Never Say Die 1939

When test results get mixed up, multi-millionaire hypochondriac John Kidley Bob Hope is told that he has only a month to live. He dumps his fiancée, Juno Marko Gale Sondergaard, while at the Swiss spa Bad Gaswasser, where he meets Mickey Hawkins Martha Raye, a young Texas heiress with big dreams and a sparkle of mischief. Mickey has been betrothed to the fortune-hunting Prince Smirnov Alan Mowbray, but she is secretly in love with Henry Munch Andy Devine, a cheerful bus driver from back home.

Seeing a chance to help, John proposes that Mickey and he marry now, with the plan of leaving her his fortune so she can marry whomever she wants when he’s gone. On their honeymoon, with Henry along as a chaperone, the two couples begin to discover real feelings beneath the pretense, and the boundaries between duty and desire start to blur. The situation grows more comic as Mickey’s heart points her toward love, even as the tiny details of John’s supposed last month add tension and urgency to every decision.

During the trip, Mickey makes a playful bet: she claims she can tell which man is kissing her while she’s blindfolded. The test heads into ridiculous territory when a bear scares off John and Henry, and Mickey ends up enthusiastically kissing the animal, turning the wager into a chaotic, unforgettable moment. The mood lightens as misread signals give way to genuine affection, and the trio navigates loyalty, humor, and the prospect of a future that could contradict the grim prognosis.

In the end, John’s bluff, pride, and heart collide in a dramatic duel with the Prince, a moment that tests everyone’s loyalties and desires. John manages to prevail in the duel, resolving the immediate tension and leaving room for a more honest future. Simultaneously, Henry and Juno become engaged, signaling new beginnings beyond the earlier schemes. Most importantly, the relationship between John and Mickey evolves into something real and enduring, and the story closes on a note of hope: love has triumphed over deception, and a second chance at happiness has found its rightful path for the two who truly belong together.