Channel 31 is not a television station typically known for its quality programming, but, after first introducing me to 'His Girl Friday (1940)' some time last year, it can now add a second commendable achievement to its résumé. I'd just emerged from my bedroom in the morning when my father clicked over to the neglected station, and a vaguely familiar face {whom I would later identify as Farley Granger} was being troubled by an adorable little Welsh terrier named Archie. If I'd known that it was a movie I probably would not have continued watching, but, as fate would have it, I thought it was an ancient television comedy series, and so I figured it'd all be over in half an hour. Needless to say, by the time the thirty minute mark came and went, I was too engrossed in the amusing story that was unfolding, and 'Behave Yourself! (1951)' proved to be quite an enjoyable viewing experience.
Unfortunately, in rising from bed a few minutes too late, I had missed the opening few scenes of the film, and so it took me a while to piece together the various puzzle pieces of the plot. William Calhoun "Bill" Denny (Granger) is a clumsy husband who is followed home one day by an intelligent dog, which is mistaken for an anniversary present by his wife, Kate (Shelley Winters). Meanwhile, for reasons I never really worked out, a cohort of gangsters are attempting to retrieve the dog, which somehow holds the key towards $100,000 in counterfeit banknotes. As Bill tries everything he can to return the dog to its original owner, he also finds that he has about the worst luck in the world, continuing to arrive at apartments just minutes after somebody has been murdered in there. The gangster comedy notably boasts an assortment of familiar faces, including Lon Chaney Jr. and Elisha Cook Jr., both playing characteristically-shady characters.
Though undoubtedly lightweight, 'Behave Yourself!' is an enjoyable comedic twist on the gangster genre, with Farley Granger doing a surprisingly good job as the leading klutz. The film is full of small amusing details, such as the icily-sarcastic remarks of Bill's mother-in-law (Margalo Gillmore), the chief detective repeatedly referring to Bill as "O'Denny," and the continual confusion as to who the hell this Archie character is. Of course, it's the young canine performer who really steals the show, demonstrating an assortment of clever tricks and flawless comedic timing, in the same way that Asta dominated the 'Thin Man' films. Though it's not very well known, George Beck's comedy is presumably in the public domain, and so shouldn't be all that hard to find. If you're ever in the mood for something silly and entertaining, this one is a good bet.
