Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm

Each of these movies, an endless amount of them, all border on the ridiculous without a bit of sublime involved. Such an old couple with a tribe of young 'uns is a bit beyond the pale. The 2 of them are so amusing and good at what they do, it seems as if there was no acting required, just naturally inclined in that direction. Of course, they were acting and they did their jobs well. One wonders what they might have done without these caracitures they dwelled in. More palatable the movies might have been had there been some more sensible story line rather than these absurdities. For what's it worth, they were great comedians with lousy scripts.

MA AND PA KETTLE BACK ON THE FARM was the fourth film in the series and it's one of the best, with a number of laugh-out-loud lines and hilarious knockabout humor. The Kettles become grandparents as the film opens - endearing idiot Pa learning Ma is at the hospital and that "Mrs. Kettle" is expecting believes Ma is the one with child! The blessed event brings daughter-in-law Kim's parents to town and Ma immediately clashes with the haughty Mrs. Parker who proceeds to boss the whole Kettle household around, lays down the rules for interaction with the baby, and even decides to name the child over Tom and Kim's decision!! When the bickering gets too intense and threatens Tom and Kim's marriage, Ma decides to Pa and her and the kids will move back to the family's dilapidated rural house for a spell while the Parkers stay in the KETTLES fancy city home. Back home, Pa and local huckster Billy discover uranium on the homestead - and so do a couple of petty crooks from the big city.

This entry has some of the funniest lines in the series and Pa's "14 goes into 25" skit is an unheralded gem that is funnier than Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" classic sketch. Mrs. Parker is a rather over the top caricature of a snooty city woman although Barbara Brown gives a good performance in the role. Her tirade against the Kettles Indian friends though is rather offensive even for the era though.though I loved Crowbar's retort when Pa informs him aristocratic Mrs. Parker's "ancestors came over on the Mayflower." "Hmmmph," says Crowbar, "that nothing. Mine there to greet them!"

"Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm" has lucky hillbillies Marjorie Main (she's Ma) and Percy Kilbride (he's Pa) digging for uranium on the old homestead, which doesn't turn out to be as rich in laughter as were their previous two films. Funnier is the fact that eldest son Richard Long (as Tom) and pretty wife Meg Randall (as Kim) deliver the first Kettle grandbaby. Seeing the Kettles in their first delivery room, after fifteen births, is a highlight. Too bad this was the last appearance of Mr. Long and family. Also amusing are clashes with more uppity in-laws Barbara Brown and Ray Collins (as Elizabeth and Jonathan Parker). And, erstwhile Emory Parnell (as Billy Reed) does well in his semi-regular role.

****** Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm (5/10/51) Edward Sedgwick ~ Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Richard Long, Emory Parnell

Ma and Pa Kettle are back on the farm. In this film in the series, they are expecting their first grandchild. After fifteen children, Pa Kettle actually believed that he was going to be a father again when he looks for Mrs. Kettle at the hospital. They're are funny moments especially when we got Kim's parents coming to town. They're prim and proper and snobby. The film is my favorite so far in the series. Just love it when Kim's mother yells "Come and Get It."

Before Kim Parker met Tom Kettle, she had written about the importance of hygiene in raising a child. In Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm we see where she got that idea!

The first Kettle grandchild is born, so Kim's parents travel to see their grandchild. After worrying about making a good impression upon meeting Kim's parents, Ma finds herself a new nemesis. Kim's mother is a nut who takes over the Kettles' house with her views on hygiene. She hires a nurse for the baby and makes everyone, including Ma, where a mask around the baby. It is abundantly clear that Ma knows how to take care of children. That absurdity makes the situation all the more funny.

Kim's father befriends the Kettles and helps them when uranium is "discovered" on their old farm. With the newfound wealth is newfound trouble good for a few laughs.

Familiar faces and settings returned once again in Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm . Rather than recycle all the old jokes, only a couple made it into the movie. The modern house is only used for one gag, and the radio in the old house is used again. Pa still casually uses dynamite with all the danger it brings. There was enough continuity to respect the prior films while creating a new adventure and introducing more characters.

With each movie in the series the sophistication of Ma Kettle becomes more and more apparent. Not only was she a vehicle for comedy, but for real human emotion. The balance was clearly a collaboration of everyone involved. Marjorie Main was given great scenes to work with. Despite being known for comedy, the Ma and Pa Kettle series had a subtle serious side as well.