A Southern Yankee (1948)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Edward Sedgwick

Writers:

Melvin Frank (story)
Norman Panama (story)

Release Date:

5 August 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War | Western

Plot:

Aubrey Filmore (Red Skelton) is a bumbling bellboy in a Missouri town who pesters the Union officers...

Plot Keywords:

Spy | American Civil War | Haystack | Dog | Bellhop

Cast

Red Skelton	...	Aubrey Filmore
Brian Donlevy	...	Kurt Devlynn
Arlene Dahl	...	Sallyann Weatharby
George Coulouris	...	Maj. Jack Drumman
Lloyd Gough	...	Capt. Steve Lorford
John Ireland	...	Capt. Jed Calbern
Minor Watson	...	Gen. Watkins
Charles Dingle	...	Col. Weatherby
Art Baker	...	Col. Clifford M. Baker
Reed Hadley	...	Fred Munsey
Arthur Space	...	Mark Haskins
Joyce Compton	...	Hortense Dobson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Byron Foulger	...	Mr. Duncan (scenes deleted)
Edward Gargan	...	A male nurse (scenes deleted)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Capt. Jeffreys (scenes deleted)
Addison Richards	...	Dr. Clayton (scenes deleted)
Pierre Watkin	...	Major (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

My Hero (UK)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Quotes:

Col. Clifford M. Baker: The paper's in the pocket of the boot with the buckle. The map's in the packet in the pocket of the jacket. Understand?
Aubrey Filmore: Hmm?
Col. Clifford M. Baker: And if you get them mixed up, you're a dead goose.
Aubrey Filmore: Oh, well let's see now. The paper's in the pocket of the macket with a jacket, and the . . No, I see, the packet's in the . .

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)

Waving a two-sided flag

Contrary to popular belief, A SOUTHERN YANKEE is NOT a remake of Buster Keaton's 1927 silent THE GENERAL. Both films take place during the American Civil War and include gags devised by Keaton -- other than that, there's little resemblance. (The only remake of THE GENERAL is Walt Disney's 1956 THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE CHASE.) YANKEE's story, by the writing team of Panama and Frank, was later recycled in part for THE COURT JESTER (1956, also by Panama and Frank -- and starring Danny Kaye).

Keaton's contributions to YANKEE include his suggestion to the producer that the opening scenes be toned down in order to make Red Skelton's character more sympathetic; the memorable two-sided flag gag (derived from a two-sided costume gag Keaton used in his silent days); some of the climactic chase sequence (a gag with a horse and a dress is lifted directly from Keaton's 1923 OUR HOSPITALITY); and, presumably, the acrobatic dentist sequence and, very likely, the astonishing scene involving a 19th century "lawn mower" and a land mine.