Reviews

ONE EXCITING WEEK is a pleasant and often very funny comedy from Republic Pictures. Directed by William Beaudine who, for a chance, had a fine cast and good production values at his disposal, the film is a somewhat typical change-of-identity swindle picture. Jerome Cowan plays it broader than usual and his co-horts, Pinky Lee and Shemp Howard, are the chief laughmakers. Al Pearce of radio fame ("I hope I hope I hope") is a low-key comedian and works well surrounded by expert farceurs. Also a delight is Mary Treen as Al's fiance. There are three musical numbers, including a nice re-tread of "Bounce Me Brother With a Solid Four" sung by a Chinatown chanteuse. This film has been out of circulation for decades and I had never seen it when I bought a beautiful 16mm print. A very nice surprise. Hope Olive Films, who releases most of the Republic titles these days, digs this one out of Paramount's vault (they own it).

My rating of 8 is, perhaps, relative to PRC's usual fare. First, the direction, lighting, photography, set direction (by George Montgomery) and scoring are as good as any 1st class B from Columbia or Fox. Second, while the windup is a bit fantastic, the story is amusing and the idea of The Mad Russian asking a group of actors who are well-known for playing detectives on the screen to aid in solving the mystery is a delightful twist. The cast underplays very well and everyone seems to be having a good time making this picture. Like most PRC's this one is tough to see (I just picked up a 16mm print). But if you can track it down, check it out.

Bad script, both in scenario and dialogue. Indifferent performance by Brando. Uncomfortable performance by Loren. Subtle, but out of place, job by Hedren. Sydney Chaplin was good. Cargill was very good. The direction was clumsy and the editing often ill-timed. Chaplin's own cameo was off the mark. Had he left it at the first appearance it would have been a novelty. The return button was a misfire. Finally, the score was ill-fitting. Sometimes it was portrayed as source music and vanished without explanation. Other times cues were simply dialed out with the scene fades rather than having a timed composition. There was no musical thread to act as connective tissue. Some cues were overly lush and called attention to themselves. And I have to say the only scene with any real spark was Margaret Rutherford's little inset. But the real problem starts and ends with the screenplay. Very weak and it did not appear that anybody involved with this picture had a very good time making it. Too bad. I was hoping for a pleasant surprise when I finally decided to see this one.

I have a 16mm print of the original version of the film as released by the War Dept. in 1950 (copyright is on the introductory title). Both the 1948 original theatrical release and the 1950 War Dept. release can be found on youtube. The most interesting difference between these two prints of THE ORIGINAL VERSION is that the US release has several mute spots on the soundtrack during the courtroom sequences. These muted sections can be heard in the original 1948 print. The film is a remarkable summary of the crimes committed by and the punishment meted out to the defendants.

As for the 2009 version, released in2010, that is a different film and should be discussed separately. The score has been re-recorded, new narration has been added, courtroom voices have been restored (they were replaced due to issues of aural clarity). In short, it was created from a new millennial frame of reference.

To understand the impact of the original film I suggest you seek out the original version. While the youtube print of the 1948 release is poor, there is a gorgeous 35mm print of the 1950 US version.

Universal cranked out loads of these six-and-seven reel wonders in the early 1940's. They benefited from great casts, really good songs, outstanding orchestrations, usually fast pace, and more than serviceable scripts. SING ANOTHER CHORUS is a typically cheery entry with great work by the largely unsung Johnny Downs, Jane Frazee, George Barbier, Iris Adrian, Mischa Auer and Walter Catlett. The Peters (Piotrowski) Bros. do some terrific dancing and sing the rhythm number "Rug Cuttin' Romeo". Iris Adrian (though very well dubbed) does "The Boogie Woogie Boogie Man". This song got plenty of mileage. It appeared again later in 1941 in a Will Osborn two-reeler, sung by the Brian Sisters; and again in 1944's MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM. Unless you find a grey market DVD or an old United World Films 16mm print it is doubtful you'll get to see this little sparkler. But if it turns up on your horizon, check it out. There are many worse ways to spend 64 minutes.

