Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Magnificent Dope

Play trailer Poster for The Magnificent Dope 1942 1h 23m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
Tomatometer 3 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Unable to drum up interest in his self-improvement courses, Dwight Dawson (Don Ameche) and his press agent fiancée, Claire Harris (Lynn Bari), concoct a contest to locate America's biggest failure. Winner Tad Page (Henry Fonda), who only entered to get the money for a new fire engine for his tiny Vermont hometown, turns out to be perfectly happy with his stress-free life -- but when he falls for Claire, Tad goes along with Dwight's attempts to turn him into an ambitious Manhattan go-getter.

Critics Reviews

View More
Jose Maria Santos Cine-Mundial 09/17/2019
An entertaining movie, where Don Ameche and Henry Fonda are inimitable. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 06/21/2009
C-
It's a dopey Capraesque comedy that is anything but magnificent. Go to Full Review Pablo Villaça Cinema em Cena 01/22/2004
3/5
Sempre o sujeito de bom carter, Fonda cativa o espectador - mas a ingenuidade excessiva do filme acaba datando a produo. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
RICHARD S 12/24/2024 A rare opportunity to view Fonda's under-utilized potential for comedy roles. Bari and Ameche are fine support, but it's Fonda's brilliance that shines in this rarely seen piece. A really good piece of early cinema. See more Steve D 01/14/2024 I was embarrassed for everyone involved. See more 12/26/2015 Minor comedy in Fonda's career but a pleasing jaunty one. See more 06/28/2013 It's a dopey Capraesque comedy that is anything but magnificent. See more Read all reviews
The Magnificent Dope

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Walter Lang

Director

Henry Fonda

Thadeus Winship "Tad" Page

Lynn Bari

Claire Harris

Don Ameche

Dwight Dawson

Edward Everett Horton

Horace Hunter

George Barbier

James Roger Barker
View All

The Magnificent Dope

The Magnificent Dope (1942) The Magnificent Dope (1942) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Unable to drum up interest in his self-improvement courses, Dwight Dawson (Don Ameche) and his press agent fiancée, Claire Harris (Lynn Bari), concoct a contest to locate America's biggest failure. Winner Tad Page (Henry Fonda), who only entered to get the money for a new fire engine for his tiny Vermont hometown, turns out to be perfectly happy with his stress-free life -- but when he falls for Claire, Tad goes along with Dwight's attempts to turn him into an ambitious Manhattan go-getter.
Director
Walter Lang
Producer
William Perlberg
Production Co
20th Century Fox
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 23m