Mr. & Mrs. North

"Mr & Mrs North" is, basically, a forerunner to shows like "Hart To Hart": a married couple ALWAYS finding murder and mayhem wherever they go, and just like on "Hart To Hart", there is an emphasis on a humorous undercurrent, so nothing can be taken TOO seriously. Barbara Britton and Richard Denning (Lucille Ball's hubby on radio's long-running "My Favorite Husband", the show that led to "I Love Lucy") play sophisticated inhabitants of Greenwich Village who are also amateur sleuths, with Britton taking the more aggressive lead to Denning's more-reluctant follower. Sure, the low-budget sets and often over-the-top supporting performances cause unintentional laughs, but it's also undeniably fun, thanks to its two lead performers and quick (just 30 minutes) and painless (no deep thoughts here; just relax and enjoy) running time. I found this on DVD in a local "dollar" store chain, featuring 3 episodes, and the picture quality is surprisingly good, considering its source's age. Definitely a fun show!

As a fan of old time radio, I've observed that early television was often simply radio drama with pictures slapped on. "Mr. & Mrs. North" follows that pattern. Richard Denning and Barbara Britton are charming in the lead roles and the mysteries themselves aren't bad. My major beef is the pacing of the show. It spends an inordinate amount of time on opening and closing credits, builds an intriguing mystery, and then because of the 30-minute length (reduced by the need to include commercials) hurriedly wraps things up in the last 30-60 seconds without a satisfying denouement. Somehow, many radio mysteries of the same length managed to be more complete. A solution might have been two-part episodes, but that innovation apparently was uncommon at the time "Mr. & Mrs. North" was made. Still, it's a pleasant and wholesome diversion, superior to many other early TV shows available on dollar DVD.

When TV first came to my mountain town in 1952, I never missed an installment. The Norths brought into my little livingroom a bright shining married couple that just about embodied 1950's styles and ideals. Nonetheless, seeing even a small sampling 65-years later still entertains. It's a personality series that depends heavily on the charisma of its two stars, which Denning and Britton supply, in spades. Looks like the four stories that I recently viewed were mainly ordinary, except for one "Reunion" that deals with nuclear holocaust in rather daring fashion. So the series may not be as airbrushed as the early 1950's suggests. Filming is done in conventional high-key lighting, with little hint of noir. At the same time, production values appear on the budget side, with outdoor studio sets substituting for the real thing. Still, Pam is well upholstered in styles of the day, that is, when women still wore fancy hats. But what I really like is the North's sign-off where they break the proverbial "fourth wall" and smile at the audience. It's like they're saying "We had a good time, hope you did too". I sure did, Pam and Jerry, and much thanks for then and now.

Mr. and Mrs. North had a great run on the radio, but in the early days of television, production companies didn't spend much money on such silly things as cameras, directors, or editing. Barbara Britton and Richard Denning are good as the leads, but the guest stars are mostly of the quality of your typical high school production. As a matter of fact, the two stars are what make the series watchable. To be fair, compared to most of what was on TV at the time, this is actually a decent show. Really this can only be recommended for fans of the radio series, the novels by Richard and Frances Lockridge, or old-time TV in general. Please beware of the cheap DVD versions released by TV Guide through Genius Entertainment. They overdub horrible, newly recorded theme music over the opening sequence and closing credits that does not fit at all. I'm sure the original music was much more enjoyable... at least it had to be less annoying!

I was very young when this precursor to the television version of Nick and Nora Charles as well as of "Hart to Hart" and, frankly, had no remembrance of the series save a positive feeling and the phrase in the summary line naming the actors. I am very grateful for the issuance of the videos and DVDs of this charming series. The plots have the light touch of a good 1930s "Thin Man" motion picture yet all is played straight with no mugging. It helps that Denning is always solid (as in all his roles) while Britton is amusing as she touches on overplaying while being a complete treat for the eyes with a smile that would make any man smile with her. The half hour light mystery is as extinct as my childhood but if anything this satisfying could be created today I would be surprised. Long live "Mr and Mrs North"!