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Beer Checkers in 1937’s “Love Is News”

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Today, February 26, 1937, saw the release of a fairly forgettable film called “Love Is News,” starring Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, and Don Ameche. According to its IMDb page, the romantic comedy is described simply. “Financier’s daughter spars with newspaper reporter: he by writing about her, she by announcing their engagement.”

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And that would probably be the end of it except for one tiny detail in the story. Early in the film, a cub reporter is sent to a local reporter’s bar to get the newspaper’s ace reporter to cover a story. When the film switches to the bar, there are several reporters all gathered around two men on the floor playing checkers with mugs of beer and shots of whiskey (probably) and it’s a pretty funny game, and scene. I think I tended to think of drinking games as a more modern thing, but of course they’re probably as old as civilization itself.

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The scene at the bar opens on the checkers game.
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Our hero’s opponent on the other side of the board.
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Looking over the pieces on the board, deciding on his next move.
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Taking a shot glass with his mug.
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The drinking the captured shot of whiskey, as the spectators also take a drink.
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After which, play resumes.
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The cub reporter finally shows up and apparently was on his checkers team at college and begins to help.
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And eventually he’s in his cups, so to speak, before remember to give the message to the more seasoned reporter.

Here’s the entire film posted with Czech subtitles (which you can disable) but it’s in English. The beer checkers scene starts at about the 6:25 mark and is only a few minutes.