WINTERSET was a big hit on Broadway and RKO's decision to retain Burgess Meredith, Margo, and Eduardo Ciannelli to repeat their original stage roles is a major reason for the success of the film version. That they were able to adapt their performances to the intimacy of the camera is remarkable. Maxwell Anderson's dialogue is naturalized considerably from its poetic original but enough of the beautiful lyricism is retained in Anthony Veiler's screenplay to make it a very special script. While Ted Hecht must have been very good on Broadway as Garth, Paul Guilfoyle's performance in the film resulted in perhaps his best and most important screen work. Two other performances deserve special mention. Stanley Ridges as Shadow is menacing without being paranoid as is his boss, played by Ciannelli. Ridges' bloody appearance in the Esdras doorway is one of the most shocking screen moments in 30's cinema. And Willard Robertson, who made a career out of playing impatient meanies is beautifully obstinate as the boorish patrolman. Russian actor Maurice Moscovitch makes his screen debut as Garth and Miriamme's father. A veteran of the Yiddish Theater, Moscovitch later played Paulette Goddard's father in THE GREAT DICTATOR but died before that picture's release. Another Russian, Mischa Auer, makes one of his rare dramatic appearances as a social radical.

The physical set is beautiful, especially the stone-style recreation of the alley and stairwells beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Finally, the film boasts a rare original score by Nathaniel Shilkret. Shilkret was a longtime bandleader who made records for RCA. He was hired as part of the RKO music staff in 1936 to replace Max Steiner who was leaving to join fledgling org Selznick-International. Shilkret's bold compositions for WINTERSET enhance the theatricality of film, though most of the dupe prints extant on video reproduce the soundtrack with very limited fidelity.

For modern audiences with little patience for plays-made-into-films that represent their stage origins, WINTERSET will be a disappointment. But for those who can appreciate the care with which director Alfred Santell took to recreate much of the prosaic beauty of the Broadway original, WINTERSET will be a rewarding experience - if you can see it in a respectable copy.

This picture should have been much better than it is. Universal would have done well to have made it an all-out screwball affair instead of making it a pseudo-serious mystery picture. The comedy sequences are fine and Edgar Kennedy makes a terrific foil for Charlie. Of course, the real mystery of the film is its running time. Many of the original trade sources indicate a 77 or 75 minute running time, though none with any actual footage count. My guess is that the film previewed at 75 and was hastily trimmed to 65 for release. The most obvious trim is at the very end where it is quite apparent a reprise of "I'm Charlie McCarthy Detective" was cut with a fade-out/fade-in inserted before the End Title. The film was released in 8 reels, which also suggests trimming just prior to distribution. This is by no means a bad film, just a bit of a disappointment.

Hal Roach's musical streamliners were given plenty of production (FIESTA was even filmed in Technicolor) but were often sorely lacking in the scenario department. There's usually a comedy team of sorts - in this case it's big Ed Gargan and diminutive Jerry Bergen. Marjorie Woodworth is invariably the ingenue in these 5-reelers. I guess Roach must have seen SOMETHING in her. Oh well. The protagonist is George Givot, a longtime vaudevillian who specialized in Greek dialect. Here is plays it straight with the exception of a detour as a blackface mammy with composer Edward Ward matching his dialect on the soundtrack. Little Billy Roy apparently made a hit as a native boy in ALOMA OF THE SOUTH SEAS and he repeats the role singing the Oscar-nominated "Pennies For Peppino". This picture was directed by RKO's early turgedian George Archainbaud and all I can say is, where was Gordon Douglas when we needed him! Very few of the gags work and, in one of the strangest affronts to comedy, hilarious dialectician Benny Rubin - playing a French maitre d - had his voice looped! It's nice to see Norma Varden in an early role and there are plenty of familiar dress extras, including the ubiquitous Ellinor Vanderveer. I'm giving this a rating of 5 because it's only 5 reels. If it had been a longer picture I would have been much more severe in my critique. But it's 47 minutes of amiable entertainment. No harm done.

