Expert: Mel - 2/25/2006

Question
As a child and as a teen (I was born in 1956), I saw a LOT of Cary Grant movies on late-night TV. The title of one eludes me. There was an annoying, self-styled ladies' man character (slugged by Grant at one point) who verbally and visually accosted women with a strange tipping of his hat, accompanied by the phrase, "How'zit, Babe?" Any leads? Thanks!

Answer
Hello David,

I believe that film was "Big Brown Eyes" (1936), with Douglas Fowley's character saying the "How'zit" line.

Here is a short outline of the film:

Danny Barr (Cary Grant) is a police detective chasing some jewel robbers. Eve Fallon (Joan Bennett) is his girlfriend, an ex-manicurist who is now a newspaper reporter. With Eve's help, Danny is able to capture one of the gang members, Cortig (Lloyd Nolan), whose stray bullet killed a baby in the park. Danny is disgusted after a slick lawyer is able to get Cortig off and quits the force to look for justice. Eve, likewise, quits the paper and returns to her job as manicurist. While giving a manicure, she overhears a conversation that leads her to believe that a prominent local citizen is the mastermind behind the jewel robbery gang. All the while, Dan is hot on the trail. Their paths merge and the case is solved.


Glad to be of help. Cheers.......Mel.