Major Walter Reed sets out to find the cause of yellow fever which is taking a huge toll in Cuba following the Spanish-American War. After months of unsuccessful research, he uncovers an old theory that a particular species of mosquito is responsible. In order to prove the theory, he conducts human experiments on volunteers. Three volunteers are confined to the "dirty" house: constantly exposed to soiled linens and clothes from infected soldiers with a stove always stoked to keep temperatures high.  Two others are confined to the "clean" house: disinfected and well fed, but one has been bitten by a mosquito that had previously bitten an infected soldier. The theory was proved and the menace eradicated by ridding the island of standing water. The successful practice was carried into the Panama Canal construction area to finally allow the completion of that project.

Robert Montgomery plays John O'Hara, the ringleader of the volunteers. Virginia Bruce is a nurse and his love interest. Lewis Stone (Judge Hardy) plays Walter Reed. My mom watched this with me and pointed out Andy Devine, but she confused him with Gene Autry's sidekick, Smiley Burnette.  Both are frog-voiced sidekick types. Charles Coburn plays the doctor who originally came up with the mosquito theory. Buddy Ebsen plays a character called "Jellybeans", one of the volunteers in the "dirty" house.  Jonathan Hale plays a Major General, and I just saw him as Detective Cramer in Tarnished Angel. I recognize him mainly as Mr. Dithers, Dagwood's boss from the Blondie movies. The first Blondie movie is from 1938 but I haven't caught it on TV yet.

I watched this whole movie thinking it was about malaria but on review I realize it is about yellow fever which, while also spread by mosquitoes, is a completely different disease.

Robert Montgomery and Virginia Bruce

Charles Coburn admires his mosquito collection

Robert Montgomery and Andy Devine

Yellow Jack trailer on TCM

Three Loves Has Nancy with Janet Gaynor and Robert Montgomery.  Successful New York novelist Malcolm Niles finds his latest romantic relationship moving unexpectedly and disagreeably toward marriage.  In order to escape the noose he embarks on a nationwide book signing tour.  At a small southern book shop he meets homespun Nancy Briggs who is scheduled to be married that same day.  They do not hit it off.  Niles receives a telegram from his publisher that his fiancée-to-be, Victoria, has left town and it is safe to return to New York.  Nancy receives a letter from her actual fiancée, George, who is supposed to be arriving from New York, saying that he will not be attending the wedding.  Both Nancy and Niles hop the first train to New York and run into each other in the dining car where Nancy continues to annoy Niles.

Unable to find George in New York, Nancy finds herself at loose ends.  Upon arriving at his welcome home party Niles discovers that Victoria has not left New York after all.  Niles offers to let Nancy stay in his apartment while insinuating to Victoria that he is now inextricably romantically involved with her, causing Victoria to move on to her next prospective husband.  Niles's publisher, Robert Hanson, lives in an adjoining apartment and passionately avails himself of Nancy's willingness to cook.  At some point as Niles tries to be rid of Nancy she moves in with Hanson and he phones in meal orders from the office like he is ordering room service.

Robert's gustatory passion turns into romantic passion, and faced with this Niles finally realizes that he loves Nancy as well.  To complete the "Three Loves" original fiancée George shows up as well.

This movie was aces!  Robert Montgomery was both cool and perturbable.  I always enjoy a good dining car scene. In this case it was the first instance of a running gag with Janet Gaynor losing her purse only to find that it was with her the whole time.

The First Hundred Years with Robert Montgomery.  This is a women's lib movie!  Lynn Claymore Conway (Virginia Bruce) is a highly successful literary and theatrical agent married to not-as-successful shipbuilder David Conway (Robert Montgomery).  They have been living a New York lifestyle impossible on David's salary.  He finally gets his dream job running a shipyard but it requires they move to New Bedford.  Even on his fantastic new salary of $15,000/year he won't earn as much as his wife, but it will be enough to have a nice life (with household staff intact) in New Bedford.  She doesn't want to quit, and they play a game of brinkmanship with each other to convince the other to give up his/her job.  Part of this sparring is when a judge awards David $400/month alimony from Lynn.  All is settled when Lynn learns she is pregnant.  New Bedford here they come.