirigo
Runtime: 76 min · 1h 16m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Ma and Pa Kettle (1949)

Part of

Ma and Pa Kettle Collection

Ma and Pa Kettle have their hands full with a ramshackle farm and a brood of ramshackle children. When the future comes a-callin' in the form of modern houses, exotic locales and newfangled ideas, Ma and Pa must learn how to make the best of it with luck, pluck and a little country charm.