Oh, Yeah?

I watched this with a friend, and we both laughed quite a bit throughout, at the right parts. These characters are from the rough-hewn part of society. No apology or rationalization is made for them. They are often their own worst enemies, and seem immune to the idea of planning beyond lunch. I saw in their low key antics a less heavy-handed, less slicked up and franchised Abbott and Costello. If you know Sturges' Sullivans Travels, you will surely recognize in the bonfire scene, (where raiload workers gather in the half light and share a moving sing-along rendition of Abide with Me, capped by Sturges stock company player Harry Tyler singing a wonderfully touching and awkward archaic rendering of The Engineer's Child) a parallel with the later film's movie night scene. I've mentioned Abbott and Costello. I could as well have mentioned George and Lenny. The misadventures of James Gleason and Robert Armstrong convey a little of both. There is room to watch this film in pity, quiet reflection, and quiet laughter. Fans of DJ humor likely won't get it. But if you've seen a few pre-code films and understand the rhythm, timing and relatively freer form storytelling, I suggest you give it a try. We liked it.

"Oh, Yeah?" is a very early talkie and it's unusual in that it has practically no plot whatsoever! rail-riding hobos, Dude and Dusty (Robert Armstrong and James Gleason), get jobs with the railroad. And, on their spare moments they romance a couple ladies who work for the commissary. Oddly, despite having jobs and the audience being told that they are working double-shifts at one point, you never really see them work and they ALWAYS seem to be off work. And, amazingly, not a whole lot more happens during the course of the film!!

"Oh, Yeah?" is a slow and meandering film. It even has time for a few musical numbers which seem a bit out of place considering that the plot isn't exactly complicated or developed. Because of this, it's slow going and tough to love this film. The actors seem to try their best but the script just doesn't give them nor the audience much.

James Gleason and Robert Armstrong are a couple of boomers -- itinerant railroad men who hop from one line to another. They wind up operating out of a switching yard in the middle of nowhere where Zasu Pitts and Patricia Caron run the commissary and pay roll and everything that doesn't require too much muscle, and they all wind up intending to settle down. When one of the workers wins big in a crap game, gets his money stolen, and beaten unconscious, fingers point at Armstrong.

Director Tay Garnett and D. P. Arthur Miller try their hardest, but they shoot a lot of this outdoors and the sound rigs aren't up to it. Neither is the slow-and-dumb characterization of Armstrong very interesting. On the plus side, there are a couple of tracking shots early on, plenty of contemporary railroad slang in the dialogue, and the final sequence, which is shot half wild, permits some movement with undercranking that makes it genuinely interesting. On the whole, though, it has aged very poorly.

Robert Armstrong and James Gleason are hobo buddies who fall for a couple of waitresses after getting a job on the railroad. The two actors work well together, but the script is weak and there's way too much padding.

I agree with other reviewers who noted the film has some unnecessary padding. However, I loved the friendship between Dude and Dusty, and found Robert Armstrong and James Gleason very believable in the roles. It was an enjoyable film and worth a viewing.