Affairs of Cappy Ricks

This is the movie of it's era, truly. Great acting all around and a no-nonsense plot that keeps you engaged the entire time Cappy and everyone is on screen. He makes many references to shipboard things that I cannot comprehend, but I think I got the meat and potatoes on what he was talking about.

He really lays down the law to his stupid family when he returns, and that is a blessing as they are all slovenly and shiftless as the day is long.

Ralph Staub is a visionary, and truly deserves all the credit here, though Walter Brennan made the most of a stellar script, as expected. I hope we see more of this duo in the years to come!

Cranky seafaring Walter Brennan (as "Cappy" Ricks) returns from a voyage to find his San Francisco household has become "slovenly and shiftless." He doesn't approve of pretty daughter Mary O'Brian (as Frankie) being engaged to "lily-livered" Frank Shields (as Waldo), the son of a rival. Betting pal Lyle Talbot (as Bill Peck) he can whip everyone into shape, Mr. Brennan takes them on a cruise. He wants to fake a marooning, and "shake off civilization for awhile." But the plan threatens to backfire when they become stranded for real. Brennan isn't his usually lovable old salt, in this plot and situation retread. Trying to boss Brennan around, Georgia Caine (as Amanda Peasely) has some good moments.

**** Affairs of Cappy Ricks (5/24/37) Ralph Staub ~ Walter Brennan, Mary Brian, Georgia Caine, Lyle Talbot

I loved the VFA's professional re-release of this film and especially Gregg's commentary! It was funny and insightful! I had no idea that costume designers could have one name like Madonna!

5 bags of popcorn and 5 sodas.

A pretty lightweight comedy here. This stars Walter Brennan stars as Captain Ricks, a family patriarch who returns home after a long trip abroad to find his personal and business affairs all in a shambles! His daughter is getting married to a shlub he doesn't approve of, his business has been taken over by his future mother-in-law AND his ship, his pride and joy has become automated! Ricks takes matters into his own hands and literally tries to be captain of the ship again by taking them on a cruise where he can try to boss everyone around and be in control everyone again. But it doesn't work, so he takes matters into his own hands, he "shipwrecks" everyone so he can get everyone straightened out! Walter Brennan is great here as is the whole cast. And I love the whole 'Captain of the ship" motif that they have going on here. The one problem I have with this is that it goes on far too long, going into one madcap adventure after another. Some lengthening of scenes (as opposed to shorter subplot scenes) would have done the trick here.

While not having heard of Cappy Ricks before this, I'm guessing after looking on ebay that he was a fairly well-known book character in the early 20th. Brennan goes full steam as the curmudgeonly "old salt shaker" who stubbornly resists the encroachment of technology and is horrified on returning home and finding his daughter's future mother-in-law running his house and business and poised to merge his company with rival Bottomley, a purveyor of all things automated! Cappy launches a counter plot to set things straight, giving the story the bulk of its humorous situations. The highlight is the segment aboard the ELECTRA, Bottomley's almost completely automated yacht, particularly the scene with the push-button spice dispensers. The silly plot is served well by nice performances by Brennan, Georgia Caine, Frank Shields, and perky, attractive Mary Brian as Frankie. And the film itself foreshadows The Jetsons and Gilligan's Island 25 years before those shows made us roar with laughter (?)

5 1/2 Stars, check it out.