Four's a Crowd

Reporter Jean Christy works for a newspaper in danger of being thrown away by its young owner, Pat Buckley, after Buckley has a falling-out with the editor-in-chief, Robert Lansford. Meanwhile, Lansford hopes to gain tycoon John Dillingwell's business for his public relations firm, and uses his position at Buckley's paper to drum up good press for Dillingwell. In the process, he discovers that Dillingwell's granddaughter Lorri is Buckley's fiancée. Lansford decides to try to charm Lorri, while Christy makes a play for Buckley. ==Cast==

• Errol Flynn as Robert Kensington "Bob" Lansford • Olivia de Havilland as Lorri Dillingwell • Rosalind Russell as Jean Christy • Patric Knowles as Patterson "Pat" Buckley • Walter Connolly as John P. Dillingwell • Hugh Herbert as Silas Jenkins, Justice of the Peace • Melville Cooper as Bingham, Dillingwell's butler • Franklin Pangborn as Preston • Herman Bing as Herman, a barber • Margaret Hamilton as Amy, Dillingwell's housekeeper • Joseph Crehan as Butler Pierce • Joe Cunningham as Ed Young • Gloria Blondell as Gertrude, Lansford's 1st secretary • Carole Landis as Myrtle, Lansford's 2nd Secretary ==Production==

The film began with the working title of "All Rights Reserved", The film's title was changed to ''Four's a Crowd'' in February. David Lewis, who produced, said the original story was bought to him by an agent friend of his, Dick Polimer. Lewis liked the story, and took it to Hal Walls' assistant, Walter MacEwen, who was enthusiastic. Lewis said that Hal Wallis "had little faith in the film, maybe because of me, but Warner liked the project" in part because the author had written Libeled Lady.. Lewis said that Warner wanted to cast the Lane sisters and Jeffrey Lynn. Lewis said that Olivia de Havilland was keen to do it, as was Errol Flynn "as a change of pace". Patrick Knowles, also under contract to Warners, played the second male lead. Lewis wrote Knowles was "kept in reserve to keep the mercurial Errol in line... But Knowles was a pale image instead of a threat. Flynn was unique—attractive, dynamic, sexy, and a real throwback to the predatory male. I was enormously fond of him." "''Four's A Crowd was a real “A” picture because of the casting," wrote Lewis. was also moved to Comet Over Broadway'' at the same time. Edmund Goulding directly turned down directing it, before it was finally assigned to Michael Curtiz. ==Release==

With the success of The Adventures of Robin Hood, Errol Flynn was concerned about being typecast as a swashbuckler, and convinced Warner Bros. to cast him in other types of films, specifically screwball comedies. Lewis wrote "I liked Four’s A Crowd. It wasn’t one of the really important things in my life, but it was a funny movie, a little deeper than most. The characters dictated the story and there was very little contrived in it once the premise was established." ==Notes==