Paris Playboys

At the UN headquarters, diplomats are searching for missing famed French scientist Professor Maurice Gaston Le Beau. One claims that he spotted Le Beau at a sweet shop in the Bowery. He does look exactly like Sach (Huntz Hall). When they go to the sweet shop, all they find is Sach and the rest of the gang. They invite the gang to go to Paris so that Sach can be a decoy.

The fake French accents can get a little annoying. Sometimes, an established franchise goes to Europe for a bit of exotic fun. These guys are never actually going to Paris, but they could fake it better. It could be a funny gag for Sach to be walking in front of various Paris backdrops. This does get funnier with the doubling of Sach. They do a mirror bit although not the one that I'm expecting. All in all, it's fine but not as funny as it could be.

If you are expecting, based on the title, from this movie to take you on a tour of Paris, forget it. It's pretty obvious that the cast and the production crew never set foot outside the Hollywood studios where this was filmed (there are only some brief establishing shots outside). With that said, the film is lively and short enough not to cause any boredom. Huntz Hall gets to play a dual role, and he does it well, while Veola Vonn is gorgeous as the Parisian fiancè. Funniest scene (in my book): the Boys changing the rules of a high-class French dinner, with the guests gradually joining in. **1/2 out of 4.

United Nations dignitaries spot habitually hapless Huntz Hall (as Horace Debussy "Sach" Jones) in the "Sweet Shop" and mistake him for a missing French scientist. Before you can say "Jacques Robinson," Mr. Hall is off to Paris with "Bowery Boys" leader Leo Gorcey (as Terrence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney) and father Bernard Gorcey (as Louie Dumbrowsky). Abroad, Hall poses as the amnesiac "Professor Maurice Gaston Le Beau" and gets to court busty fiancée Veola Vonn (as Mimi Du Bois). Oui, oui!

The elder Gorcey has a faulty memory, forgetting the gang's "Loose in London" (1953) trip by asserting Hall had never been out of the United States. Hall, now billed equally with Gorcey in the opening credits, continues to dominate the comedy; his "dual role" performance and the "special effects" give this entry its better moments. Regulars David Gorcey and Benny Bartlett are briefly glimpsed extras. "Paris Playboys" is otherwise routine. The next two 1954 films showed they could do better… and worse.

**** Paris Playboys (3/7/54) William Beaudine ~ Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Bernard Gorcey, Veola Vonn

When the film begins, you learn that one of the smartest men in the world, the Frenchman Professor Gaston Le Beau, is missing. However, he turns out to be an exact double of Sach...and soon some UN officials see Sach and think he's the brilliant guy. Well, even when they soon realize it isn't Le Beau, they decide to bring him as well as Slip and Louie to Paris and pretend they've found the Professor. Not surprisingly, Sach behaves like a cretin and his goofiness is explained away by saying Le Beau has amnesia. Unfortunately, there are some killers who are planning on doing away with the Professor...and soon the real Le Beau shows up as well.

This installment of the Bowery Boys is typical in some ways for the later films in the series in that it's really all about Sach (Huntz Hall), Slip (Leo Gorcey) and Louie (Bernard Gorcey)...plus calling these middle-aged men 'boys' is a bit ridiculous! It's not so typical because the film is a bit goofier than usual, such as the stupid scene involving the Professor's favorite drink (not one of cinema's finer moments). Plus, while Hall playing Sach is ridiculous, his playing the real Frenchman is REALLY over the top! Of course, folks don't expect Shakespeare or an art film when they see the Bowery Boys!!

By the way, I was curious after hearing one of the characters say 'sacre bleu' in the film and I looked up this curse. Apparently, real French folks never say this and it's something foreign films show supposedly French people saying!

I would give the BOWERY BOYS a 10 rating anytime, because they made me laugh out loud as a kid, and still do to this day. These guys were off the charts, no shame, who cares --and let's do it our way. You have to give them a lot of credit. They're still around.

If you watched the series from the beginning, you'd notice the 1940s episodes were far different than the 50s episodes. The earlier installments were more semi-comedies, the gang vs gangsters between routines. The 50s films relied on more camp situations, much like the THREE STOOGES, and rightly so because Edward Bernds, who wrote and directed the Stooges comedies, was called in to make changes. His trademark is everywhere here.

There was a turnabout in the series that would find Sach the subject of cartoonish-like gags; whether he suddenly possessed special powers, such as acquiring super strength or reading minds. In this case mistaken identity? Sach is mistaken by French professors as a distinguished scientist. A dead-ringer for the guy. What are the chances?

The distinguished gentlemen send Sach, along with Slip and Louie to Paris, due to the fact the real rocket scientist, Professor Le Beau, is missing. Where all the insanity begins mixed with Gorcey's rapid fire malaprops.

Not to forget Louie. Bernard Gorcey (Leo's dad) gets into the act and offers his lines of Yiddishisms, which are hilarious, ranging from schlemiel to mishugah? Basically, it's a three man show, at least for this episode.

Yes, the Bowery Boys got smaller, usually with just David Gorcey (as Chuck) and Bennie Bartlett (as Butch), and they're left back in New York while Slip, Sach and Louie head out to Paris. Ed Bernds later commented that both David and Bennie got used to being out of the picture... sometimes... because they were just hanging around.

Sach meets up with beautiful Veola Vonn (as Mimi DuBoise) and his arrogant, egotistical "twin"--that only Huntz Hall could play to the max. Veola Vonn was married to Frank Nelson, the hilarious "yeeeeess" guy in tv and films.

Keep watch for some Stooge gags; Slip's bow tie spinning like a propeller (which would usually happen to Shemp), Sach's hair spikes up (like Moe) and smoke coming from Louie's ears (as was the custom with Larry or Curly). This happens when the guys drink a spiked cocktail. Also some well known character actors who would pop up in the episodes, in this case veteran actor Steven Geray, playing Gaspard. Prior to this film he was cast as a hotel manager in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. Look for comedian, Fritz Feld, the mouth popper guy, playing Marcel. His second appearance in the series.

Plastered with goofy one liners (ad libs many times) and wait for the ending. PARIS PLAYBOYS was followed by BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS. What a double feature! Restored in dvd box sets by Warner Brothers, which contain about 6 to 8 episodes per box. And a special thank you to TCM for rerunning the Bowery Boys once again.