In Old Kentucky

A feud has been simmering for years between two prominent families of horse breeders IN OLD KENTUCKY's Bluegrass Country. Eventually, it will take the cunning of a crafty old horse trainer to set matters right, while also promoting a little romance on the side...

As always, it is immensely pleasurable to watch Will Rogers at work. Exuding folksy homespun charm, he made acting look so easy, and here he is obviously having a good time in a pleasant film which features some excellent sequences. (Will's foray into a dress shop has to be one of the funniest scenes in any of his films.) Essentially, Will is simply playing himself and he is perfectly cast.

All of the co-stars do a very competent job, but three should be singled out. Elderly Charles Sellon is hilarious as a shotgun toting grandpa who is a menace to the entire community. Tiny Etienne Girardot is puckish as a screwball rainmaker. And the legendary Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson is on hand, displaying some of his fanciest, most breathtaking footwork. At this point in his career, Robinson was simply beyond praise & without compare; the scene where he teaches Rogers to tap-dance is delightful.

It should be noted that there is more than just a little racism in the story. It should also be understood that this was not unusual in Hollywood films of that era.

Released 3 months after his tragic & untimely death, this was Will Rogers' final film. He loved adventure & travel & seeing what was around the next bend or over the horizon. In August of 1935 he left with 35-year old Wiley Post, the famed aviator who was first to solo around the world, on a trip to Alaska to check on chances of initiating an Arctic mail route to Russia. In what still remains something of a mystery, the plane crashed moments after taking off near Point Barrow, Alaska. Both men were killed instantly. (Will had been in the back seat of the plane, his portable typewriter on his lap, working on his weekly newspaper column. The last word he typed was 'death'.) The entire nation went into mourning.

What was it that made Americans adore Will Rogers, this plain speaking quarter-Cherokee cowboy from Oklahoma? Two reasons stand out: first he was one of the people. Although he conquered vaudeville, Broadway, radio & the movies, ending his life as Hollywood's number one box office male and the highest salaried actor in films, he never let it go to his head. He always remained 'common' and he genuinely liked every man he ever met. Second, Will was good, decent, & honorable, a true secular saint, the sort of fellow who comes along only too rarely and has the ability to lighten the mood of an entire nation. We have not seen his like since.

The American movie-going public and Will Rogers said a mutual farewell to each other when in November of 1935 In Old Kentucky was released by the newly formed 20th Century Fox studio. Rogers died on August 11, 1935 in the infamous plane crash that also killed aviation pioneer Wiley Post. Probably he was the most beloved entertainer America ever produced and his humor has never really been replaced. Rogers had the good fortune to be directed by George Marshall in one of his first acclaimed comedies.

The role of the horse trainer caught in a family feud between two Kentucky racing families fits Rogers homespun personality perfectly. During the course of the film Rogers switches sides and trains the winner of the big handicap and squares accounts all around.

The biggest problem with the horse Rogers trains is that he loves the mud and Kentucky has had a dry spell for a while. Not to worry Rogers and owner Charles Sellon hire eccentric rainmaker Etienne Girardot to make it rain. They do get their muddy track kind of sort of.

And woman's liberation gets a boost as Dorothy Wilson granddaughter of Sellon rides in the handicap. She also wins a young veterinarian's heart that of Russell Hardie.

Sellon almost steals the film from Will as the cantankerous owner who goes around with a shotgun shooting it at anything that resembles one of the members of the rival family. This turned out to be his last film as well. You might best remember him as the blind man who wreaked havoc on WC Fields general store in It's A Gift.

This was the Rogers that America loved and knew best. In Old Kentucky was a good film for a farewell to the movie-going public.

Folksy horse trainer Will Rogers (as Steve Tapley) tends to a feudin' family, promotes young romance, and helps get "Greyboy" the horse ready to run in the Big Race. "In Old Kentucky" is most notable as the last Will Rogers film released. His death in a plane crash on August 15, 1935 shocked the nation (and much of the world). At the time, Mr. Rogers was one of Hollywood's most popular movie star. He was in the Quigley Publications "Top Ten Money-Making Stars" from 1932-1935.

When Rogers died, the studio had two finished films - "In Old Kentucky" was released after, but finished before "Steamboat Round the Bend". The studio wasn't sure how mourners would receive the films, but both were big hits. For two decades, Rogers had managed to conquer all entertainment mediums, no matter how unlikely; unable to use his distinctive voice in silent films, he thrilled viewers with rope tricks. He would have likely headed 1940s war efforts and worked in 1950s television.

