Pardon My Accident

Professor Pierre Ginsbairge, an instructor at a success school, tells his class that nothing falls from the sky into their laps. On his way out, a safe falling from an upper-story window, nearly drives him into the sidewalk. Uninjured, but learning that the safe-owning company is insured, he claims to be injured and is sent to the hospital.There, he is mistaken for a look-alike famous surgeon and is in a jam when the surgeon arrives and finds Pierre making love to his wife, the nurse.

Directed by Al Christie, Pardon My Accident leans on a strong ensemble — Willie Howard, Estelle Jayne, Jack Squires — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1938.