Okay, first let me say that all my observations are based on my personal 16mm print, which is a composite of a Film Classics release made up for military use and a television print with complete original titles. To begin, the reel "slate" says Captain From Kopenick Part 1. This means that, up until the film was completed it was planned and produced as The Captain From Kopenick. When it was finished it was given the more generic title PASSPORT TO HEAVEN. Still, the subject matter was not palatable for distributors and the film languished until Film Classics picked it up and gave it yet another generic title I WAS A CRIMINAL. I have footage of the CRIMINAL main titles as well as the complete PASSPORT main titles.

While the original German talkie was sharper and far more indicting, the American film still carries enough wry satire to be thoroughly enjoyable. It also sports a very early score by Daniele Amfitheatrof. In fact, for an independent production the film has some excellent production credits including cinematographer John Alton and editor Dorothy Spencer. The cast is superb, in particular Luis Alberni, Wallis Clark and, of course, the wonderful Albert Bassermann.

The last owner of PASSPORT TO HEAVEN was National Telefilm Associates so, in theory, the picture should be in the Paramount library. Whether or not they actually have materials is another matter.

I ran the film at CineFest in Syracuse in 2013 and it was very well received. Here's hoping a wider audience gets to see the picture at some point in the future.

I have one serious problem with this film, which I will address in a bit. To begin, FRIENDLY ENEMIES was a dramatic play that ran an incredible 440 performances on Broadway from July 1918 to August 1919. The cast was made up of popular New York actors of the period, most of whom are today forgotten. The play was first adapted to the screen in 1925 and starred the Dutch-act comedy team of Lew Webber and Joe Fields. And therein lies the problem of this faithful-to-the-period talkie remake. Cast as two German patriarchs now ensconced in America are Charles Winninger and Charles Ruggles. Both Charlies were very fine actors with great comic timing. But for some reason director Allan Dwan had them emulate Webber & Fields' vaudeville-style Dutch accents rather than use more realistic dialects. He would have been better off using authentic German-American actors. Felix Bressart and Jean Hersholt would have been perfect. Ilka Gruning, who plays Winninger's wife, was Austrian and her authentic dialect was perfect. Much of the power of the dialogue was lost to distraction in the leading players' exaggerated accents. As always, Otto Kruger is very fine as the villain in the piece, understated and chillingly threatening. As with all Edward Small pictures of this period, the production values are first-rate. And, as with most Edward Small pictures of this period, FRIENDLY ENEMIES is very difficult to see. Keep an eye out for it. It remains a timely and thoughtful story.

What a surprise treat this 1965 spaghetti western turned out to be. Based on real-life Mexican bandit, MURIETA is the story of a new immigrant to California who is driven to vengeance and eventually becomes the leader of a vicious band of raiders and murderers. This picture has three great things going for it: 1. Jeffrey Hunter as Murieta (actual spelling is Murietta); he gives a superbly understated performance. 2. Arthur Kennedy, back in the saddle as a straight-shooting lawman. Sage, empathetic, Kennedy matches Hunter's fine acting work, especially difficult since all of their dialogue was re-recorded in studio. 3. The direction by veteran ace of oaters George Sherman. He keeps the camera moving and keeps the characterizations sharp and clear. Also fine are Diana Lorys, Sara Lezana and Roberto Camardiel as Jack "Three Fingers" Garcia. There are many eloquent moments in this fact-based adventure. It is well worth screening if you can find a copy. My review is based on screening a 16mm print I picked up (dye transfer Technicolor) of the UK-titled version, VENDETTA.

