Topic: November Movie Marathon: Classic Comedy Greats

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Last night my roommate surprised me with a few more movies for this marathon...


Road to Morocco


Road to Singapore


Road to Zanzibar

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The Three Stooges: A Pain in the Pullman
The stooges are small time actors traveling by train to an engagement. Along with their pet monkey, they manage to spoil the trip for quite a few of the other passengers including the conductor and a big movie star.

My Thoughts:
Kind of an average episode. I did like the addition of the monkey.

My Rating:

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The Three Stooges: False Alarm
The stooges are firemen who are constantly getting in trouble, they’ve been warned that one more incident will cost them their jobs. Curly sneaks out anyway to visit his girlfriend.

My Thoughts:
Another one that is no more then an average short.

My Rating:

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The Three Stooges: Whoops, I'm an Indian
Set in the old west, the stooges are crooked gamblers gypping the residents of a frontier town.

My Thoughts:
Once again no more then an average short. I did like the setting of this one. But I didn't find all that many laughs here.

My Rating:

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The Three Stooges: Slippery Silks
The Stooges are carpenters who inherit a fancy dress boutique. They put on a fashion show with dresses they’ve designed based on furniture.

My Thoughts:
No more then a decent short. Nothing really memorable here.

My Rating:

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Who Done It? (1942/United States) Universal Studios Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Erle C. Kenton Writing: Stanley Roberts (Screenwriter), Edmund Joseph (Screenwriter), John Grant (Screenwriter), Stanley Roberts (Story By) Length: 77 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Bud Abbott as Chick Larkin
Lou Costello as Mervin Q. Milgrim
Patric Knowles as Jimmy Turner
William Gargan as Lieutenant Lou Moran
Louise Allbritton as Jane Little

Plot:
The boys try to solve a murder at a radio network but become suspects themselves.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Production Notes

My Thoughts:

I have seen a nice handful of Abbott and Costello films now (not even close to all). I can say while I enjoyed this one.... it is not my favorite. Decent story and some good laughs. Though I think for me, my favorite thing in this film is when the kid kept tricking Lou Costello. Worth the time put in to watch it, but there is definitely better out there.

Rating:

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Road to Zanzibar: Bob Hope: The Tribute Collection (1941/United States) Universal Studios Home Video (United States) Director: Victor Schertzinger Writing: Frank Butler (Screenwriter), Don Hartman (Screenwriter), Don Hartman (Story By), Sy Bartlett (Story By) Length: 92 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono Subtitles: English, French

Stars:
Bing Crosby as Chuck
Bob Hope as Fearless
Dorothy Lamour as Donna Latour
Una Merkel as Julia
Eric Blore as Charles Kimble

Plot:
Bob Hope and Bing Crosby once again hit the Road to comedy, and this time they're really in hot water—guests of honor at a cannibal feast in the darkest heart of Africa.

Hope and Crosby play Fearless and Chuck, American side-show performers stranded in the jungle. After their human cannonball act starts a fire that burns down the circus, they become entangled with a larcenous pair of entertainers from Brooklyn (Dorothy Lamour and Una Merkel) anxious to separate them from their bankroll. Duped into accompanying the ladies on a safari, Chuck and Fearless soon find themselves in the clutches of savage tribesmen who pit Fearless against a gorilla in a wild wrestling match!

A blend of jokes, zany adventure and songs, Road to Zanzibar became one of the big box office hits of 1941.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• Production Notes
• DVD-ROM Content

My Thoughts:

I have now watched three of the "Road To" movies (This one, Singapore & Bali). While not my favorite so far this one was definitely fun. I enjoyed the story and the locale was great as well. I just remember getting more laughs out of Singapore then I did this one. But still the cast was great. Definitely worth checking out.

Rating:

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Alice in Wonderland (1933/United States) Universal Studios Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Norman McLeod Writing: Lewis Carroll (Original Material By), Joseph L. Mankiewicz (Screenwriter), William Cameron Menzies (Screenwriter) Length: 77 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono Subtitles: NONE

Stars:
Richard Arlen as Cheshire Cat
Roscoe Ates as Fish
William Austin as Gryphon
Gary Cooper as White Knight
Leon Errol as Uncle Gilbert

Plot:
Alice's fantastic adventures lead her straight to some of the most memorable characters ever imagined, including the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, Humpty Dumpty, the Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in the original Alice in Wonderland. Based on Lewis Carroll's beloved story, this live-action fantasy features Hollywood icons Cary Grant, Gary Cooper and W.C. Fields along with Charlotte Henry as Alice. Filled with spectacular sets and imaginative costumes, the classic Alice in Wonderland is a timeless adventure for the whole family!

