Victor Moore as Aloyisius T. McKeever
Victor Moore as Aloyisius T. McKeever | The story concerns a hobo named Aloyisius T. McKeever (Victor Moore). Mr. McKeever has solved his housing problem by moving into the mansions of the rich when they move out and head for warmer climates in the winter. In the summer he swaps homes with them again. Of course, the owners never know he's there as he slips into the boarded-up houses days after they've left. McKeever never does any harm. He takes clothes out for an airing once in a while and the food he eats is never missed. | |
| This winter, he meets up with Jim Bullock (Don DeFore), a displaced army veteran who has just been evicted from his apartment by the millionare Michael J. O'Conner, who is erecting an office building. McKeever befriends Bullock and allows him to live with him in his winter mansion home. Ironically, this same mansion is owned by none other than Michael J. O'Conner! |  Don DeFore as Jim Bullock The Don DeFore Fan Club |
 Gale Storm as Trudy O'Conner Visit the Gale Storm Website |
Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old Trudy O'Conner (Gale Storm), daughter of millionare Michael J. O'Conner has run away from finishing school (because she's finished) and slips into the O'Conner mansion to grab some of her things for a job interview at a music store. She runs into McKeever and Bullock and pretends to be Trudy Smith, a down-on-her-luck runaway who was attempting to steal a mink coat. McKeever and Bullock feel sorry for her and take her in. They soon admit that they too are "interlopers" in the great mansion. Shortly, Jim runs into two old army buddies and messes up their chance to land a badly-needed apartment for themselves and their families. Feeling guilty, he convinces McKeever to let them stay in the O'Conner Mansion. |
| It doesn't take long for Trudy's father to learn of her escape from finishing school and to catch up with her. He learns of the "squatters" living in his house and his rage is softened by his daughter's professed lonliness since her parent's divorce, and her newfound love for Jim. Trudy wants her father to meet Jim, but not as millionare Michael J. O'Conner. She'd always wander if Jim fell in love with her or her father's money, so O'Conner buys an old suit and poses as "Mike" - a down-on-his-luck bum who just happens to need a warm place to stay. Of course, Mike winds up staying with McKeever and the rest in his own mansion. |  Charles Ruggles plays Michael J. O'conner |
 Ann Harding as Mary O'Conner |
O'Conner quickly gets tired of pretending he's a hobo and putting up with these people in his house (as he sleeps in the servant's quarters). Fed up, he threatens to call the police the very next day. Trudy sends an urgent telegram to her mother in Florida and meets with her at the Waldorf Towers the next morning. She details what's been going on and her mother quickly agrees to meet Jim, dressed as "Mary" another vagrant taken in by the O'conner squatters. Mike soon runs into Mary and they have a small disagreement. Mike vows he can "stick this out" just as long as Mary can...even longer! |
The ensuing madness is what makes this film so charming. Climaxing near the holidays, the movie earned itself a place as a Christmas film. It was nominated for an acadamy award for best motion picture story but lost to the famous Christmas classic "Miracle On 34th Street". "The Bishop's Wife", another Christmas classic, was also in the running for an acadamy award that year for best picture but lost out to a film called "Gentlemen's Agreement"