Fit for a King

Joe E. Brown is a would-be reporter, dubbing himself "Scoops." When he is assigned to cover a back woods kingdom, the news keeps flowing about the newly crowned queen, Helen Mack; Brown is continually outwitted by fellow reporter Paul Kelly.

It's one of the movies produced by David Loew after he lured Brown away, and it's a pretty good one, with Brown being a self-important go-getter who has a lot to learn -- and learns it. Brown offers a lot of his trademark shtick and athleticism, and director Eddie Sedgwick provides some nice gags. Although Miss Mack has little to do except be charming, there are lots of other people who have even less to do, including Harry Davenport, Halliwell Hobbes, Robert Warwick, and Russell Hicks.... although John Qualen has a nice bit as a bicycle repair man called upon to fix the telephone.

...and the lack of any music during many scenes made the movie older and stiffer than it's 1937 date.

An amusing comedy which commences with a splendid joke on the audience and then gathers pace as it moves with admirable celerity to an ingeniously staged, all-out slapstick action climax.

The screenplay provides plenty of comic opportunities for Joe E. Brown, who even gets a chance to demonstrate both his famous yell and the acrobatic skill he developed in his vaudeville tumbling act. In many scenes Brown is particularly well supported by Paul Kelly, of all people, who here displays an outstanding comic ability as a straight man I'd not even suspected. Helen Mack, as usual, makes a delightful heroine and we enjoyed John Qualen, Halliwell Hobbes and the rest of the welcome faces in the support cast.

Edward Sedgwick handles the whole affair with both acumen and pace, assisted by excellent photography and snappy film editing. Although produced independently, production values are mighty impressive with Brown cavorting to great effect with props galore amidst hordes of extras in eye-catching sets.