Make Mine Mink — a farce about some middle-aged people who decide to break up their boring lives by … Stealing minks, and donating the proceeds to charity. Starring Terry Thomas
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Technically, No Time for Sergeants is Don Knotts first movie. However, his time on-screen is very brief. He plays a neurotic Army officer who gives Andy Griffith’s character, Will Stockdale, one of his tests. As a consolation, however, No Time for Sergeants is a hilariously funny movie. The basic plot has Will Stockdale being drafted into the Army. Attempts by other recruits to harass the country boy fail miserably. Due to Will’s easy-going nature, lack of apprehension of some of the insults, and his incredible good luck.
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Set in the midst of the Cold War, Soviet pilot Vinka Kovelenko (Katherine Hepburn) defects to the West, despite her devotion to Communism, due to having been overlooked for a promotion due to her being a female. American Air Force Major Chuck Lockwood (Bob Hope) is tasked with bringing her to embrace Capitalism. Despite being engaged to an English heiress, Lockwood and Kovelenko begin falling in love. Stuck in the middle of the conflict between East and West.
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In a nutshell, The Story of Mankind has humanity on trial for its’ very existence. The Devil himself (played delightfully by Vincent Price) is the prosecutor. The Spirit of Mankind (Ronald Colman) is the advocate. Cedric Hardwicke as the Celestial Judge. Evidence is presented as a series of vignettes of various stars presenting famous historical moments. Some moments are serious, and others more silly. The Marx Brothers appear in their final film. However, they never show up together. Each brother has their own distinct scene.
I’ve known of the Ritz Brothers for some time, although I’ve not seen many of their movies. Previously, the only one of their movies that I saw was The Gorilla (with Bela Lugosi). And I wasn’t impressed with their comedy. The Three Musketeers, however, has totally changed my opinion of the Ritz Brothers.
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It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a manic, hilarious, slapstick movie. It starred some of the greatest movie clowns of their time …. And more cameos than you can shake a stick at.
The basic plot involves a dying thief (Jimmy Durante) who tells a small group of bystanders where to find the hidden money from his last bank job. These individuals then embark on a treasure hunt of sorts, and the madcap fun begins! The initially small group grows. Until nearly a dozen people are looking for the treasure. The movie quickly turns into a slapstick farce. The various people compete to be the first to the location. And those people the funniest comedians and film clowns of their time. In addition, virtually every other major comedian or clown puts in a cameo appearance in the film.
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Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is considered by many Abbott and Costello fans to be one of their worst efforts. Although it has many very funny moments, it can be safely said that it doesn’t have nearly enough of them.
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In Bean, Rowan Atkinson’s clown character Mr. Bean plays the part of a sleepy watchman at an art museum. He’s sent to America to watch the famous painting, Whistler’s Mother. The reason they sent them is because of his constant causing trouble without trying. Once in America, he does the same with the “foster family” that he’s staying with. And, he inadvertently destroys a famous work of art …
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In Watch The Birdie, Red Skelton plays his normal lovable klutz (Rusty Cammeron), who runs a camera shop with him father (also played by Red Skelton, using his Newton J. Numbskull character) — and his grandfather (also played by Red, in a variation on his San Fernando Red Character). However, between the three of them, the store is nearly bankrupt, owing over $1,100 (a large sum in 1950).
Movie review of Son of Paleface. Bob Hope‘s sequel to Paleface, again co-starring Jane Russell – as the son of the original Paleface, doing a screwball comedy set in the old American West. It’s vintage Bob Hope, and that’s saying quite a bit. A very funny movie, and well worth watching.
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