Okay, first let's dispatch this old nag - HELLZAPOPPIN' is NOT the stage play transferred to film. The 1938 show was a revue. A series of sketches, blackouts and musical numbers. Richard Lane, as the director, was right - "This is Hollywood, we change everything!" And, in my humble opinion, I think they did a darn fine job. The "love story" was merely a vehicle for a couple of very nice songs (the entire score is first-rate) and a goofy performance by the long-forgotten Lewis Howard. Jane Frazee and Robert Paige were both top drawer light players at Universal with excellent singing voices. So believe me, in making the necessary "changes", Universal gave it their best shot. As for the fun stuff, it's simply non-stop, from Shemp Howard and Jody Gilbert in the projection booth, to former Stooge Fred Sanborn playing tic-tac-toe on a horse's backside, to the singing and dancing devils (with chicks on a spit!) to Mischa Auer doing his very best "schnorrer" routine, to the other-worldly Hugh Herbert ("hello ma, I'll be home for dinner - have meat!"), to the myriad gags that break the fourth wall, to the eye-popping and breathless turn by Martha Raye, to the greatest Lindy Hop number committed to film, and on and on. If you roll your eyeballs at corny gags, this picture ain't for you! But if you revel at the shear audacity of pulling off such corn with absolutely no shame whatsoever, then you want to experience HELLZAPOPPIN'. If at all possible, see it with an audience. No comedy can be fully appreciated by solo viewing. But as laughter is infectious, the kinetic energy generated by this picture really cries out for a communal experience. One aspect of this picture is seldom mentioned and that is the musical direction. Universal was really tops in the early 40's of putting pop sounds in their B musicals. Well, this is definitely an 'A' picture, and Charlie Previn's orchestra is in fine form, especially in the "Congaroo" number. By the way - it has long been my contention that HELLZAPOPPIN' was not, at least completely, directed by the credited H. C. Potter. The style of the film is unlike anything else Potter did and is completely akin to the work of Eddie Cline, who was Universal's ace comedy director at the time and who directed the next three Olsen & Johnson features. Just a theory of mine and one for which I have absolutely no documentation or other type of support. HELLZAPOPPIN' has been buried in the US since 1966 when the rights reverted to the Nederlander Organization. But fortunately a UK DVD from Universal's 35mmm fine grain has been released and is a superb video version of the film. It is also shown occasionally on TV in Canada. Now - will someone PLEASE stop that woman from yelling "Oscar"!!

Just a few notes about this picture. First, the narrator is John Lund, not Dana Andrews as mentioned in an earlier review. Second, this OWI short was slightly expanded, re-scored (by William Lava), the narration re-recorded by Knox Manning, was re-titled "HITLER LIVES?" and released theatrically by Warner Bros. While the images are striking and the script disturbing, John Lund's reading of the text is, for the most part, adult and instructive. Compare this with Knox Manning's over-the-top, almost rabid, alarmist narration. Musically, the Tiomkin-Newman et al scoring for the War Dept. version is sober while William Lava's treatment is typical Warner Bros. bravura. The same film intended for two entirely different audiences. Only slightly different in the footage (the Warner version includes some studio-shot material of race-baiters and rabblerowsers) yet the execution of the aural elements legions apart. And, as noted by another reviewer, it is striking how in both versions the word Jew is not uttered once, nor are the Jews identified as the primary target of the Nazi atrocities. When I first saw this film (I recently acquired a 16mm print of the Warner version), one thing struck me dead center. The plea for children to be children and not to be molded into tools for the state. Some might make the same plea today.

This is a wonderful George Pal Puppetoon. Jasper is on his way to take the Deacon his coat for services. But the Scarecrow (voiced by Roy Glenn) thinks it would look better on him. He begins to tell Jasper that this was the kind of coat he wore when he was with the Minstrel troup. Dissolve to an all-scarecrow cast of minstrels in a lavish series of musical numbers. Chorals, quartets, olio numbers, etc. And, of course, Tambo and Mr. Bones as the end men. Yes, this short is wildly politically incorrect for today's audiences. But it is an authentic - with extremely tasteful musical arrangements - tribute to the days of the minstrel shows. Jasper only appears in the open and close (as does his Mammy), but he manages a couple of good gags with the Scarecrow and his shoulder pal, the Crow.

