This is, in spirit if not release date, a late 30's movie about a group of struggling stage actors who share an apartment. Young viewers today won't understand why it's shocking to anyone that it's a co-ed apartment, but that is a crucial part of the plot, starting the ticking clock counting down to when the kids lose their chance to impress the producer with their acting in the mystery play they've discovered.
What's enjoyable here are a couple of the performances and the jokes about method acting. Eddie Bracken being an apple (no, you're not acting LIKE an apple. You ARE the apple) was my main reward for watching the film, but I also enjoyed Mabel Paige's turn as the loopy but goodhearted landlady. Florence MacMichael's voice is irritating to the modern ear, but she has a couple good moments as the corpse.
The young good-looking actors play rather bland characters and end up being, unfortunately, rather forgettable while the character actors get the juicy moments. The ending is not quite what you'd expect, which also earns it my respect.
I was never bored, and I laughed a few times, and I don't resent the 90 minutes I spent with it.
What's enjoyable here are a couple of the performances and the jokes about method acting. Eddie Bracken being an apple (no, you're not acting LIKE an apple. You ARE the apple) was my main reward for watching the film, but I also enjoyed Mabel Paige's turn as the loopy but goodhearted landlady. Florence MacMichael's voice is irritating to the modern ear, but she has a couple good moments as the corpse.
The young good-looking actors play rather bland characters and end up being, unfortunately, rather forgettable while the character actors get the juicy moments. The ending is not quite what you'd expect, which also earns it my respect.
I was never bored, and I laughed a few times, and I don't resent the 90 minutes I spent with it.