The Girl from Jones Beach

1949
Approved
1h 18m

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

653

YOUR RATING

Ronald Reagan, Eddie Bracken, and Virginia Mayo in The Girl from Jones Beach (1949)

Play trailer2:10

1 Video

15 Photos

Romantic Comedy Comedy Romance

A pinup artist (Ronald Reagan) in search of the perfect woman poses as a Czech immigrant to win over a shapely schoolteacher (Virginia Mayo) who’s more into facts than figures.A pinup artist (Ronald Reagan) in search of the perfect woman poses as a Czech immigrant to win over a shapely schoolteacher (Virginia Mayo) who’s more into facts than figures.A pinup artist (Ronald Reagan) in search of the perfect woman poses as a Czech immigrant to win over a shapely schoolteacher (Virginia Mayo) who’s more into facts than figures.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

653

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Lauren Bacall turned down the role as Ruth Wilson because it called for her to appear in a bathing suit. She said: "I'm not a bathing beauty ... I'll be embarrassed."

Goofs
Ruth tells the class that Czechoslovakia is made up of "several interesting racial strains," and then asks "Mr Benerik" if he is "Croat or Slovak." "Croats" are from the former Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatia). The former Czechoslovakia was comprised of Czechs and Slovaks. Furthermore, "Mr Benerik's" accent is so atrocious that, even if Ruth did not realize it, his classmate Mr Stravitch would realize it in seconds.

Quotes
Collection Agent: Can I give you a lift?
Chuck Donovan: I'm going to throw myself off the Brooklyn bridge.
Collection Agent: Oh sorry. I'm going to the Bronx.

Crazy credits
The opening title and acting credits are shown in a live action scene in a gift shop as postcards on a turning rack, then a woman's hand flips through more postcards for the remaining credits.

Connections
Referenced in Lily for President? (1982)

Soundtracks
The Girl from Jones Beach
(uncredited)
Written by Eddie Seiler and Sol Marcus
Sung by a chorus during the opening credits and occasionally throughout the picture

User reviews8

Review

Featured review

8/10

There are three story lines here -- with Virginia May in a swimsuit

One of the story lines in "The Girl From Jones Beach" asks, Should a school teacher appear in public in a swim suit?

My answer is, "Definitely -- if she looks like Virginia Mayo."

The first story line is quite clever: A Vargas-like illustrator creates his "girl" from parts of a dozen different models.

The second line is about the beautiful young woman wanting to be known for her mind.

Together the three make for some mild fun, well played by a top-line cast that includes some great veterans: Lois Blake, still looking good after some 35 years of film-making; Henry Travers, the ultimate avuncular judge; and such stalwarts as Buddy Roosevelt and Guy Wilkerson, best known for their Western roles. Be sure to look for the great Vernon Dent.

Ronald Reagan and Mayo are pros, and do more than look good, although they do that, and do it well. Eddie Bracken needed a slightly firmer directorial hand, but he's always fun. Dona Drake for some reason had used other names earlier, but she is adorable and vivacious and, judging by this role, should have had a great career.

Not a great or classic film, "The Girl From Jones Beach" is still a lot of fun.