An Evening Alone (1938)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Roy Rowland

Writers:

Robert Benchley (writer)
Robert Lees (writer)

Release Date:

14 May 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Cast

Robert Benchley

Runtime:

USA:10 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Dependable

This is another strong entry in the always dependable 'Joe Doakes' series of shorts that Benchley wrote and starred in for MGM and occasionally Paramount in the 1930s and 1940s. They took two forms: in the first, Benchley would lecture confusedly on some subject that his character would seem to know nothing about, like he Oscar-winning HOW TO SLEEP. In the second, he would play Joe Doakes, who would go about his ordinary way. This is an episode of the second; the Missus has gone out leaving him alone to do catch up on those tasks he has put off, like destroying the cuckoo clock and filling the house with smoke. As usual, Benchley is low key, befuddled and amusing.