If it wasn't Laurel and Hardy, it was The Little Rascals. And if neither of them were available, it was Thelma Todd with either Zasu Pitts or Patsy Kelly. None of them are present in this delightful but over the top screwball comedy that shows "Wizard of Oz" Tin Man Jack Haley going from his regular duties as barber to the rich to posing as a wealthy eccentric to discuss business at a party with wealthy but struggling businessman Raymond Walburn and his eccentric daughter Betty Furness. Haley arrives at the party in style but before long, his accident-prone ways are creating havoc and Furness must get him alone in order to prevent the party from turning into a disaster. Their boat runs out of gas, he accidentally burns down a fishing cabin, and they wake up on the beach in the morning only for her to discover the truth about his identity. Further chaos ensues with a domineering aunt showing up to make plans for her niece's wedding, and then it is revealed that the millionaire Haley is posing at already has a wife. There's also a gangster in love with the wife on her tail, and this ends up resulting in a comical scene with Haley making a getaway in a car without a motor being peddled in a hidden compartment by droll butler Arthur Treacher.
In a short. Of time, the farce is overwhelming so you will probably have to watch this several times to pick up on all the gags. Actually, it is worth watching more than once because it is extremely funny even if the situations are forced and the acting is over-the-top. Haley is awkward and delightfully clumsy, and Furness seems amused even when Furious by his antics. Walburns yelling is also very funny, but the scenery is really stolen by Arthur Treacher who's yes sir responses to everything he is asked to do reeks of contempt for his employers. Rosina Lawrence, one of the "Our Gang" school teachers, is the dizzy estranged wife of Monroe Owlsley, and Kathleen Lockhart is the storm trooper aunt. This film doesn't seem to be directed, more choreographed, and when you've got so much first going on, it's a miracle to watch a film where the actors aren't bumping into the furniture or each other. It's a delight, but there's still too much going on to really enjoy it in just one sitting.
In a short. Of time, the farce is overwhelming so you will probably have to watch this several times to pick up on all the gags. Actually, it is worth watching more than once because it is extremely funny even if the situations are forced and the acting is over-the-top. Haley is awkward and delightfully clumsy, and Furness seems amused even when Furious by his antics. Walburns yelling is also very funny, but the scenery is really stolen by Arthur Treacher who's yes sir responses to everything he is asked to do reeks of contempt for his employers. Rosina Lawrence, one of the "Our Gang" school teachers, is the dizzy estranged wife of Monroe Owlsley, and Kathleen Lockhart is the storm trooper aunt. This film doesn't seem to be directed, more choreographed, and when you've got so much first going on, it's a miracle to watch a film where the actors aren't bumping into the furniture or each other. It's a delight, but there's still too much going on to really enjoy it in just one sitting.