Extras:

• NONE

My Thoughts:

First thing I will say about this one is I do not see myself watching it again. That being said it is a good curiosity piece. And some interesting casting. In this one we have W.C. Fields as Humpty Dumpty... Gary Cooper as The White Night..... and Cary Grant as Mock Turtle. For the time (1933) this film did have some decent special effects. Though a lot of the costuming should have been better. It is a very sporadic.... out there kind of film. But while I never read it... I hear the book is as well. The scary thing is that my roommate told me this is the film that is the most faithful to the book that she has seen. All that being said, I would go as far as recommending this one for a curiosity piece.

Rating:

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Sorrowful Jones (1949/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Universal Studios (United States) Director: Sidney Lanfield Writing: Melville Shavelson (Screenwriter), Edmund Hartmann (Screenwriter), Jack Rose (Screenwriter), Damon Runyon (Original Material By), William R. Lipman (Original Material By), Sam Hellman (Original Material By), Gladys Lehman (Original Material By) Length: 98 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono Subtitles:

Stars:
Bob Hope as Sorrowful Jones
Lucille Ball as Gladys O'Neil
William Demarest as Regret
Bruce Cabot as Big Steve Holloway
Thomas Gomez as Reardon

Plot:
Sorrowful Jones (Bob Hope) takes a bet from a rotten gambler who leaves his young daughter as collateral, forcing him to learn some hard lessons about parenthood with the help of a nightclub singer (Lucille Ball).

Extras:

• Featurettes

My Thoughts:

This one I enjoyed quite a bit. Not surprising with such stars as Bob Hope and Lucille Ball. But it was the little girl that I felt stole the show. A cute little girl and I loved her attitude. This is actually the first film I have seen Lucille Ball in. I just know her from "I Love Lucy"... and while I figured it was the case I was happy to verify with this film that Lucille Ball really could sing. This film may not have a lot of laugh out loud moments... but if you are looking for a fun film to relax and watch I would definitely recommend "Sorrowful Jones."

Rating:

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Between Amazon order and from my roommates store I now have coming...

The Marx Brothers:
At the Circus
A Day at the Races
A Night in Casablanca
Room Service

George Burns & Gracie Allen:
Here Comes Cookie
International House (with W.C.Fields)
Love in Bloom
Six of a Kind (with W.C.Fields)
We're Not Dressed

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Road to Morocco: Bob Hope: The Tribute Collection (1942/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia | Universal Studios Home Video (United States) Director: David Butler Writing: Frank Butler (Screenwriter), Don Hartman (Screenwriter) Length: 82 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Bing Crosby as Jeff Peters
Bob Hope as Orville "Turkey" Jackson
Dorothy Lamour as Princess Shalmar
Anthony Quinn as Mullay Kasim
Dona Drake as Mihirmah

Plot:
Like Webster's dictionary, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour are "Morocco-bound" in the third rollicking entry in their popular series of Road comedies.

Survivors of a Mediterranean shipwreck, stowaways Jeff (Crosby) and Orville (Hope) paddle to a North African shore and hitch a camel ride across the desert to Morocco. In order to buy food, Jeff sells Orville into slavery—but Orville's owner turns out to be the luscious Princess Shalmar (Lamour), who quickly offers to become his wife. Unfortunately, the true reason for the Princess' proposal soon becomes clear. Her prophet has warned that her first husband will meet a violent death within days of their marriage!

An Oscar® nominee for Best Original Screenplay, Road to Morocco is highlighted by Bing's rendition of one of his best- loved songs, the unforgettable Moonlight Becomes You.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• Production Notes
• DVD-ROM Content
• Sing-Along

My Thoughts:

Another fun road movie. Liked this one quite a bit. Not sure if I can say it is my favorite or not yet. They do make a great team. Though in this one Bob hope really went overboard on breaking the fourth wall. He did it several times here. Well worth the time put in to watch it.