First, let me say "nuts" to the cinema snobs who carp about Capra recycling footage from Broadway BILL in order to bring this picture in on budget. If that's what it took, so be it. In my opinion, RIDING HIGH is far superior to the original picture in many ways. First, the original script was followed closely but was peppered with several "toppers". Second, the comedy sequences - especially the racetrack swindle scene - are much funnier in RIDING HIGH. It was a genuine stroke of genius to give habitual track inhabitant Oliver Hardy the role of the poor sap who sinks it all on "Doughboy". Most importantly, Bing Crosby is, as Capra states in his autobio, right as rain for the role of Dan Brooks. Warner Baxter was decidedly out-of-place and his dour personality put a serious dent in the dramatic success of Broadway BILL. Sure, Colleen Gray is not Myrna Loy. But she is wonderfully natural in this picture and a wonderful mate for Bing. Also vastly improved in this version is the relationship between Dan and Whitey (Clarence Muse in both pictures). There is no real chemistry between Baxter and Muse (Baxter even gives him a malicious kick in the pants at one point) whereas Crosby and Muse exude genuine affection for one another. Another big plus is Percy Kilbride as the feed man. The scene at the track where he tries to get his bill paid is one of the most hysterical examples of frustration in a character I've ever seen. And please don't complain about the songs. Burke and Van Heusen wrote outstanding material for Crosby and these songs fit the characters and situations just fine. And it's nice to have "Sunshine Cake", except for a few bars, sung on-set and not pre-recorded. Lynne Overman may have a slight edge as a Damon Runyon type, but Bill Demarest as Happy gets much bigger laughs. All-in-all, this is one of my very favorite Capra pictures. Bravo to the great director for hitting on the idea of remaking it, all to the better.

Well, here is one of the innumerable six-reelers produced by Universal in the early 1940's. The threadbare story - about a swing band being brought to New York to play on a radio program - serves as the framework for 1. a collection of very nice tunes, none of which, surprisingly, were published; 2. an opportunity for Leon Errol to do his famous drunk pantomime; 3. yet another chance for audiences to smile back at cutie-pie Baby Sandy. Judge for yourself if this last attribute is, indeed, a virtue. Pint-sized Universal stock players Butch and Buddy get off a few laughs, though some of their musical footage was trimmed - at least based on the surviving music tracks. Bob Paige and Anne Gwynne make a great couple and Paige is in very fine voice. But it's the Merry Macs who steal the show with a basket of tunes, most notably "Cariacabu" - a rhythmic ditty that never saw a studio cover. It is doubtful that this one will show up any time soon on cable or DVD. Some of us keep these bupkies alive via our 16mm collections. Are we crazy? Maybe. But our toes are tapping!

As has been previously noted, SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE had a long history as novel, play and oft-filmed motion picture. The 1929 RKO production with Richard Dix is probably the closest you will find in replicating the stage perennial. Community theaters across the USA continue to insert BALDPATE into their season as it is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Dix is, well, Dix. He was seldom a good actor but he was always enthusiastic and energetic. Near the end of this picture he forgets he's doing a talkie and gestures beyond belief when describing the goings-on at Baldpate Inn. But we love him still. The rest of the cast is more than capable and, yes, the pacing is deliberate and stagy. BTW, for BALDPATE enthusiasts, be sure to check out the Lux Radio Theatre version of the play starring Jack Benny. In the meantime, next time this one comes around check it out. But remember, the movies had barely learned to talk so be forgiving...

Okay, this is picture ain't much, but it does have a few things that make it worth peeking in. First, the always-charming Sally Eilers, teamed here with likable Preston Foster. Second, a really healthy supply of supporting players including Cecil Kellaway, Guinn Williams, Lorraine Krueger, Fuzzy Knight, Richard Lane, John Kelly, Jack Carson, James Flavin, Frank Thomas Sr., Willie Best, and the always delightful upholder of the law Fred Kelsey. William Brisbane is gosh-awful as Cecil Kellway's son. The part would have been much better played by Grady Sutton. And truly hilarious is an ongoing slapfest between Bobby Barber (you know - the little bald man who made bizarre appearances on THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW) and Ron Rondell. These two, with Stooge-like precision, are constantly assaulting each other and director Christy Cabanne really times their bit superbly. Again, it's a razor-thin scenario but these players have so much appeal and Cabanne keeps the pace up so it almost plays like a two or three-reeler.

