The Sap from Syracuse

After inheriting $18,000 from his uncle, Littleton Looney, played by Jack Oakie, makes a bold decision to pursue his lifelong dream of traveling to Europe. He boards a luxury liner, eager to escape his humble life, but little does he know that an elaborate prank awaits him. His former boss, Hopkins, along with some of his cronies, craft a playful scheme involving telegrams supposedly from influential business magnates, requesting that the ship’s captain treat Looney with utmost kindness and respect. These messages are designed to boost his confidence and create an impression of importance. Meanwhile, they also deceive a senator present on the ship by convincing him that Looney is actually Vanderhoff, a renowned engineer traveling incognito, which adds another layer of intrigue to his voyage.

On the other side, Ellen Saunders, portrayed by Ginger Rogers, faces her own high-stakes situation. She is under a tight deadline of 90 days to put some nickel mines in Macedonia into operation, but she admits that she knows very little about mining. The stakes are high because if she fails, she will lose the mines to her guardian, Sidney Hycross, played by Granville Bates, a shrewd banker eager to acquire the profitable resource. When Ellen learns that a reputable engineer is aboard the ship, she is told by the senator that it is Looney. This information quickly spreads among the passengers, and upon hearing it, Hycross assigns a man named Nick Pangalos to keep Ellen away from Looney, suspecting that his true identity might jeopardize his plans.

As the voyage progresses, Hycross receives troubling news that the machinery required for Ellen’s mines has been stranded far from Macedonia. Eager to coordinate efforts, Ellen and Looney speak, and their encounter sparks a genuine romantic connection. However, their budding relationship is complicated by the presence of Flo Goodrich, a gold digger intent on taking advantage of Looney, and her friend Dolly Clark, who is also seeking to gain favor with Hycross. Meanwhile, Hycross, increasingly suspicious of Looney’s true identity, challenges Ellen with a wager: if Looney isn’t actually Vanderhoff, she must surrender the mines to him.

Hycross acts on this suspicion by reaching out to the Syracuse chamber of commerce to verify Looney’s background. The chamber’s glowing report seems to clear him, but the banker remains unconvinced. Once in Macedonia, Hycross arranges for engineers working on Ellen’s mine project to meet and expose Looney’s deception. Unfortunately, the machinery needed is stranded due to the river’s low water level—waiting for the September rains to lift the water and transport the equipment. This delay risks costing Ellen her mines altogether.

In a moment of truth, Looney confesses to Ellen that he is not the engineer everyone believes him to be. Heartbroken and feeling betrayed, she decides to give up the mines to Hycross. However, Looney quickly comes up with a clever plan—damming the river to enable the stranded machinery to travel overland to the mines. His ingenuity impresses the senator, who, in an unexpected turn, reveals himself as Vanderhoff and hires Looney as a consulting engineer.

The story concludes with Looney and Ellen continuing their romantic journey in Europe. Looney takes a position working at her mines, and together they begin a new chapter, blending adventure, deception, and genuine affection in their pursuit of a brighter future.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:15