Earthworm Tractors

Joe E. Brown stars as the irrepressible Alexander Botts, self-proclaimed "natural born salesman." He sets out to sell a fleet of tractors to hard-boiled lumber yard owner Guy Kibbee, who most emphatically does not believe in these newfangled tractor things. But our hero does not give up quickly - partly because Kibbee's daughter keeps offering him advice and encouragement.

June Travis is just fine in the predictable but pleasant role of the attractive daughter. Kibbee is great fun to watch as the flustered businessman who is given more than one unwanted ride on Brown's machine (a piece of equipment that we today might call a bulldozer rather than a tractor).

Other familiar faces appear in supporting roles, including Gene Lockhart and Joseph Crehan as Earthworm Tractor Company employees, and Carol Hughes and Dick Foran as an old flame and old rival back in Brown's hometown.

Joe E. Brown has a unique screen presence that is possibly not for everyone, I suppose, although I always find him easy to watch. The lightweight story is very silly but moves along nicely. The action actually gets pretty wild a couple of times when Brown gets behind the controls of that big tractor.

I gotta say it up front that I am not a huge fan of Joe E. Brown's films. Much of the reason is that in many of his films he often plays unlikable guys--real fat-heads (such as in one of his most famous films, "Alibi Ike"). Audiences in the 1930s loved his films, but I've never had much love for them. Imagine, then, to my surprise when I saw a minor Brown outing and actually liked it! This was even more surprising, as for some odd reason Warner Brothers didn't even bother renewing the copyright on "Earthworm Tractors" and allowed it to slip into the public domain! You'd assume in a case like this that the film was a real dog!

The film begins with Brown playing a guy who wants to marry his sweetheart, though her father can't stand him. To impress the Old Man, he decides to get a salesman job--though since he is a bit daft, you know the road will be a bit bumpy to say the least! When he approaches the Earthworm Tractor Company, they do not hire him, but Brown starts working as a representative for them anyway! He certainly isn't a salesman who takes 'no' for an answer! Along the way, he meets another nice young lady who he falls in love with--but what about his other girl? And, in a case of déjà vu, the new girl's father (Guy Kibbee) also doesn't particularly like Brown---but he's also a rich guy who NEEDS a tractor--or so his daughter thinks.

The film succeeds, I think, because Brown is more likable. Sure, he's still a bit of the usual rube but this time he's NOT selfish and overconfident--at least no where nearly like many of his other films ("Fireman Save My Child" comes to mind here). In addition, the stunts are amazingly good for a 1930s comedy--and a heck of a lot better for the craptastic stunts he'd soon have in his films by the David Loew's studio--which was a major career misstep in hindsight. Likable and pleasant--while not a great comedy, there is a lot to like and it's a nice change of pace.

This exceptionally noisy comedy is an absolute must for all Joe E. Brown and mechanical tractor fans. Others may find Mr Brown's determined camera-hogging heavy going, though it must be admitted that all the other major male players (with the notable exception of Dick Foran) try to steal scenes too by constantly shouting at the top of their voices.

Although June Travis is pretty enough, the girls get hardly a look-in.

Of course there are also several spectacularly staged accidents to keep our eyes riveted on Mr Brown. And it must be admitted, director Enright keeps the plot moving along at a commendably rapid pace.

Takes a while to get moving but really gathers steam. Employs one of the most sure-fire comedy recipes: take a gung-ho dimwit and pair him with a grumpy old coot and you're just about guaranteed to get laughs. I wasn't really familiar with Joe E. Brown's work before this movie and had generally avoided films from the 30's (for no good reason) but consider me a fan. He's a funny guy, though perhaps it's a brand of humor that works best in the 1930's. His "natural born salesman" Alexander Botts never loses confidence in his abilities despite the fact that he is quite frankly, a total screw-up. What is somewhat unique about his comic persona is that he gleefully, recklessly puts himself in situations where he is in way over his head and knows it, but doesn't seem to care. One way or another, he's sure he will always land on his feet. This sort of attitude must have had enormous appeal in the Depression era.

Maybe a little too broad and "cute" at times, it is also quite inspired at others. It has a carefree loopiness that's very endearing and some rather elaborate stunts and sight gags. The whole thing is really just a fun loving excuse to get Brown and Guy Kibbee (who is a master at the art of bloated befuddlement) together and watch the sparks fly.

Earthworm Tractors is the name of the product that Joe E. Brown is hired to sell. Of course it would be helpful if he actually knew the product. But things like lack of knowledge stopped the bragadocious Brown before in this or any other film.

Brown gets assigned a territory where his biggest potential customer is the cranky, cantankerous Guy Kibbee who is a wee bit deaf. Kibbee owns the biggest lumber company in the area and it's a big commission at stake. His daughter June Travis is pulling for Joe, but Kibbee is a hard sell.

This is one of Joe E. Brown's best comedies for Warner Brothers in the 30s. Two really great scenes are in this showing Brown's comedic ability to great advantage. The first is Brown moving the Kibbee/Travis house with them inside. The second is Brown and Kibbee on a wild rollercoaster like ride on the tractor over a mountain which is being dynamited. I guarantee the laughs will be many.

Earthworm Tractors still holds up well from the Depression 30s and still has a lot of laughs. A must for Joe E. Brown fans.