Check and Double Check (1930)

Typical Amos 'n Andy storyline has the boys trying to make a go of their "open-air" taxi business while they get caught up in a society hassle, involving driving musicians to a fancy party.... See full summary »

Director:

Melville W. Brown (as Melville Brown)

Writers:

Bert Kalmar (story/dialogue), Harry Ruby (story/dialogue)

Stars:

Freeman F. Gosden, Charles J. Correll, Sue Carol

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Freeman F. Gosden	...	Amos
Charles J. Correll	...	Andy
Sue Carol	...	Jean Blair
Irene Rich	...	Mrs. Blair
Ralf Harolde	...	Ralph Crawford
Charles Morton	...	Richard Williams (as Charles S. Morton)
Edward Martindel	...	John Blair
Rita La Roy	...	Elinor Crawford (as Rita LaRoy)
Russ Powell	...	Kingfish
Roscoe Ates	...	Brother Arthur (as Rosco Ates)
Duke Ellington Orchestra	...	The Cotton Club Orchestra (as The Cotton Club Orchestra)

Storyline

Typical Amos 'n Andy storyline has the boys trying to make a go of their "open-air" taxi business while they get caught up in a society hassle, involving driving musicians to a fancy party. All the regular characters are here (or mentioned), including the famous Mystic Knights of the Sea. The only film appearance of radio's long-running characters.

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Plot Keywords:

amos and andy characters | four word title | big band | african american | new york city | 

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Taglines:

We can tell you all about it, but what's the use- you'll see it anyway! (Print Ad-Turtle Mountain Star, ((Rolla, N.D.)) 26 March 1931)

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Check and Double Check

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both actors that played Amos and Andy where white actors in what was known as 'blackface' makeup at the time. Blackface had been mostly abandoned by mainstream American films by 1930, unless it was diegetic (i.e. characters are performers who wear blackface as part of their act). It was decided that all African American speaking roles in this film would, for aesthetic continuity, be played by white actors in blackface; the only exceptions were Duke Ellington and his orchestra appearing in the party scene, and the occasional non-speaking extra in scenes set in Harlem.

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Quotes

Amos: [on the phone with his girlfriend] Hello, Ruby - - dis here is Amos.
Andy: Da guy wid da EGG-SHAPED HEAD.
Amos: [absent-mindedly repeating what Andy just said] Da guy wid da egg-shaped head - - I mean, I mean - - sorry, Ruby... hold da phone a sec. Andy, will you please leeme 'lone? You is getting me messed up. Sorry 'bout that, hunny - - Andy got me messed up dere... Oh, yeah, Ruby... I LIKES to dance wid YOU -...
Andy: [in a casual monotone] Da gal wid da BIG FEET.
Amos: [...]

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Connections

Featured in Amos 'n' Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy (1983)

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Soundtracks

Harlem Speaks
(1930) (uncredited)
Written by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills
Performed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra

User Reviews

Enjoyable

Let's just start by addressing the elephant in the room. The two main characters are portrayed in BlackFace. Most likely for no good reason other then the old idea that poorly educated African Americans are funner than their white counterparts. I feel these characters language quirks could easily just be contributed to their orgins of poor folks from Georgia and not really the color of their skin.

The main characters were not portrayed as evil or bad, infact they were some of the most admirable characters in the whole film. I did not care for the secondary love triangle plot and preferred the slapstick parts featuring Amos and Andy. An interesting watch that I don't regret.