Opening Day

The mayor being unavailable, it is Robert Benchley who is called on to throw out the first ball at the opening of the city's new baseball park.

It's unfortunate for anyone who wants to see a baseball game, but fortunate for anyone who wishes to watch Benchley give this variation on his routine, "The Treasurer's Report", He began doing it when at Harvard, and continued to do it on Broadway and on film, first in 1928, and now again, here. It's a portrait of a man who thinks he has something to say, and is going to say it because it's important, but is so very wrong. We've all known people like that. I suspect we all are people like that.

Back in the 1930s and 40s, Robert Benchley made a long series of shorts for Paramount and MGM and they apparently were very popular. I have seen several and frankly cannot understand their popularity in the least. Benchley's humor was extremely dry and mostly his shtick was talking (more blathering) a lot.

In "Opening Day", Benchley plays the City Treasurer and he's been asked to throw out the ball at the inauguration of a new stadium for their baseball team. Instead, he gives a long and inane speech which practiclaly puts everyone to sleep.

Considering that the entire film is based on one joke, and not a particularly funny one, it's tough going to stick with this one. Dull beyond belief.

By the way, this was filmed at Wrigley Stadium in Los Angeles. Apparently, the Chicago Cubs' owner not only had the major league park in Chicago named after him, but their minor league team in Los Angeles (the minor league LA Angels) played in their own park by the same name.

Robert Benchley doing what he does best -- talking up a storm about absolutely NOTHING. He wrote the script, though as I have written in the past, I'll bet much of it was an outline and he ad-libbed everything. The very first stand-up comedian.

Today's Dilemma: Delivering a speech for the new muncipal park baseball stadium? Robert plays a small town city treasurer subbing for the mayor who has left for Paris. Apparently the guy could care less about the stadium! So Robert is elected to deliver the historical opening day speech -- before he throws out the first ball of the baseball season. MAY take awhile...

Benchley basically rambles about everything a city treasurer would, facts and figures, nothing really to do with baseball, and if it does, somehow it gets lost in the translation. The crowd gets bored (understatement as do the team players), except for a drunk who agrees with everything he says?

Silly stuff, watching Robert stumble through this with the best of intentions(?). A mini classic. Two veteran silent screen stars appear; King Bagott and Philo McCullough, famous for playing villains. Harlan Briggs, popular character actor, plays a guy named Mr. Garnish?

Directed by Roy Rowland, long with MGM, who lets the cam roll on our hero. Wait for the ending!

Thanks to TCM for running this golden oldie. On remastered dvd, box set featuring Benchley's film shorts. Collectors Edition to be sure.

When it came to lampooning aspects of "Americana" Benchley was the equal of anyone including Sinclair Lewis. In this one a few appropriate comments before throwing out the ceremonial first ball of the season get a bit out of hand and we feel his pain and embarrassment as things spiral downwards. He begins by mentioning that the mayor would be there except for a vital need to visit Paris. As he mentions this Benchley somehow implies with a brief facial expression what the mayor is really there for and this is a great example of his wonderfully understated technique. Do see this short film when you can or any of his others for that matter.

As dry and droll as Fred Allen but not quite as witty and never as sarcastic, ROBERT BENCHLEY stars in this bland '38 short on the subject of baseball.

He plays City Treasurer Benchley, a man invited to throw out the first ball to celebrate opening of a new ballpark. Instead of getting down to business, Benchley starts making a speech that soon drags on and on, exasperating the ball players and the audience in the stands (as well, I presume, as anyone watching this short).

He goes on and on about city finances, puts the ball down, picks up his briefcase and delves into the subject of city finances while the crowd on the stands fidgets in boredom. Occasionally, a drunken man shouts in agreement with something he says and the crowd bursts into laughter.

Not really that funny, but at least there is a nice twist at the end that might satisfy some Benchley fans when he does make the throw.