Main Cast: Edward Arnold, Cary Grant, Frances Farmer, Jack Oakie, Donald Meek
Release Year: 1937
Country: US
Run Time: 109 minutes
Plot
Allegedly based on two factual works, Bouck White's The Book of Daniel Drew and Matthew Josephson's The Robber Barons, RKO's The Toast of New York is a largely fanciful account of the career of 1870s financier "Jubilee Jim" Fisk. As played by Edward Arnold in his usual "tycoon" mode, Fisk was a likable scoundrel who finagled his way into the upper rungs of Wall Street as much for fun as for profit. The film conveniently ignores Fisk's involvement with the infamous Tweed Ring, and skims over his complicity in 1869's "Black Friday," one of the most disastrous events in American economic history. We are also offered a sanitized version of Fisk's notorious mistress Josie Mansfield, who as played by Frances Farmer is an apple-cheeked lass who regards Fisk only as a loyal friend. Cary Grant is along for the ride as "Nick Boyd," a thinly disguised version of Fisk's actual partner in crime Ned Stokes. Too costly to post a profit, Toast of New York is nonetheless fine non-think entertainment, kept alive by a superb supporting cast ranging from Donald Meek as Daniel Drew and Clarence Kolb as Cornelius Vanderbilt to such bit players as Laurel & Hardy perennial James Finlayson, who plays the inventor of a self-tipping hat! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Carroll Clark - Art Director, Van Nest Polglase - Art Director, Edward Stevenson - Costume Designer, Rowland V. Lee - Director, Samuel E. Beetley - Editor, George Hively - Editor, Nathaniel Shilkret - Composer (Music Score), Nathaniel Shilkret - Musical Direction/Supervision, L. Wolfe Gilbert - Songwriter, Allie Wrubel - Songwriter, J. Peverell Marley - Cinematographer, Edward Small - Producer, Darrell Silvera - Set Designer, Vernon Walker - Special Effects, John L. Cass - Sound/Sound Designer, Dudley Nichols - Screenwriter, Joel Sayre - Screenwriter, Derek N. Twist - Screenwriter, John Twist - Screenwriter, Bouck White - Book Author, Bouck White - Short Story Author, Matthew Josephson - Short Story Author
In post-Civil War America, unscrupulous, ambitious partners Jim Fisk (Arnold) and Nick Boyd (Grant) talk tight-fisted businessman Daniel Drew (Donald Meek) into selling them his shipping company, paying with worthless Confederate bonds. Later, worried that his longtime rival, Cornelius Vanderbilt (Clarence Kolb), is trying to take control of his railroad, Drew seeks help from Fisk, only to have him turn the situation to his own advantage. Fisk and Boyd eventually become powers to be reckoned with on Wall Street.
Meanwhile, both men fall in love with entertainer Josie Mansfield (Farmer). Mansfield agrees to marry Fisk out of gratitude, but really loves Boyd.
Fisk's greed grows beyond all reason and he tries to corner the market in gold. When Fisk ignores Boyd's warnings. Boyd turns against him, worried that the resulting panic threatens the financial system of the whole country. The federal government finally intervenes by releasing its gold reserves, bankrupting Fisk in the process.
