Babbitt

George F. Babbitt (Guy Kibbee) is the developer of Zenith, a new developing town. With his wife Myra (Aline MacMahon), they have two grown children. He is trying hard to make his realty business a success and hiding a looming scandal which he can't remember.

I don't necessarily like Babbitt but I do like the prank. I figured that it was a scam but couldn't guess where it was going for a long while. After that reveal, the movie loses its steam. It needs a reason for being. At some point, I realized that I need to see him doing some real work. He's a lot of talk and undeserved arrogance to his family. It's a flawed character getting into trouble of his own making. It's based on a novel and I do wonder if there could be a better adaptation.

A remake of the 1924 silent, this film started out as a book originally by Sinclair Lewis. "Babbit" has a cast of Warner Brothers regulars. Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee play the married couple Myra and George Babbit, with supporting cast Alan Hale (What movie WASN'T he in in the 1930s??) and Hattie McDaniels singing a song in her second year of making films. Of course, the very first thing we see as the film starts is the stamp of approval by the Film Production Board, so we know it will be scrubbed clean of any real naughtiness. George Babbitt, local businessman and real estate agent, is called out of town, and is working on a big "business deal", and brags about it to a female cohort... which lands him in trouble later. With the production code in force, apparently underhanded money dealings were just fine subject matter, as long as no beds were shown. There is dark, unhappy side to the first two-thirds of this movie, unlike some of the other films Kibbee and MacMahon had made together, which were fun and upbeat. There are some fun gags here, like the Brotherhood of Zebras, and people getting sent off the the nut-house. I think this one gets five stars for being "okay".

Guy Kibbee stars as the title character, George Babbitt. He's what you might call a big fish in a small pond--a business man who is quite successful by small-town standards. But, you might also call a boob! Despite being a success, he is a bit clueless from time to time and this film is about clueless George got himself into trouble and how his patient wife (Alaine MacMahon) tries to extricate him. Exactly how all this happens you can see for yourself.

"Babbitt" is based on a Sinclair Lewis novel and it's a metaphor for the acquisitive middle class--folks whose value of money blinds them to the important values in life. However, much of the story has been changed-- particular the ending and the wise intervention of Mrs. Babbitt to extricate him from a bad business deal that apparently isn't even in the original story.

Despite being a best-selling book, Warner Brothers gives "Babbitt" a B- movie treatment. It has a lot of style and polish like a Warner film but has lower-level actors for the film. Considering the story, having Kibbee and MacMahon in the leads wasn't a bad thing--and both were excellent in this film. Overall, a light and entertaining film with some covert criticisms for modern life. Worth seeing.

First, thanks to TCM for programming this. As big a fan of Lewis's work as I am, I'd never seen it.

It's a pretty decent adaptation. Not great, but solid and well done. Modern audiences will be puzzled about the dominance of white males in the society of 1974 and the political correctness crowd will shudder to see minorities in a subservient role and characters smoking in almost every scene.

For those unfamiliar with BABBITT, it's about a small town businessman who has totally bought into the boosterism of the business world. George Babbitt is a Realtor and a valued member of the Zebra lodge. In sharp contrast his best friend from college, Paul, has not done as well materially and is content with his lot in life and his two main pursuits besides his job are playing his violin and trying to ignore the constant nagging of his shrewish wife.

One night at dinner the subject turns to what the various characters want out of life. Paul comments that George doesn't seem interested in anything he can't touch. The aftermath of a shooting that sets tongues wagging and a shady real estate deal cause George to reexamine his goals and his lot in life.

The novel is a classic, and after 74 years ripe for a remake. Bill Murray would be a tremendous George, and maybe Steve Martin as Paul.

It will take a writer/director with real guts not to update the characters' attitudes and values. Come on, Hollywood. Everything else is getting remade, including ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES. Give BABBITT a shot, too.

Sinclair Lewis's lengthy best seller get's a trimming in this under 80 minute film adaptation parodying the American Dream post World War 1. While it is a less than justifying translation it does allow two of the more dependable supporting players in 30 's movies Guy Kibee and Aline Mc Mahon to shine as leads.

Zenith realtor and booster George Babbitt is bullish on the land of opportunity he lives in. A bit of a braggart and blow hard he is nevertheless a popular figure in the community and among fellow lodge members. In moments of brief introspection he has his doubts about his pursuit of all things material attempting to get away from it all by going camping with a long time friend and dallying with a young client. His social climbing and chase for the almighty buck however get him involved in a corrupt land deal and he faces ruin.

Kibee's George Babbitt is an abrasively generous and sympathetic character whose ego is exploited by more devious and cynical types. His defense of his pal who shoots his nagging wife is noble but wrongheaded, the unsavory land deal more than just acceptable business practice. Kibee's non-threatening flustered stage demeanor negates any an all villainy though, his greatest guilt being pride and a touch of arrogance.

With it's slim running time Babbitt spends little time on the book's satiric and metaphorical possibilities with great swaths excised, leaving it up to George's flustered optimism and gullibility to carry the film and Kibee does not disappoint even if the choppy storyline does.