À tour de brasses

Joe E. Brown comedy about an inventor of an "unsinkable bathing suit" who is mistaken for a champion swimmer. Ginger Rogers plays the girl who falls for him but doesn't know the truth. Black child actor Allen 'Farina' Hoskins is great as Brown's ward he inherited from his aunt. I'm not the biggest fan of Joe E. Brown. I often find him to be a very limited comedian, relying solely upon rubberfacing and exaggerated voices -- the kind of stuff that toddlers laugh at. But every once in awhile I come across one of his movies that impresses me. This is one of those movies. Brown actually plays a character here instead of himself, which means he actually acts. My favorite parts were the little bits of business where we'd get to hear Brown's thoughts, which sound like lines from a bad novel. Fans of Brown will undoubtedly like this one but it's also one of his few movies I've seen that I would recommend to non-fans.

Director: Lloyd Bacon Writers: Robert Lord (screen play), Bolton Mallory (screen play) Stars: Joe E. Brown, Ginger Rogers, Preston Foster

1932's You Said a Mouthful is a charming and funny vehicle for Brown that overcomes its overstuffed, uninspired plotting with plenty of gut-busting gags.

At a brisk seventy minutes, You Said a Mouthful is both very simple and strangely overcomplicated. Brown stars as Joe Holt, a clerk in a swimwear company who designs a no-sink bathing suit, solely because he is deathly afraid of water. Of course, then, the big idea of the movie should be to get this fella swimming. And it is... but the script by Robert Lord and Bolton Mallory seems to run itself ragged just to cook up a semi-plausible series of events that will lead to the scaredy-cats getting in the water.

Joe E. Brown gets needed help form of an unexpected sidekick. That's Allen Hoskins, or, as he was known with the rest of "Our Gang", Farina as Sam. Here he's the accidental adopted son of hapless inventor Joe Holt (Brown). What's nice? No one seems to really notice Farina's race. He's a wacky, bossy kid who gets to push our hero to greater things. He's a sidekick, but smarter and save's his father's butt more than once, even if it involves dropping an anchor on his head. Very hilarious gag routine.

High jinks ensue when he's mistaken for a world champion swimmer, with the possibility of beautiful Alice (Rogers) being the prize. The mistaken identity leads the cowardly Joe into a number of situations where he desperately tries to fake sick or cheat, but he ends up making a treacherous marathon swim from Catalina to the shore while Alice and Sam cheer him on.

The final race sequence is particularly madcap, cobbled together from moments shot on location and in a studio tank -- Brown is even great at physical comedy under ten feet of water! You Said A Mouthful showcases Brown's energy at its peak, the actor turns the film into a laugh riot. 8/10

It has been a few days since I viewed "You Said a Mouthful," but it has stayed in memory so strongly, even with having seen other films since then. There are several things about this film that I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. The film, no doubt, has a comedic undercurrent, with the story swirling in impracticality, but it has a near-serious air nonetheless, albeit built on an absurd premise. The wilder moments of hilarity are kept wisely to a successful few. The beautifully accomplished editing in this program must have been a challenge.

Joe E. Brown gives a thoughtful and admirable acting performance between his bouts of comedic antics. His physicality is impressive, too. The interdependent relationship between Brown and young Allen Hoskins is highly affecting and serves to ameliorate Brown's too-easy shedding of personal integrity in his effort to do something of value for the world, in particular inventing the unsinkable bathing suit. As the film moves along we come to feel sympathy for Brown's constantly finding himself a victim of ridicule and bad luck, so we also come to forgive him for his habitual disregard of scruples.

The film is given sexual energy by Ginger Rogers' presence, who provides a stabilizing and glamorous softness to the film; she is, of course, the primary reason Brown's character enters the swim competition and strives to win the race. Rogers seems quite comfortable in her interplay with Brown.

The movie has some eerily atmospheric moments underwater, too, which only make the movie all the more different and captivating. Additionally, the scenes around 1930's Avalon are bonus treats for the viewer. I can remember when swims across the channel were followed with much curiosity and passion many decades ago, so in this way the film serves as a historical document of sorts, too. It is also nostalgic to see the legendary SS Catalina moving into the harbor in Avalon.

In summary, "You Said a Mouthful" has a lot going for it and deserves recognition as a respectable and highly entertaining film. Fans of 1930's films need to give it a chance, while fans of Joe E. Brown and/or Ginger Rogers definitely should see it.

1932. The snappy opening music. The Dilbert with his Big Idea, laughed out of the office. Goes to L.A. to get an inheritance. Thanks to a shyster lawyer, ends up with only 5 dollars and a pickaninny. Destitiute, As it happened, our hero and ward were bound for Catalina for a $6 day job, when fate stepped in. Mistaken for a marathon swimmer and ends up in the Catalina race for $25,000, though he can't swim. Plug Joe E. Brown into this farce, and you have an early talkie classic. Of course, much of this will offend the politically correct, and much of the humor will escape current audiences. But there are so many fun moments -- the mock-cerebral inner dialogs of the half-wit hero, the amazing costumes (were they serious back then?), the vintage shots of Catalina Island, Ginger Rogers' fresh plump face, the wonderful "I found my heart in Avalon" soundtrack....

In real life, Wrigley had offered a $25,000 prize for swimming first from Catalina to the mainland. And some actually entered who couldn't swim. But 1932 was the Depression, and people would do anything for a windfall, even if they couldn't.

Of course, much of this seems corny and dated, but watch it more than once, and I think the rustic charm will grow on you. There will never be another Joe E. Brown. After all, "Nobody's perfect."

Lowly shipping clerk Joe Holt (Joe E. Brown) gets bullied at work. He inherits an estate from his rich aunt Minnie but it's all vanished. He does gain a ward in Sam Wellington, the son of her loyal servant. They end up homeless and jobless. Alice Brandon (Ginger Rogers) spots him in the harbor to Catalina Island. She mistakes him for a different Joe Holt. The water-phobic Joe is assumed to be the swimming champion Joe Holt and is expected to compete in a swimming race. Macho Ed Dover challenges him and Alice is desperate for him to beat Dover.

Joe E. Born has his gaping mouth and facial comedy. The premise is functional screwball comedy. It doesn't really make sense that he gets up after coming up with his great injury excuse. It would take a lot more to get a rise out of him. It would take Ginger Rogers sexing it up. This is pre-Code after all. The premise loses steam over time. This is fine but nothing that great.