Excuse My Dust

Watching Excuse My Dust I couldn't help thinking that this would have been a better vehicle for that other redheaded comedian Danny Kaye. The character of the inventor would have suited Kaye's persona far better than Red Skelton.

That being said Red did well enough with this comedy set in those Gay Nineties when he's one of many people who are starting to experiment with the horseless carriage. He might not follow through well enough with the execution, but he's definitely got the right idea as he's got prototype vacuum cleaners and garbage disposal machines as well.

But when you're courting Sally Forrest and her father William Demarest makes his living with a livery stable that causes most of Red's problems. Not to mention pretentious vamp Monica Lewis who's from St. Louis, but her year abroad has her sporting a French accent.

I have to single out MacDonald Carey who looks like he was having a ball playing Red's rival in romance and racing. All Carey had to do was grow a handlebar mustache long enough for twirling. He was doing a great Snidely Whiplash.

Excuse My Dust is a pleasant enough Red Skelton comedy. Arthur Schwartz and Dorothy Fields wrote some rather forgettable songs. Danny Kaye could have gotten in on the musical numbers.

But Skelton fans will like this.