Well, I just picked up an original film print of CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK and have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. After many years of reading one abysmal review after another, I found the film to be a fairly impressive RKO comedy. But I also think this film can only be viewed in the context of its time of release. And not for racial stereotype reasons. First, the film obviously came about by the strong popularity of the AMOS 'N ANDY radio program. However, comparison cannot be made between the film and the program as we know it because the program only began a year before this film was made (Amos 'n Andy had, in fact, had recently been known as Sam 'n Henry). So the smooth, well-oiled manner of the 40's heyday was still many years to come. Structure-wise, CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK somewhat resembles RKO's popular Wheeler and Woolsey films and features the two comics in traditional musical-comedy leading/though supporting roles. The story plot is very typical of shows of the day - DIXIANA, COCOANUTS, etc (Ralf Harolde repeats his villainous visage from DIXIANA). The picture is very well photographed from the standpoint of RKO's current production values and it is very well recorded. One interesting note - one that can only be gleaned from having an actual film print - is that the picture was released in nine reels. Given that the running time is 77 minutes, it is probable that there was some trimming done after the previews. An interesting note about the music in the film. Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra are the featured performers. At one point in the film there is a very bluesy, Harlemesque introduction to a number. But the film then cuts to a shot of the band playing "Three Little Words" in standard foxtrot tempo. Upon this number's conclusion, the band goes into a blues number. We then go outside to the garden where a scene between the romantic leads is played and the band is again heard in the distance playing "Three Litte Words". The duo even comment on the song and its meaning. It is apparent there was some moving around of sequences taking place here. And it's possible there was additional music recorded that did not make it into the final release print. As for Amos 'n Andy, there is a nice mix of verbal and visual set-pieces. There is also one surprisingly effective scene where Amos 'n Andy are told that their former employer/benefactor has died and Andy makes a very sorrowful speech about his goodness. It's one of the most genuinely emotional monologues I can recall from any RKO film of that very early talkie period. The one semi-drawback to the film is that Freeman Gosden (Andy) is not able to play Kingfish as he did on radio. In CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK, Kingfish is played by Russ Powell (in blackface - as are many others in the cast including at least one band member and stuttering comic Roscoe Ates). Film fans will remember Powell as the dockman at the beginning of KING KONG ("You going' on that crazy voyage?!"). Powell doesn't have quite the delightful devil about him that Gosden did in his portrayal of Kingfish on the radio - or Tim Moore on television. Had CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK been made six or seven years later, it might have had more polish and pacing. But even by the mid-thirties it is unlikely that a blacked-up Amos 'N Andy would have been welcomed in the cinemas. So we have only this one feature as a pictorialization of the proprietors of the Fresh Air Taxi Cab Corporation. If you can put yourself back into a 1930 frame of reference, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Okay, first of all this is the second remake of RKO's wonderful STREET GIRL. The first remake was THAT GIRL FROM Paris with Lily Pons. Anne Shirley is the faux continental who sings. It sounds like Vera Van doing the actual vocals (Vera sang in DARK VICTORY and DUST BE MY DESTINY). The cutting of this picture is a disaster, which is pretty ironic seeing as the director is a former editor. It is very obvious that scenes were trimmed and transitions shortened. There are holes all over the place. The songs are so-so. One of them, "Boogie Woogie Conga" is almost a carbon copy of "Congo Beso" from HELLZAPOPPIN. For my money, the two best reasons to watch FOUR JACKS are June Havoc and Jack Durant. Durant, late of the team of Mitchell (Frank) and Durant, is quite hilarious as a slightly psychotic gangster. Russian tough mug Constantin Romanoff actually has a few lines in this one. If you're into cinema archeology, watch this one to compare and wonder.

