JohnHowardReid Maureen O'Sullivan (June Evans), Dennis O'Keefe (Tommy Bradford), Mickey Rooney (Chick Evans), George Barbier (Piermont), Jessie Ralph (Aunt Lucy), Edward S. Brophy (Al), Fay Holden (Mrs Evans), Philip Terry (Ted Evans), Ruth Hussey (Nadine Piermont), Barnett Parker (Maurice), Frank Albertson (Steve Evans), Ernie Alexander (Mickey, Maurice's chauffeur), William 'Billy' Benedict (boy delivering suit), Evelyn Beresford (Mrs Thornley), Betty Blythe, Betty Ross Clarke (wedding guests at Piermont's), Leonard Carey (Gibley, Piermont's butler), Edgar Dearing (policeman), Martin Faust (taxi driver), David Horsley (chauffeur), Charles Judels (Otto Schmidt), Eleanor Lynn (theater cashier), Tully Marshall (Mr Lazarus, travel customer), Edwin Maxwell (theater manager), Jack Norton (Mallory, a drunk), Tom O'Grady (bartender), Oscar O'Shea ("Pop"), Brent Sargent (Noel, bridegroom), Hudson Shotwell (attendant), William Carey, Buddy Messinger, Billy Taft (ushers), Ben Taggart (doorman), Ray Turner (Fred, the elevator operator), Monte Vandergrift (policeman), Morgan Wallace (Mr Wood, Tommy's boss), Eric Wilton (Piermont's second butler), Forbes Murray, William Worthington (dog show judges).Director: EDWIN L. MARIN. Original screenplay: Stanley Rauh. Uncredited screenplay contributors: Bradbury Foote (dialogue), Ogden Nash, Jane Hall. Photography: George Folsey. Film editor: Ben Lewis. Music: Edward Ward. Supervising art director: Cedric Gibbons. Art director: John S. Detlie. Set decorator: Edwin B. Willis. Costumes: Dolly Tree. Assistant director: Dolph Zimmer. Sound recording: Douglas Shearer. Producer: John W. Considine, Jr.Copyright 9 May 1938 by Loew's Inc. Presented by Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer. New York opening at the Rialto, 10 June 1938. U.S. release: 13 May 1938. 8 reels. 79 minutes.SYNOPSIS: A salesgirl and a travel agent meet at a big society wedding. Each assumes the other is a wealthy guest.NOTES: Academy Award, Mickey Rooney, Best Male Juvenile of 1938.COMMENT: When MGM made a "B" movie, the same polish and craftsmanship went into the production as in the studio's "A" features. And in the "B" department, Edwin L. Marin was the top of the heap. His other 1938 films were two features with Judy Garland and The Chaser (again starring Dennis O'Keefe). This one is a slight but pleasant romantic comedy, in which O'Keefe (taking the lead for the first time in a career that encompassed numerous walk-ons and bit parts) was partnered with the lovely Maureen O'Sullivan.

MartinHafer My summary isn't really meant as an insult, really, as the film has few pretenses and is meant as a light and harmless little love story. It is what it is...and it's enjoyable. It stars the amazingly ordinary looking actor, Dennis O'Keefe, and Maureen O'Sullivan. Again, I really meant no offense--O'Keefe was a fine actor (particularly in film noir) but looked absolutely nothing like a film star. Handsome, perhaps--just not in the Hollywood sort of way.The story is a cute little case of mistaken identity. Poor working-class Maureen and Dennis both see each other at a swank party of the elite. They instantly hit it off--and both assume the other is rich! And, at times, each is a bit ashamed of their roots and pretend to be a lot richer and more sophisticated than they really are. This takes on a crazy edge when Maureen convinces her family to help her in the ruse. Although she thinks they did a horrible job and Dennis saw through their plan, he is so worried about making the right impression that he's really oblivious. Can they somehow fall in love AND be happy and poor? Well...what do you think? The film is pretty predictable but the actors and director did a good job with what they had. Despite a light-weight script, it's all good fun and well worth seeing.

bkoganbing While watching Hold That Kiss this morning I once again had in mind the famous MGM pecking order. The film was to me obviously something written with Joan Crawford in mind.But it went to Maureen O'Sullivan for one reason or another and wound up as a B film with her and Dennis O'Keefe. She's a fashion model in a fancy department store and he's a travel agent. They meet at a society wedding and each thinks the other is worth a few bucks. After that they put on quite interesting campaigns to land the other.Hold That Kiss is a pleasant and amusing comedy from MGM's B picture unit. It's got quite a good list of character actors in support. Most prominent however was Mickey Rooney who next year would be the number one box office male star in the nation. He plays O'Sullivan's younger brother and an eager participant in her schemes.There's also a nice diverting subplot involving Frank Albertson who's another of O'Sullivan's brothers and Edward Brophy who is O'Keefe's sidekick. Each has an all consuming interest in the sport of kings and not from the society end of owning and improving the breed. I can't really go into too many details, but trust me it's a pip.I could easily see Hold That Kiss on an MGM double bill at the Loew's theaters around the nation with Boys Town. Imagine that, a double Mickey.

Jim Tritten Surprisingly enjoyable grade B comedy with large cast of solid actors who put on a good (but not great) show. The basic premise is that two ordinary people meet and think that the other has money. Bolstering this premise is a tangled story line that weaves each of the main characters into contact with others without each knowing who the other is relative to the main plot. The viewer has full knowledge of how all these characters relate to each other and is thus always expecting the truth to out.A good deal of slapstick comedy and a comedic St. Bernard aid cast members. The film has the same tempo and feel as MGM's 'You Can't Take It With You' – done the same year however with a first rate crew. Lots of uncomplicated comings and goings keep the story moving but not too hard to follow. The rich really do not have it better than just plain folks.Maureen O'Sullivan is delightful and perky. Mickey Rooney overacts – but the part calls for it and he steals a number of scenes. Edward Brophy plays Brophy once again. Dennis O'Keefe is plausible. Leonard Carey (uncredited) does a fine job as a comedic elevator operator/butler. Racial slurs typical of the time could be cut for modern audiences. Recommended.