A Very Honorable Guy

This is the youngest I've seen Joe E Brown in a film. I am used to him being loud, obnoxoius and brash in later films, so it was great to see a wider range of his acting abilities. His acting even reminder me of Don Adams in Get Smart at times, with some of his mannerisms here.

I think the tone is fine in the beginning, you can do comedies with down-on-their-luck characters. It's all about how they respond and get out of their situations. What lowers my enjoyment for this movie is the second half where the whole plot turns absurd. Characters start making decisions that no sane human would make, and the tone shifts greatly from the first half where the characters were more grounded.

Also, great use of names, Feet Samuels, "the brain", etc. They were likely trying to mock gangster names but 90 years later all the names sound fun and cool to me.

"If at first you don't succeed, suck eggs."

Joe E. Brown isn't the most magnetic guy in the world, but he has a certain flair in this film, like when he tosses his hat over his shoulder and it lands perfectly onto a hat rack. He plays a man nicknamed "Feet" who possesses a load of scruples but no money, and in a rather contrived way comes to owe a gangster ("The Brain") $500, payable in a month or else. Gotta love those names, right? He comes up with the brilliant idea of selling his body to science for $1000, then living it up until he has to kill himself to fulfill his end of the bargain. Naturally he starts getting incredibly lucky, winning all his bets (even accidental ones), winning the lottery, etc., the exact opposite of the cold streak he was on earlier. In the excitement of suddenly being obscenely wealthy, he somehow forgets (!) his promise.

This is an interesting variation on the theme of a rags to riches tale which was common during the Depression. Filmgoers could empathize with "rags" and dream of sudden "riches," when all their troubles would be gone. The film has amusing little things from 1930's, like that punchboard grid that cost a nickel to stick a pin through in the hopes of winning a $10 box of chocolate, and dialogue like one gangster exhorting another to drive faster by saying ("Travel boy, travel - we gotta lose 'em!"). Unfortunately, it's also loaded with plot holes and ridiculous character motivations. Maybe it's intention as a light comedy was to not take itself seriously, but it comes across as too silly, especially in its second half.

To be honest, I actually came for Alice White, who plays Hortense, Feet's girlfriend. I wish she had gotten more scenes, but she lights up the ones she's in. The film was released in May of 1934 and is thus pre-Code (enforcement began July 1), but you wouldn't know it. There's an allusion to breakfast after a night Hortense and another man spent together, as well as her and some other showgirls kicking their legs, but it's all pretty tame stuff. Overall, it's not a horrible way to spend 62 minutes, but just ends up being mediocre on all fronts.

Feet Samuels (Joe E. Brown) has a run of bad luck and stuck with a gambling debt to the Brain. He sees himself as a very honorable guy and never breaks a promise. He gets tricked and put in jail. The Brain pays his bail and he's further in debt. He decides to sell his body to mad scientist Dr. Snitzer who likes the shape of his head. He lives his life for one last month before leaving his body to science.

It's a ridiculous premise. Joe E. Brown is trying to make it breezy fun. It's not actually funny. The tone is light or more light than the material should allow. I am intrigued mostly wondering how this is getting resolved. It needs to end with a funny gag but it's not. Maybe that's why there is the final chicken gag. Honestly, I don't get the joke but it's the same light ridiculous non-sense that permeates this movie.

The general impression I have of this movie is that it has a good cast but they are undercut by a script that seems wooden. As actors they either flew through this one without a second thought about it or they knew going in that the script was weak.

But they script has fun moments, enough to make this movie watchable, but it certainaly won't be one you will add to your list of favorites.

Some minor trivia on this movie, in the scene that shows a gossip column mention of Feet's attempt to sell his body to science, the by-line is by "Waldo Witchem", a sly take-off on real-life columnist Walter Winchell, who was a good friend of Damon Runyan, the man whos story this movie is based on. Winchell's name is mentioned in a few movies based on Runyon's stories. Alice White, who plays love interest Hortense was fresh from a major sex scandal that threatened her career. This movie was a come back attempt.

The story, as is the script is light. Feet Samuels is an honest man who loves to gamble. He ends of owing local mob boss, "The Brain" money and decides to sell his body to science to pay off his debt and also to impress his girl with material things. A mad doctor takes him up on the deal and in a month, Feet is to take a pill to end his life. Right after he makes the deal, his luck changes tremendously and he find himself in the predicament of going back on his word to the doctor and also the mob boss who underwrote his deal.

Again, this movie won't show up on any favorites list, but there are worse ways to waste an hour than by watching this.

O.K., so this not the best Joe E. Brown vehicle. The script is weak and the laughs few. But it did have some amusing moments, such as the scene in Mindy's, when Robert Barrat pours just about every condiment into his coffee and Alan Dinehart looks on in disbelief. Or the tear gas scene. The capable cast tries hard but apart from a couple of funny scenes, they can do little with inferior material. Still, I thought it was kind of cute. Joe E. Brown fans should enjoy it.