Fun on a Weekend

"Fun on a Weekend" was written, directed, and produced by Andrew Stone... heck, he even used his wife as the musical director. Eddie Bracken plays a down on his luck guy, who bumps into a girl who's also in money trouble. Not a very strong script, but props to Allen Jenkins for his "Abbott & Costello" comedy bits in the diner. Too bad he got all the good lines. They also rely on the antics of a dog who befriends them for more comedic bits... It's not a total washout, but the plot feels forced, as if they are just going through the motions. Keep an eye out for Clarence Kolb as the stuffy, old rich guy... he always played the cranky old man, the judge, or the wealthy uncle. Also note the hotel bell clerk is Bill Benedict - he was the tall, blond guy from the Bowery Boys, and was called "Whitey" in most of the films he did. There's no spark between Bracken and the blond co-star Priscilla Lane, but some of the gags are amusing.

I'm not quite sure how I'll reach the 600 required characters for this review, because all I wish to say is that this is such a fun, witty, rather zany film! It's in a very similar vein to Bringing Up Baby, with I personally think a similar level of wit. My family hates Bringing Up Baby (which I personally love,) but they enjoyed this movie very much. Although it's fast-paced, the dialouge is a bit easier to follow than Bringing Up Baby, You have to go in to watching the film accepting the fact that it is silly, and you will have a wonderful time. It's most definitely being added to my family's favorite movies list! I only wish it was available to get on DVD! We currently can only find it on TCM.

Starring Eddie Braken, Priscilla Lane, Tom Conway, and a dog who has a habit of chewing every table leg -- with a hilarious bit with Fritz Feld as a temperamental pianist.

Borrowing quite liberally from the Mark Twain short story classic The Million Pound Note, Fun On A Weekend doesn't even give protagonists Eddie Bracken and Priscilla Lane even a note for a $1.25. But what they do give him is the incredibly posh and WASPy name of Peterson Price Porterhouse and the film puts forth the proposition that if you've got a high falutin' name like that doors just automatically open with the right gift of gab.

Bracken and Lane are a pair of tourists on vacation in Florida, but who apparently planned poorly because they've got no money between them and can't even get a meal at Allen Jenkins greasy spoon restaurant on the beach front. But with his name and the fact that Bracken and Lane decide to pretend they're married, they go off on a wild revolving con game getting all kinds of things charged to their non-existent credit because the rich and famous think they're two of them.

Fun On A Weekend was an independent film shot on a shoestring and released by United Artists. However that doesn't detract one bit from the witty lines and incredible situations that Bracken and Lane bluff their way through. Along the way they pick up a big boxer dog who adopts them and who likes to chew very high class mahogany style wood. What he does to concert pianist Fritz Feld's piano is positively hilarious.

This film is an undiscovered comedy gem, I'm so happy TCM decided to air it, hopefully it will be back soon.

You do not need to wait until the weekend to enjoy this film. Its type of merriment can be enjoyed any old day of the week. Maybe that's because of Priscilla Lane, who plays her part with such coolness and ease that it's a truly a delight to watch her.

In fact, this is one of Miss Lane's last films, and it might be called a triumphant comic performance at that. It reminds me of her earlier screwball antics in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. Only this time instead of Cary Grant, her sparring partner is Eddie Bracken, who brings his own unique brand of humor and energy to the proceedings. The story starts quite simply but as complications ensue and the laughs snowball, it becomes increasingly obvious (and increasingly painful for one's ribcage) that this is a fun film!

It's a wonder that EDDIE BRACKEN and PRISCILLA LANE manage to hold their heads high and infuse some much needed laughs into this ridiculous attempt at screwball comedy in the late '40s. They're such pros that with a better script they may have managed to make this one work.

The only comedy highlight is ALLEN JENKINS who manages to con quite a few laughs out of his role as an unbelieving bystander, and FRITZ FELD as a pianist whose act is always inadvertently getting ruined by Bracken and Lane and their Great Dane who loves to chew on furniture legs.

It's an obviously low-budget poverty row production that has to be the nadir of Bracken and Lane's respective careers. Priscilla was making a comeback after a three year absence and had lost none of her charm, but her role is enough to sink the abilities of any actress. No wonder she retired after one more film. Bracken is less frenetic than usual but also has an impossible role to play.

Sorry, two thumbs down on this one. All those rear projection shots are too distracting for comfort, indicating just how low the budget was to produce such a farce.

"This is getting to be too much," exclaims one unfortunate character. The viewer will agree.