Rating:

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Buck Privates: Collector's Series (1941/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Universal Home Entertainment, Image Entertainment (United States) Director: Arthur Lubin Writing: Arthur T. Horman (Screenwriter), John Grant (Writer) Length: 84 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio: Mono Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Lee Bowman (1914) as Randolph Parker, III
Alan Curtis (1909) as Bob Martin
Bud Abbott as Slicker Smith
Lou Costello as Herbie Brown
The Andrews Sisters

Plot:
Comedy legends Bud Abbott and Lou Costello cemented their place in film history with the hilarious comedy classic Buck Privates. After spending years on stage in burlesque and on radio perfecting classic routines such as "Who's on First?", the duo transitioned to motion pictures at Universal in 1940. In their first leading roles, Bud and Lou play con artists who accidently enlist in the U.S. Army to avoid going to jail. Making matters worse, their no–nonsense drill sergeant turns out to be the cop who tried to arrest them! Featuring classic routines such as "Drill", "Dice Game" and "You're Forty, She's Ten", the film also starred the popular singing group The Andrews Sisters performing the Academy Award®–nominated° song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". Following the success of Buck Privates, Bud and Lou made an astounding 26 more movies at Universal leaving a legacy of laughter that will be treasured forever.

°1941 Best Music-Original Song

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Featurettes

My Thoughts:

This is a fun Abbott and Costello flick. Seeing the misfits in the armed forces is always fun. While this one is definitely worth the time put in to watch it... if there is anything for me to complain about... it would have to be a little too much Andrew Sisters. I think I would have liked to have seen a non-musical version of this film. But to be honest... even that didn't really take away from my enjoyment. Nothing against the Andrew Sisters mind you. Just think they popped up a little more then I was expecting.

Rating:

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Animal Crackers (1930/United States) Universal Studios Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Victor Heerman Writing: George S. Kaufman (Original Material By), Morrie Ryskind (Original Material By), Bert Kalmar (Original Material By), Harry Ruby (Original Material By), Morrie Ryskind (Screenwriter) Length: 97 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Groucho Marx as Captain Jeffrey Spaulding
Harpo Marx as The Professor
Chico Marx as Signor Emanuel Ravelli
Zeppo Marx as Horatio Jamison
Lillian Roth as Arabella Rittenhouse

Plot:
Groucho stars as Captain Spaulding, the famous African explorer whose return is being celebrated with a gala party thrown at the house of the wealthy Mrs. Rittenhouse (Margaret Dumont). A valuable painting is stolen and Signore Ravelli (Chico) and the Professor (Harpo), along with Spaulding's stenographer, Jamison (Zeppo), all pitch in and try to help Spaulding recover the rare work of art.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:

This is the second Marx Brothers film I watched... and the second I enjoyed. This is the kind of comedy I like. So far for me they are right up there with Abbott and Costello. While I do enjoy the lead of the pack, Groucho Marx... I am finding I really like the antics of the silent Harpo.

Rating:

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Our Gang: Dog Daze
The gang must raise 37 cents to pay off Butch. After earning a dollar for taking care of an injured dog, the kids hit upon a sure-fire moneymaking scheme; they will "rescue" every dog in town, thereby collecting a dollar from each grateful owner.

My Thoughts:
This is a fun short. Though for the most part pretty average. Definitely worth the time put in to watch it... but even I have seen better Our Gang shorts.

My Rating:

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At the Circus (1939/United States) IMDb |Trailer | Warner Home Video (United States) Director: Edward Buzzell Writing: Irving Brecher (Screenwriter) Length: 87 min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: Mono Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Groucho Marx as Attorney Loophole
Chico Marx as Antonio
Harpo Marx as "Punchy"
Kenny Baker as Jeff Wilson
Florence Rice as Julie Randall

Plot:
Big-to bedlam results in this three-ring comedy caper in which Groucho sings the praises of Lydia the tattooed lady and Eve Ardenslinks around the walls and ceiling as a shady acrobat.

Extras:

Scene Selection
Theatrical Trailer
Shorts

My Thoughts:

This one is an entertaining film for sure... but not quite as good as the other Marx Brothers films I have seen so far. I did like the setting. And I did have fun watching it... there just wasn't as many laugh out load moments for me as there was in the others I have watched so far.

Rating: