Top Speed

Two penniless clerks, pretending to be industrial tycoons while staying at a lavish Florida resort, must keep their lies coming at TOP SPEED before their new wealthy girlfriends discover the truth.

Comic Joe E. Brown dominates this little film with his particular brand of slightly naughty physical humor. His agile body, elastic face and tremendous mouth are sure signs to the audience that laughs are on the way. Most of the time he's off the screen you wish he wasn't. He gets to do a little eccentric singing & dancing - ably backed up by energetic comedienne Laura Lee - which makes the rest of the movie's traditional hoofing look dull by comparison.

Jack Whiting plays Brown's buddy, and while a pleasant enough fellow he doesn't generate many chuckles. His romance with pretty Bernice Claire is faintly dull and his lengthy subplot - in which he races a motorboat and matches wits with an elderly extortionist - is interesting but really only serves to fill out the screen time.

Frank McHugh has some funny moments as a wacky inventor; Ward Boteler livens up a few scenes as a single-minded sheriff. Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Edwin Maxwell as a petulant millionaire.

Ultimately, this is Joe E. Brown's film - another rung up the cinematic ladder to movies in which he would be the main star - both with the comedy and the romantic action.

Top Speed has both Joe E. Brown and Jack Whiting as a pair of order clerks at a brokerage house who decide to see how the other half lives. They pose as young society blades while Brown is supposed to deliver an order which he misplaces.

Whiting falls for millionaire heiress Bernice Claire and she him. But will it hold once she finds out who he is. As for Brown he's got entertainer Laura Lee very interested in him.

The climax is a motorboat race which is quite the comic event. Evinrude's motors really take a pounding from Brown. And from Frank McHugh in one of his early films where he plays a perpetually soused millionaire/inventor.

A good one for Joe E. Brown fans.

early Joe E. Brown vehicle with creaky plot and snappy lines. There are a couple nice musical numbers thrown in. Brown poses as a big shot at a resort and wins the girl and saves the day. But this is one of Brown's better early comedies. He is funny and has a nice dance number with the funny Laura Lee(who is in the Joan Davis/Majorie White mold). Jack Whiting in a solid sidekick, and Bernice Claire is also solid as a leading lady. Throw in Frank McHugh and you have a decent little comedy.

Historically speaking, you couldn't ask for a better cast -- Joe Brown, Frank McHugh, Edwin Maxwell, Bernice Claire. All pros! this was a pretty early talkie, and a couple years before the film code, so they could still make naughty jokes and prance around in their underwear. BUT.... some annoying ingredients here.. I personally find Joe Brown's over-acting annoying, as well as that loud, long noise he makes every couple minutes. and one of the women had that horrible little baby voice that apparently so many women had back then. and did there have to be so many song and dance numbers? really slowed things down. some fun word-play by the cast. and i always like films that have Frank McHugh. Looks like this one was filmed at an actual lakeside resort in Norco California. must have been fun for the cast! directed by Mervyn Leroy when he was just getting started. Pretty good!

Have seen Joe E. Brown movies before but this was 'early Joe E.', before his screen persona became that of an overconfident country bumpkin, as in "Elmer The Great", or "Alibi Ike". It is also Pre-Code and must have been considered naughty for picture made in 1930, as the dialogue is full of double entendres, and for that matter single entendres.

As noted above, this picture is worth seeing on two counts. Brown is at his best and funniest and the musical numbers are very good - and the dancing is even better. And I didn't know Brown could dance as well as he did here. There is a lot of fun and entertainment packed into only 71 minutes.

Was not familiar with any of the supporting cast except Frank McHugh - Jack Whiting was average and Bernice Claire was lovely to look at and had a good soprano voice. See it if it comes on again, as it's not available on tape or DVD.

This movie was on ol' reliable TCM on 7/29.