This is a very interesting, if ultimately disappointing, hybrid (straddling the A and B classifications) picture from Columbia. The story is about a troublesome lad (Reynolds) who is sponsored, as a political favor, by a senator (Marshall) as a Senate page boy. After some initial resentments, the boy begins to appreciate his position and is devastated when circumstances jeopardize his job. Herbert Marshall and Virginia Bruce are friendly enemies and they make a unique screen team. The film sports a wonderful supporting cast, with especially fine performances by Samuel S. Hinds and Vaughan Glaser. Columbia recycled many of the sets (office building; senate offices; senate chamber; committee room) constructed for MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. Not to mention page boy Dickie Jones, who has matured enough to give a heartfelt speech near the climax of ADVENTURE IN WASHINGTON. Another recycled set is the newspaper city room from HIS GIRL Friday. Other page boys who get a chance to shine are Charles Smith and Tommy "Butch" Bond. The main problem with the picture is the script. There are a lot of holes and unresolved issues. The film was released in ten reels but runs 84 minutes. This is a sure sign that there was some cutting prior to release. Harry Cohn must have chased producer Charles Rogers off the lot with the way this one wound up. This should have been a 75 minute feature at best, with faster pacing and a clearer scenario. There is some odd padding, including a couple of scenes at a cheap bowling alley set. Still, there are many pluses and some fine speeches about responsibility and civic pride. Also, the "McGuffin" is about a senate appropriations bill being balanced between relief expenditures and armament. The picture was released in May of 1941. Had it been made after Pearl Harbor, the debate might not have been so measured. My 16mm print is one of the "Sahara Television" prints shorn of the original Columbia logos. I'm sure if the film makes it to TCM it will be from Columbia 35mm materials. Keep an eye out. It's worth watching even if, ultimately, a bit unsatisfying.

This is a very pleasant picture with a terrific cast. But it has one glaring problem - the comedy sequences are weak at best. D.D. Beauchamp wrote the story and screenplay. Beauchamp had previously written Universal's THE WISTFUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP, but on that picture he had help from the excellent Bob Lees and Fred Rinaldo, as well as Abbott & Costello specialist John Grant. On FEUDIN', Beauchamp was all alone and the comedy sequences are flat as a pancake. In fact, the "gimick" that is employed in the race finale is also very weak. Nor was the director, George Sherman, particularly strong on comedy. His specialty was oaters (of which this is indeed one). The strength of the picture is to be found in the personalities of O'Connor, Main and Kilbride (not playing the Kettles). O'Connor's dance routines are a nice diversion and I'm sure nobody cared that "Me and My Shadow" was written long after this picture is supposed to take place. This could have been a very, very good picture if only there had been some comedy experts on the job. But Universal had recently changed hands and Messrs. Spitz and Goetz were miserly on their non-prestige products. Even Joe Besser has virtually nothing to do that exploited his many comic talents. If you enjoyed this picture, do yourself a favor and seek out THE WISTFUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP. You'll have a really good time with that one.

Yes, the pacing of this Metro picture may be a bit awkward but it's my favorite TREASURE ISLAND simply for the wonderful cast. Beery is just great as Silver, especially when compared to the truly horrible Robert Newton. Otto Kruger, Nigel Bruce and Lewis Stone add some genuine swashbuckling enthusiasm to their roles (Bruce did play a wonderful ass). And the collection of pirates - from Douglass Dumbrille to Ed Pawley to James Burke (for once, not an Irish cop!) to J. M. Kerrigan - really adds depth to the cadre of criminal seamen. My only complaint is that Harry Cording got short shrift. By the way, some trivia - the foppish singing pirate was played by Harry Bailey, who sang "Hooray For Charlie Kane" in CITIZEN KANE. Herbert Stothart's score makes great use of "Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest", an early-century song based on the lines in Stevenson's novel. A winner.