Never a Dull Moment (1968)

Actor Jack Albany, who plays gangsters on TV, is mistaken for notorious hit-man Ace, and is hired by mob boss Leo Smooth to pull a heist, but Jack must find a way out of it.

Director:

Jerry Paris

Writers:

John Godey (book), AJ Carothers

Stars:

Dick Van Dyke, Edward G. Robinson, Dorothy Provine

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dick Van Dyke	...	Jack Albany
Edward G. Robinson	...	Leo Joseph Smooth
Dorothy Provine	...	Sally Inwood
Henry Silva	...	Frank Boley
Joanna Moore	...	Melanie Smooth
Tony Bill	...	Florian
Slim Pickens	...	Cowboy Schaeffer
Jack Elam	...	Ace Williams
Ned Glass	...	Rinzy Tobreski
Richard Bakalyan	...	Bobby Macoon
Mickey Shaughnessy	...	Francis
Philip Coolidge	...	Fingers Felton
James Millhollin	...	Museum Director

Storyline

When practicing for a role, actor Jack is mistaken for the killer Ace. He doesn't realize this until it's too late and is carried off to gangster boss Leo Smooth, who wants Ace to do a job for him. Fearing for his life, Jack plays his role, but always searching for a way out of the well-guarded house.

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Plot Keywords:

painting as art | cigar | art gallery | sculpture | champagne | 

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Taglines:

I'ts L-L-Loaded With Laughs...as a small-time actor joins a big-time mob on a fun-time caper!

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Genres:

Family | Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

...og så blev der ballade

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Studios, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$4,150,000, 31 December 1968

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the last film in which Edward G. Robinson portrayed a gangster.

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Goofs

Jack picks up a dog biscuit to eat when Francis catches him in the kitchen. When he leaves to go back to his room, he puts the dog biscuit in his coat pocket. Later, when he crawls on the ledge, the dog barks at him. So, he tosses the dog biscuit to quiet the dog - three separate times.

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Quotes

Leo Joseph Smooth: He warned me to keep you away from booze and broads. He said booze and broads put you right out of your head.

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Alternate Versions

Original VHS by Disney is 90 minutes, whereas the film's initial release and dvd release run 99 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in Getting Wasted (1980)

User Reviews

Some sophisticated comedic passages, but it becomes too silly...

Dick Van Dyke acquits himself nicely in colorful role as card-carrying member of the Screen Actors Guild who is mistaken for a gangster and is roped into an art-heist led by a famous mobster. Comedy from the Disney Studios, adapted from a book by John Godey, has some clever, witty writing in the earliest scenes; however, as with most of Disney's live-action output from this era, the narrative relies far too much on slapstick action to amuse the audience. Edward G. Robinson prods his own movie past with tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Joe Smooth, gangland boss and art lover; Dorothy Provine is perky as an art teacher who believes Van Dyke's outlandish story; and Joanna Moore is very funny as Robinson's show-biz crazy spouse, a former skater once featured in a production of "Scandals On Ice"! The second-half of the picture is comprised mainly of sight-gags and mugging and running around, while Robert Brunner's cartoony score is nearly identical to his music from 1965's "That Darn Cat!" Still, the set-up here is amusing, director Jerry Paris sets a fast pace and the production is good despite over-lit interiors. ** from ****