Check and Double Check

CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK (Radio Pictures, 1930), directed by Melville Brown, marks the feature movie debut of radio comedians, Amos 'N Andy (by arrangement with the National Broadcasting Company). Introduced in 1928, the characters of Amos and Andy were the rage of the radio airwaves, and what better way to get to see as well as hear them than on the motion picture screen. Though Amos and Andy were black taxicab drivers from Georgia living in the Harlem district of New York City, these characters were actually performed by white actors, Freeman F. Gosdon (Amos) and Charles V. Correll (Andy) convincingly playing blacks speaking in Negro dialect. CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK mixes comedy routines between Amos and Andy along with an extended sub-plot revolving around a socialite white family of Westchester County.

The story opens on a New York City street during a traffic jam where John Blair (Edward Martindel) and his wife (Irene Rich) await patiently in their limousine while on their way to pick up a family friend, Richard Williams (Charles Morton) at Pennsylvania Station. Holding up a line of cars is the run-down Model T cab by owners of the Fresh Air Taxi Company, Amos (Freeman F, Gosden) and Andy Brown (Charles V. Correll). Obtaining a taxi leading to the Blair estate in Hartsdale, New York, Charles meets with the Blair daughter, Joan (Sue Carol), whom he had seen since childhood, horse riding with her suitor, Ralph Crawford (Ralf Harolde). Ralph becomes jealous of their relationship and schemes on keeping them apart. Later, the Blairs hire Duke Ellington and his Cotton Orchestra to perform at their social function, but arrive two hours late due to their slow taxi transport by none other than Amos and Andy. "Check and Double Check" finally serves its title purpose as Amos and Andy attend their lodge club, "The Mystic Knights of the Sea." Their fraternity brother and mystic leader, Kingfish (Russell Powell), selects them as to spend the night in an old abandoned estate in Harlem acting as night watchmen and locate a piece of paper labeled "Check and Double Check," that's to be returned to the lodge the following morning. While the home has a reputation for being haunted, Amos and Andy are unaware the noises are being made by Ralph and assistant searching for an unclaimed deed of Richard's deceased grandfather needed in order for Ricjhard to marry Joan. Roscoe Ates (Roscoe); and Rita LaRoy (Elinor, Ralph's sister) are also seen in the cast. While Amos and Andy's girlfriends, Ruby Taylor and Madame Queen, are discussed, they do not appear.

Anyone familiar with the television series, "The Amos and Andy Show" (1951-1953), would be disappointed by this sole motion picture venture based on the same radio characters. Being an early talkie, certain sequences are drawn-out and stiffly played. Much of the story devotes more time on the Blair family than on Amos and Andy. Although there's no singers, the Blair function does present Duke Ellington's Band playing the hit tune to Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby's classic, "Three Little Words." Ellington, unfortunately, is glimpsed piano playing either by back of head or side facial profile, only gets his facial view in long shot.

With Hal Roach having Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, and RKO Radio having Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, the same studio (RKO) gambled on the success by acquiring another comedy team, Amos and Andy. Reportedly successful in 1930, with viewers getting a full glimpse of the popular dual, interestingly there were no future follow-up Amos and Andy features nor comedy shorts. They did appear on screen once more, doing a guest spot in THE BIG BROADCAST OF 1936 (Paramount, 1935). As it appears, Amos and Andy were probably more popular and funnier on radio than on the silver screen. When Amos and Andy were transferred to television, the two-season comedy series featured natural black actors (Alvin Childress and Spencer Williams) in their title roles, yet they were mostly secondary players to its actual star of that program, Kingfish (wonderfully played by the scene-stealing Tim Moore).

Though Amos and Andy could be said to be black replicas to Laurel and Hardy, with Amos the thin and sensible partner to Amos's fat, loafing, cigar smoking character sitting back to think while Amos does all the work, their comedy routines include mix-up telephone conversation, their new math method with Kingfish; tire changing, and race against time taxi driving to Pennsylvania Station, which unfortunately lacks comedy scoring and obviously staged in front of a rear projection screen.

Who knows if CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK might have stood the test of time had Amos and Andy been played by actual black actors as Sam McDaniel and Clarence Muse, as opposed to white actors in blackface. Yet with them doing the same exact thing might still stir up controversy by the way how blacks obtain laughter rather than getting laughter.

Having turned up on television around 1979, CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK, a public domain title, did become available on video cassette (1980s) and years later on DVD. It has turned up sparingly on cable television's Turner Classic Movies, notably in 2006 as part of its subject matter, "Black Images on Film." As in 1930, this comedy would be seen today more as a curiosity than a comedy classic. (**)

I will not involve myself in the debate over the socio-political implications of "Amos n' Andy." My opinion will not change anyone else's mind, and no one will change mine by using the term "racist." I feel the latter term is thrown around so much today that it has lost almost all meaning.

