Romantic drama

Good Sam (1948): Cast & Plot

Name: Good Sam
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
Released: 1948-09-01
Duration: 1 h 54 min
Cast: Gary Cooper, Ann Sheridan, Ray Collins, Joan Lorring, Minerva Urecal

Good Sam is a 1948 romantic drama directed by Leo McCarey, starring Gary Cooper as Sam Clayton, Ann Sheridan and Ray Collins. It runs 1 hour 54 minutes.

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Released: September 1, 1948
Runtime: 1h 54m (114 min)
Director: Leo McCarey
Genres: Romance , Comedy , Drama
Original language: English
Studio: Rainbow Productions
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Good Sam About?

The premise of Good Sam without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Sam Clayton is a kind‑hearted man who loves helping anyone in trouble, dreaming of making the world a better place. His generosity is so great that he frequently spends all his money, leaving him unable to support his own family’s basic needs, such as buying a house.

Good Sam Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

stuffed toy panda
character name as title
forename in title
two word title
co written by director
writer director producer
church service
bus
bus driver
reference to sir galahad
getting drunk
half brother half sister relationship

+38 more

charity fund raiser
birth of baby on christmas eve
husband wife relationship
personal loan
housemaid
golden rule
auto mechanic
next door neighbor
dream home
mugging
salvation army band
fortune teller costume
motorcycle
female singer
law suit
overseas job offer
overhearing a conversation
marriage engagement
sexism
windfall
savings account
job promotion
vice president
reference to muhammad
reference to moses
reference to buddha
reference to paul the apostle
reference to jesus christ
reference to confucius
turkey the bird
cooper and roman
comedy drama
do gooder
husband
wife
christmas
christmas film
christmas movie

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Cast & crew

Good Sam Cast & Characters

Gary Cooper leads the cast as Sam Clayton, with Ann Sheridan as Lucille 'Lu' Clayton and Ray Collins as Rev. Daniels. Directed by Leo McCarey; 12 actors are credited in all.

Director Leo McCarey

Gary Cooper as Sam Clayton
Ann Sheridan as Lucille 'Lu' Clayton
Ray Collins as Rev. Daniels
Joan Lorring as Shirley Mae

Also Starring in Good Sam

· 8 more

Minerva Urecal Mrs. Nelson
Edmund Lowe H.C. Borden
Irving Bacon Tramp
Louise Beavers Chloe
William Frawley Tom
Ruth Roman Ruthie
Clinton Sundberg Mr. Nelson
Todd Karns Joe Adams

From the director

More from Leo McCarey

More films directed by Leo McCarey, best-rated first: Going My Way, Duck Soup, The Awful Truth and Love Affair.

Full filmography

Plot

Good Sam Plot Summary

What happens in Good Sam from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Sam Clayton [Gary Cooper] is a department store manager whose life is shaped by a sermon from Rev. Daniels [Ray Collins], nudging him toward helping others in every way he can. He reaches beyond his own family to support Lu Clayton [Ann Sheridan] and her brother Claude, who has been living with them rent-free for six months, as well as their neighbors the Butlers, who need a car for a vacation after theirs breaks down.

In his role at the store, Sam becomes a steady confidant to Shirley Mae [Joan Lorring], a clerk whose romance has just fallen apart, and he extends a $5,000 loan to Mr. and Mrs. Adams (the Adamses) to save the gas station they bought, all without telling his wife.

Full summary

The whole story of Good Sam, scene by scene

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