While well-received, this film is no more than mediocre. The reasons to watch are to see Rogers and the cast in a good mood, with occasional moments. Like Al Jolson, Rogers could get away with ethnic humor, but the "black-face" routine herein doesn't work. The toothy grin from expert dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (as Wash Jackson) and shoot-from-the-hip hillbilly Charles Sellon (Ezra Martingale) are more subtle instances of the same. If you can get past the times, they are enjoyable.

***** In Old Kentucky (11/28/35) George Marshall ~ Will Rogers, Charles Sellon, Bill Robinson, Dorothy Wilson

Commendably pampered by director George Marshall, it's Charles Sellon who almost steals the show from Rogers in what turned out to be the final movie appearances of both comedians. Sellon even enjoys the first shot in the movie and practically closes the curtain as well, allowing Rogers only the briefest of brief fade-outs. Rogers also has competition from Bill Robinson who is handed a number of well-polished solos in addition to a delightful routine in which he teaches Rogers how to high-step (an amusing talent that comes in handy for Rogers in a couple of later scenes).

The rest of the support cast also rates as decidedly strong. Lovely Dorothy Wilson gets plenty of welcome camera attention (although the wonderfully exotic Louise Henry is allowed to outshine her at the ball). John Ince as the pushy sheriff, Etienne Girardot as the maladroit rainmaker, and Charles Richman as the villain also deservedly receive a nice innings. So does Esther Dale. Only Alan Dinehart seems a little short-changed. But you can't accommodate everyone and George Marshall deserves a hearty round of applause for balancing his players so equitably. And this of course is what makes In Old Kentucky so enjoyable. It's not a one-man show, but a divertingly assorted ensemble of talented actors, each pulling their weight to breathe life and vivacity into what was basically even in 1935 a rather hackneyed plot. True, there are enough clever variations on the old story to make the action exciting even in 2007. Even more importantly, however, it's because we identify so much with the characters, that the film becomes so involving. George Marshall is a much under-rated director.

As might be expected, production values are top-drawer, with lots of extras milling around in both elaborate studio and location scenes—and all beautifully photographed by that unsung lensman, Bill O'Connell, whose talent for shooting fast, yet super-effectively, kept him in the "B" league for most of his career.

In Old Kentucky was released shortly after Rogers's death, and is his last-released film, though not the last film he starred in. Steamboat Round the Bend was filmed earlier, but released first, as it was thought to be the stronger work. Fox Films and 20th Century Fox produced this piece of warm Americana set in the 1920s.

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, known for a similar dance performance with Shirley Temple in "The Little Colonel," appears throughout. His role in was intended for Stepin Fetchit, but that actor was working on another film and his role was rewritten to allow Robinson to show off his famous dancing.

The DVD 2006 release includes a critical commentary by Anthony Slide. It is worthwhile, despite his lisp-- "I have a bwidge in Bwooklyn," reminiscent of the "Woger" and "Weginald" of "Life of Brian." Slide is more critical than warranted-- for example: "another weak sight gag, and equally weak as the first sight gag at the beginning of the film." Charlie Chaplin this isn't - if you want brilliant sight gags, rent Chaplin or Keaton instead! Slide's pointing out stunt doubles didn't add to my appreciation of the film, but his commentary on the careers of the players, many from vaudeville, was valuable.

More annoying is Slide's obsession with every instance of perceived racism. It is difficult to review a film released 72 years ago and not apply today's standards. On the other hand, Slide gives a good discussion on blackface-- white actors portraying black actors, wearing black face makeup, without turning that discussion into another political diatribe. Listen for it during Rogers's blackface dance scene.

Is the DVD release in Mono or Stereo? From the Menu, choose Language Selection and then English Stereo, as the program defaults to Mono. (I think you will hear Mono anyway.)

Rogers's fly medicine monologue was a high point in the film, as were all the scenes with Rogers dancing. The second half of the film picks up speed through the end, which had me laughing out loud. While this may not be Rogers's best work, you will be delighted by his warm wit and wry humor.

Will Rogers has been compared to Mark Twain for his humor. After Rogers's tragic death in 1935, people in 12,000 theaters observed two minutes of silence.