Annabel Takes a Tour

"Wonder Pictures" movie star Lucille Ball (as Annabel Allison) feels her career is in trouble after rival Francis Mercer (as Natalie Preston) eclipses her in popularity and becomes engaged to a nobleman. In spite of his mishandling her publicity in the recently released "The Affairs of Annabel" (1938), Ms. Ball insists publicist Jack Oakie (as Lanny Morgan) be rehired. Ball and Mr. Oakie go on a "Good Will Tour" to promote her new movie. This entry continues Ball's romantic interest in Oakie, which came out of nowhere in the earlier film, and adds courtly Ralph Forbes (as Ronald River-Clyde) to the mix...

Odd as it seems, Ball's dramatic movie characterizations were better than her comic roles during 1930s and 1940s. Her delivery is often very abrasive, and she sometimes seems like she might hurt one of the other actors, or herself; the "Lucy" character she developed on radio (1948) and television (1951) was more finely tuned. This was the second, and last, film in the "Annabel" series. The first one was better, with the time "Annabel" spent as maid to a family being most appealing. Here, hotel manicurist Alice White (as Marcella) is very funny, and grown-up Wesley Barry looks good in a walk on role.

**** Annabel Takes a Tour (11/11/38) Lew Landers ~ Lucille Ball, Jack Oakie, Ralph Forbes, Alice White

The follow-up to the affairs of annabel... the premise is the same. When others are getting more attention, fame, fortune, actress Annabel (Lucy) hires Morgan (Okie) to remedy this, doing whatever it takes. This was still during Lucy's early phase in hollywood, where they weren't sure where she fit in; i personally liked her films from the late 1940s... Fuller Brush Girl, Miss Grant, where she's the lead. In this chapter, much silliness, pratfalls... literally, she falls off a horse. The usual shenanigans as they dream up stunts to get publicity. Of course, Morgan goes too far! Some fun co-stars...ruth donnelly, donald mcbride. Those guys aside, this one just tries too hard. So much effort for little humor. Kind of ironic, how it's a movie about what to do with an actress, played by an actress who was completely competent, but seemed to be doomed to doing silly, common roles. Directed by Lew Landers. He and Lucy would make four films together. Not her best stuff.

Jack Oakie and Lucille Ball are no Lucy and Desi, to be sure. But Jack Oakie evokes laughter without effort. This one is full of further hi-jinx of the ne'er do well starlet and her insane publicity man. Not great movies, but all of the Annabel flix are worthwhile watches because they are good, clean, honest fun. Oakie did others on his own for RKO, some of which are good ONLY because he's there. He did his share of clunkers, and sometimes he appears in films with material that I personally find objectionable. But on the whole, he's one of the funniest characters in film ( and good with drama !!). Obviously Lucy cut her comedic teeth in these films. She can only steal a scene from Oakie by taking pratfalls or by being the butt of jokes. I dig Oakie, Lucy, and the "Annabel" films.

In "The Affairs of Annabel", Lanny Morgan (Jack Oakie) drives actress Annabel Allison (Lucille Ball) over the edge with his insane publicity stunts in order to make her even more famous. His antics were just awful and it makes you wonder why Annabel would ever work with this idiot again. However, in "Annabel Takes a Tour", Annabel is anxious to get Lanny back in her life. Most of the reason is that Annabel is frustrated when a small-time actress at the studio suddenly gets all the attention because she becomes engaged to a viscount. So, Lanny decides to get Annabel a viscount as well...or at least convince everyone she's carrying on with minor royalty. Unfortunately, he doesn't tell the Viscount he has in mind...nor does he tell Annabel...setting the stage for all sorts of complications.

Overall, this is a pleasant little diversion and not much else. A nice film...but one that isn't quite as good as the first...which, after all, is not a huge surprise.

A lackluster screenplay doesn't help this comedy about a movie star, Lucille Ball, whose publicity man, Jack Oakie, uses stupid schemes to get her name in the newspapers. Unfortunately, very little of the film is funny, but it was nice to see a very young Lucille Ball, even in black and white. Ball, Oakie, Bradley Page and Ruth Donnelly reprised their roles in this second and last film based on the characters created in the 1938 film "The Affairs of Annabel" by Charles Hoffman. There would have been more in the series, but Oakie wanted too large a fee for his services.