The "Amos n' Andy" radio show held legions of fans for decades. The TV show is fondly remembered by tens of thousands who were lucky enough to see it. The reason for this is simple; they made people laugh. This movie, however, is a very poor example of the character's work.

The main thrust of the plot is an uninteresting love triangle between a wealthy heiress, her jerk of a rich boyfriend and an old flame who has lost his wealth and is seeking to reclaim it. Although the movie is a comedy, none of these three characters are in any way funny. Amos n' Andy are secondary characters in the story. This is the first blow to the story. Amos, Andy and the Kingfish carried their own stories for years, why should they play second fiddle to people we care nothing about? To make it worse, Amos n' Andy's involvement in the plot is painfully contrived. The plots of the radio and TV shows were smooth and sensible (for a comedy). They worked because they did not have to be forced. The plot of this movie, by contrast, seemed forced every step of the way.

Copies of the Amos n' Andy radio and TV shows are available for sale. If one is willing to track them down they will provide a clear picture of why the characters were so successful. This movie, by contrast, should be left to those who feel the need to own everything with the Amos n' Andy name on it.

Typical Amos 'n Andy story-line has the boys trying to make a go of their "open-air" taxi business while they get caught up in a society hassle.

It involves driving musicians to a fancy party.

All the regular characters are here (or mentioned), including the famous Mystic Knights of the Sea.

The only film appearance of radio's long-running characters.

Guess the movie didn't make much money since there wasn't another. I've only heard bits and pieces of the radio show, but I have the entire TV series on DVD. The TV series is hysterical and anyone who thinks it's somehow racist, is nuts.

This movie, on the other hand is a whole different deal. Amos and Andy are white in black face. It's really odd to watch that these days.

Plus, it's just not a good film.

This early talkie featuring the apparently hugely popular comic act of Amos and Andy would no doubt outrage many of today's enlightened folk, but I don't really want to get into that other than to say that this film at least has worth as a social document. The comedy isn't really particularly funny - not because of any 'bad taste in the mouth' left by the brand of humour, but simply because the standard of the writing isn't that great. Freeman F. Gosden and Charles J. Correll are quite good at what they do, and there's an amiability about their relationship that is clearly a result of the way their characters must have developed during their radio years. A curiosity, for sure, but perfectly forgettable.

Well, I just picked up an original film print of CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK and have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. After many years of reading one abysmal review after another, I found the film to be a fairly impressive RKO comedy. But I also think this film can only be viewed in the context of its time of release. And not for racial stereotype reasons. First, the film obviously came about by the strong popularity of the AMOS 'N ANDY radio program. However, comparison cannot be made between the film and the program as we know it because the program only began a year before this film was made (Amos 'n Andy had, in fact, had recently been known as Sam 'n Henry). So the smooth, well-oiled manner of the 40's heyday was still many years to come. Structure-wise, CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK somewhat resembles RKO's popular Wheeler and Woolsey films and features the two comics in traditional musical-comedy leading/though supporting roles. The story plot is very typical of shows of the day - DIXIANA, COCOANUTS, etc (Ralf Harolde repeats his villainous visage from DIXIANA). The picture is very well photographed from the standpoint of RKO's current production values and it is very well recorded. One interesting note - one that can only be gleaned from having an actual film print - is that the picture was released in nine reels. Given that the running time is 77 minutes, it is probable that there was some trimming done after the previews. An interesting note about the music in the film. Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra are the featured performers. At one point in the film there is a very bluesy, Harlemesque introduction to a number. But the film then cuts to a shot of the band playing "Three Little Words" in standard foxtrot tempo. Upon this number's conclusion, the band goes into a blues number. We then go outside to the garden where a scene between the romantic leads is played and the band is again heard in the distance playing "Three Litte Words". The duo even comment on the song and its meaning. It is apparent there was some moving around of sequences taking place here. And it's possible there was additional music recorded that did not make it into the final release print. As for Amos 'n Andy, there is a nice mix of verbal and visual set-pieces. There is also one surprisingly effective scene where Amos 'n Andy are told that their former employer/benefactor has died and Andy makes a very sorrowful speech about his goodness. It's one of the most genuinely emotional monologues I can recall from any RKO film of that very early talkie period. The one semi-drawback to the film is that Freeman Gosden (Andy) is not able to play Kingfish as he did on radio. In CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK, Kingfish is played by Russ Powell (in blackface - as are many others in the cast including at least one band member and stuttering comic Roscoe Ates). Film fans will remember Powell as the dockman at the beginning of KING KONG ("You going' on that crazy voyage?!"). Powell doesn't have quite the delightful devil about him that Gosden did in his portrayal of Kingfish on the radio - or Tim Moore on television. Had CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK been made six or seven years later, it might have had more polish and pacing. But even by the mid-thirties it is unlikely that a blacked-up Amos 'N Andy would have been welcomed in the cinemas. So we have only this one feature as a pictorialization of the proprietors of the Fresh Air Taxi Cab Corporation. If you can put yourself back into a 1930 frame of reference, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.