The Great Gildersleeve

HAROLD PEARY brings his trademark laugh and distinctive voice to the screen in the first of the Gildersleeve films starring him in the title role. It's strictly corny, lowbrow comedy but lots of fun, an unpretentious little programmer from the early, patriotic '40s.

With a running time of one hour and two minutes, it seems more like a back to back half-hour TV situation comedy in style with the running joke being Gildersleeve's attempt to remain the bachelor guardian of two children and suspected of having marriage plans with the plain spinster mistakenly assumed to be his intended.

Nice support from JANE DARWELL as his efficient Aunt Emma, willing to help Gildersleeve with his household responsibilities and NANCY GATES as one of his charges. Much of the humor springs from Peary's comic skill with slapstick material as he mismanages everything.

CHARLES ARNT as a befuddled and irate Judge Hooker is effective in a supporting role, as is MARY FIELD as his sister, the unattractive spinster.

Anyone familiar with the Gildersleeve of radio fame is sure to enjoy this situation comedy from the Golden Age of B-film programmers.

"The Great Gildersleeve" was a very popular radio show from 1941-1958. It was a spinoff from another radio show, "Fibber McGee and Molly". Not surprisingly, the show was so popular that it led to several movies. The first string of Gildersleeve films were based on the character from "Fibber McGee and Molly" and were made by Paramount. This film, "The Great Gildersleeve" sounds as if it's the first Gildersleeve film but it's actually the sixth...but the first made by RKO studio.

In this story, Throckmorton Gildersleeve (Harold Peary) is the guardian of his niece and nephew. He thinks his kids need the influence of a woman and he asks his aunt (Jane Darwell) to move in with them. Unfortunately, Judge Hooker's matronly sister is smitten with Gildersleeve and thinks he wants to marry her...something he definitely does NOT want to do! But with the Judge overseeing the guardianship, Gildersleeve is worried that the Judge will take away his guardianship if he doesn't marry the sister. How does he avoid this and what's next? See the film and find out for yourself...though it, surprisingly, includes a visit from the Governor.

While the film isn't perfect (Peary's laugh is tough to handle and the rear projection is a bit annoying), the story is entertaining and ends well. Worth seeing.

The radio show is A-1 and at the top of the heap of Old time Radio and had a cast that was amazing in it's greatness. The movie unfortunately is missing a few beats and cannot live up to the radio version. But you know what? It really doesn't matter much, Gildersleeve is still a delight to watch and there are enough good backup parts to carry the show. The radio show Leroy is not here and that is a major problem. Peavey is here, but he is not much of an actor on the screen. But there is still enough fun and characters to carry us on a charming romp through the days of yore, when fun was fun and it was rate G! I am a big fan of the radio show and also of the television show and I would recommend watching the movies whenever TCM runs them. Usually they run all the movies on the same day, so get your recorders ready.

Harold Peary played the good role of Gildersleeve. His laugh was his trademark. He use to be in radio, before coming to movies. In one episode I like was when the bicycle split into going in separate directions and he yelled LeRoy. This was funny. We need more movies of this gender.

You don't have to be an old-time radio buff to enjoy films like this. If you're simply an admirer of good comedy, that's enough.

All the GILDERSLEEVE films made by RKO in the 1940s were thoroughly enjoyable, and this first one of the series was one of the very, very best. Of course it all hangs on Harold Peary's performance as the blustering Throckmorton Gildersleeve and he doesn't disappoint for a single moment. His performance is fresh, original and warm and he brings to the part a believability that rises above the occasional well-handled slapstick interludes. Peary was one of a kind and, as they say, we shall not look upon his like again.

Jane Darwell, fresh from her Oscar-winning performance in John Ford's THE GRAPES OF WRATH, added solid support as Aunt Emma, while the rest of the cast (which included some of the original radio stars) added much to the fun.

This pre-babyboomer piece of Americana is highly recommended for its wit, its charm and its evocation of the better USA that once was. Let's hope Warner Brothers (who now own the RKO films) will get these onto blu-ray or DVD real soon.