You Said a Mouthful

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across the channel were followed with much curiosity and passion many decades ago, so in this way the film serves as a historical document of sorts, too.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.

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.

"You Said a Mouthful" is a very odd comedy, as you are expected to root for a guy who is a complete fraud and a liar! Strange, but true!

When the story begins, Joe (Joe E. Brown) is fired from the company where he invented an unsinkable bathing suit. Soon, he learns he's the heir to an estate...but ends up gaining only $5 and a new son, Sam (Farina Hoskins). Soon the pair are destitute and Joe needs a job...when he is mistaken for a Canadian swimming champion bound for a big race at Catalina Island. Instead of admitting the mistake, Joe goes along with it and soon falls for Alice (Ginger Rogers). So what will he do when the race day finally arrives? Well, he'll do what any hero would do...cheat, cheat and cheat some more!

The message in this film is twisted if you think about it. Lie and cheat...that's the secret to success in this movie!! But if you can ignore this, the film is pleasant and enjoyable...and Farina (from the Little Rascals) is a nice sidekick for Joe and it's nice that the expected black jokes did NOT occur in the film. Overall, worth seeing even with a strange moral!

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.

Abandon all connections with reality ye who watch this movie. This is a silly comedy. Joe E. Brown stars as Joe Holt, a dreamer who works in the shipping room of a swimwear company. He is also the target of his bullying coworkers, so when he finds he has inherited a million dollars, he packs and moves to California. The fortune turns out to be much less than imagined. Plus his aunt's will asks that he take charge of the son of the aunt's homemaker. Sam is a young black boy who quickly latches onto Joe as a father figure.

Low on funds, Joe decides to take a job in a hotel on Catalina. Joe is mistaken for a champion long distance open water swimmer and is entered in a race from Catalina to the mainland, though he can't swim.

Ginger Rogers plays Alice Brandon, the young woman who somehow becomes his sweetheart, but promises to stick with him only if he wins the race. At this point in her career, Ginger has become a screen presence, showing much more ease and talent than just a couple of years before.

Joe E. plays his character with his usual physicality, wackiness and indomitable self-confidence. But his trademark big-mouth yell is overused here and becomes tiresome. Also overdone is a long bit where he "waterskis" behind a motorboat. Note that he wears his glasses even when swimming.