The Inspector General (1949)

A town's corrupt officials think a fool is actually an investigator in disguise.

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	...	Col. 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:

screwball comedy | horse riding | shooting into the air | shooting a bird in flight | kiss on both cheeks | 

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Taglines:

The Kaye way to chaos and corruption.

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song "Happy Times", written for this film, was a recording hit for numerous artists during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

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Goofs

When the Mayor tells Kovatch to give the Inspector General his uniform, he does. In the next scene, when Georgi come out of the front door, it fits him to his form. There is no way that a uniform fitting a rotund Kovatch would fit a slim Inspector General without massive alterations.

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Quotes

The Mayor: [hearing that a stranger's been arrested who might be the Inspector General in disguise] You idiot. Did you search him? Question him?
Kovatch: Well... it was so near lunchtime.

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Connections

Version of De boezemvriend (1982)

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Soundtracks

Happy Times
(1949) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Sylvia Fine
Performed by Danny Kaye

User Reviews

cute

This is a nice little bit of fluff. It has more Gogol in it than you might expect. It's not really tha-a-at good, but I gave it a 7 because it's *completely* harmless, and really, Danny Kaye is so lively and charming, and so few actors have that quality of total innocence. He looks quite handsome in the officer's fancy uniform (until he starts making with the funny faces). A good one for kids.

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

Box Office

Budget:

$2,873,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1