The Inspector General (1949)

An illiterate stooge in a traveling medicine show wanders into a strange town and is picked up on a vagrancy charge. The town's corrupt officials mistake him for the inspector general whom ... See full summary »

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Philip Rapp (screenplay), Harry Kurnitz (screenplay),

Stars:

Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates

Won 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Danny Kaye	...	Georgi
Walter Slezak	...	Yakov
Barbara Bates	...	Leza
Elsa Lanchester	...	Maria
Gene Lockhart	...	The Mayor
Alan Hale	...	Kovatch
Walter Catlett	...	Colonel Castine
Rhys Williams	...	Inspector General

Storyline

An illiterate stooge in a traveling medicine show wanders into a strange town and is picked up on a vagrancy charge. The town's corrupt officials mistake him for the inspector general whom they think is traveling in disguise. Fearing he will discover they've been pocketing tax money, they make several bungled attempts to kill him.

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Plot Keywords:

medicine show | corruption | snake oil | bribery | screwball | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Happy Times

Filming Locations:

Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Near the beginning of the movie Leza (Barbara Bates) is tightening the corset of Maria (Elsa Lanchester). Maria demands that Leza tighten the corset more and Leza explains that is already tight. After Maria leaves another character comments that Leza was correct and the corset was too tight "it makes her eyes bug out." This was an inside joke since Elsa Lanchester's eyes were somewhat protuberant.

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Goofs

Poor editing (redundancy): When Yakov is first hawking his elixir, and about to reveal Danny's "head" on the serving plate, he picks it up and turns in a far shot, and then immediately, in a closer shot, it shows almost exactly the same motion.

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Quotes

Yakov: You'll regret this, you fat-faced village idiot!
The Mayor: What! You... you... How dare you!
Yakov: Keep your dirty hands off me, you misbegotten peasants!
The Mayor: Tie him up!
Yakov: The Emperor will tear this stinking village down over your ears, you thieving lard-bucket! Heads will roll here like marbles - yours first, and then this flea-ridden sack of nothing you call the Inspector General!
Inspector General: Oh! Why, he's insane! Take him away! Take him away!
Yakov: This isn't the Inspector General! Don't make me laugh! The great Emperor wouldn't ...

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Connections

Version of De boezemvriend (1982)

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Soundtracks

"La Marseillaise"
(1792) (uncredited)
Music by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
Variations played in the score

User Reviews

How can we have Gypsy song without Gypsy chorus?

Hysterical. Danny Kaye is a comedy genius.

The Gypsy song was the best part of the film. (Zummm-shtok-shtok-hahaha) This is worth a look for this scene alone. It was fun watching the crowd get into it. I'd guess that scene was mostly ad-libbed. He clearly was in control. I bought the DVD (public domain) just for that scene.

The supporting cast did a great job too. Slezak nearly stole all of his scenes and Hale Sr. was perfect in support. And the costume designer deserved at least a nomination for the Oscar.

You can't take this one seriously. But then Danny Kaye lived to entertain. And few did it better.