Going to Town (1950)
"Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town" (original title)

When Pa wins a jingle-writing contest, he and Ma head for New York City. They they get in trouble with gangsters when they lose some stolen money which they had already agreed to deliver to one of the thugs.

Director:

Charles Lamont

Writers:

Martin Ragaway (story), Leonard Stern (story),

Stars:

Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Richard Long

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marjorie Main	...	Phoebe 'Ma' Kettle
Percy Kilbride	...	Frank 'Pa' Kettle
Richard Long	...	Tom Kettle
Meg Randall	...	Kim Parker Kettle
Gregg Martell	...	Louie
Charles McGraw	...	Shotgun Mike Munger
Kathryn Givney	...	Mrs. Victoria Masterson
Jim Backus	...	Joseph 'Little Joe' Rogers
Elliott Lewis	...	Detective Sam Boxer
Paul McVey	...	Harold Masterson
Bert Freed	...	Dutch, Third New York Henchman
Hal March	...	Det. Mike Eskow
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barbara Brown	...	Elizabeth Parker (scenes deleted)
Ray Collins	...	Jonathan Parker (scenes deleted)

Storyline

When Pa wins a jingle-writing contest, he and Ma head for New York City. They they get in trouble with gangsters when they lose some stolen money which they had already agreed to deliver to one of the thugs.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | stolen money | gangster | flat tire | milking a cow | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dois Caipiras: Nas Altas Rodas

Filming Locations:

Courthouse Square, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Third of eight films in which Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride portrayed Ma and Pa Kettle.

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Quotes

Pa Kettle: I thought you might be a traveling salesman. A lot of them visit farms, you know.
Shotgun: Yeah, I've heard stories about them.

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Connections

Followed by The Kettles in the Ozarks (1956)

User Reviews

A curious addition to the DVD for "The Egg & I" and a genuinely odd film.

The first film in which the Ma & Pa Kettle characters appeared was the Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray film "The Egg & I". The popularity of these characters in the film led to Percy Kilbride and Marjorie Main repeating them in a series of amiable films. Oddly, however, the DVD for "The Egg & I" is accompanied by "Ma & Pa Kettle Go To Town" on the same side of the DVD--yet this other film is the third from the series, not the second! Because of this, you suddenly find the Kettles living in an ultra-modern suburban home instead of their dilapidated farm--and you only understand why as the story is explained through some exposition by the two leading characters! Why they decided not to put the second film ("Ma & Pa Kettle") following the first film is beyond me--especially since the third film picks up at the end of the second sequentially. And, by the way, on this double-sided disk, the ones on the other side are also NOT the second film!

The Kettles have won a trip to New York. It seems that Pa has once again entered a contest and this time his essay about Bubble-ola(a fictional soft drink) has been picked. However, how can Ma and

Pa go when they have a bazillion kids that need to someone to watch them--and the kids are wild! Now here is where the plot gets really contrived--a criminal (Charles McGraw) meets the Kettles and soon agrees to stay and care for the brood. Considering he's a swarthy looking mug, their believing he's a poet is ridiculous--as is Pa's agreeing to take a black bag with him to New York to give to the stranger's 'brother'.

Once in the city, the black bag is naturally lost and the criminals are quite worried. The Kettles have no idea that it isn't just some empty bag and just buy a new one--and plan on giving it to the supposed brother. However, every time they buy a bag, one of the crooks steals it--and so the Kettles keep buying more.

This is film reasonably funny but also a bit ridiculous. In fact, this and McGraw watching the kids all seem very hard to believe--like the writers were running low on ideas--and this is only the third film in the series! Because of the bizarre plot, the film just seems forced and the charm of some of their other films seems lacking here. The acting isn't bad--the the plot is just odd to say the least! And, the square dance ending is the epitome of weird! Overall, it's watchable but a disappointment.