Millionaire Playboy

Joe Penner does not say "Wanna buy a duck" once! This weak RKO comedy feature would have made an enjoyable 2 reel comedy, but at 64 minutes, it's just too much. Directed by comedy short expert Leslie Goodwins, it has the feel of an Edgar Kennedy or Leon Errol 2 reeler of the early 40s. The problem is after 20 minutes, one is exhausted from all of the slapstick. As opposed to the Leon Errol features of the same period which bore you to tears for 45 minutes setting up the 20 minute slapstick to come, this film takes off right away. Penner is the main character and there is no subplot. It is interesting to see Russ Brown, famous for introducing "Heart" in "Damn Yankees", 15 years earlier. Tom Kennedy, no relation to Edgar, is fine is Penner's nemesis. Fritz Feld is completely wasted. If you have enjoyed the RKO short comedies of Kennedy and Errol, this film is worth a look. Penner only appeared in one feature after this: the funny, but disappointing "Boys from Syracuse".

Joe Zany (Joe Penner) has always reacted strangely to girls even as a baby. He gets a case of the hiccups whenever a girl kisses him. His tycoon father hires escort manager Bob Norman to fix him but it's not that type of escort. Bob takes the big money job anyways and accompanies Joe to a resort filled with young women. Bob tricks Joe by claiming that these are old ladies after their facelifts. Resort owner Lois Marlow convinces the gold-digging girls to stay with promise of a rich bachelor. Joe doesn't know that his father had sent two aggressive agents to buy the resort.

It's silly non-sense. There is some funny moments and wacky situations. I just never cared that much about Joe. He's basically the 40 year old virgin but Penner is trying too hard. The bevy of greedy babes is not a good look. It provides a minor laugh but it's also kinda sad. The story is so convoluted that I lost track of everybody. Nevertheless, the zany adventures are pretty zany and there are some fun gags although Penner's zaniness wears thin by the end.

About a dozen gorgeous women make this movie a hit with me. The lead actor in this movie is not the best, but I guess he does have to act a little bit odd in order to justify the reason he's at the lodge with all these gorgeous young women. Women make him nervous, and he is sent here to find a cure.

There is a lot of good slapstick comedy and mistaken identity scenarios. But it was good humor to see these beautiful women honestly pursuing a wealthy man. No political correctness in this movie. At one point, the primary female interest in the movie, Linda Hayes, is ask how old she is. She replies 22. Which interestingly was her real age. If you're in the mood to watch a dozen or so 19 to 25 year old women, with freshly scrubbed faces look no further.

I purchased the DVD from Zeus, but there are other sellers as well. The quality was very watchable.

Joe Penner stars as Joe Zany...a ridiculously named and strange character who has a weird affliction. Whenever he's around pretty young ladies, he begins hiccuping uncontrollably. It's so bad his rich father offers $5000 to cure him...and Bob Norman tries to cure Joe by taking him to a lodge filled with young ladies. Bob tells Joe that these women are all in their 60s...the result of plastic surgery and the like. And, because the women are all supposedly old, Joe seems at ease around them.

While you can easy see that the film's plot is ridiculous and contrived, it might have somehow worked had the film been funny and Penner more likable. As it is, it all seems very forced and unfunny--especially at the start where you see Penner dressed as a baby and then a small child. Although I found Penner mostly unfunny, it is sad he died so young (of an apparent heart attack at 36). Interestingly, IMDB actually says about this "Had he not died so young (of a heart attack at age 36), Penner probably would have suffered an early decline anyway simply due to the repetitive nature of his schtick and faded into supporting character roles". I can easily see their point.

So is this worth seeing? Not especially...as Penner is so unlikable and brash. Additionally, the writing was sometimes awfully broad. It's a shame, as the concept is much like Harold Lloyd's "Girl Shy'...which was a great film. Also, the supporting cast is terrific--with the likes to Tom Kennedy and Mantan Moreland to provide some REAL laughs. You really wonder if the film, with a slight re-write and different leading actors (such as Abbott & Costello), might have worked. All I know is that I didn't enjoy this picture very much and plan on avoiding Penner's films. Perhaps he was beloved on radio, but as a leading man in films, he was just more annoying than funny.

Joe penner, grady sutton, mantan moreland. All giants in comedy. The story is the weak point here. Penner is joe zany, son of very rich businessman. Joe gets the hiccups whenever he's around pretty girls. Some comedy bits, as joe gets pulled around the lake holding onto a motorboat motor. And the running gag where the bellhop never seems to get a tip. Joe goes off to a resort that his father wants to buy. For some unexplained reason, its mostly girls visiting the resort. The goons start haunting the resort so the owner will sell. Now joe is running around town with a bag, being mistaken for a killer. It's just okay. It feels like it wasn't edited well. And has the corniest ending ever. Entertaining enough, if you don't look too closely. Directed by les goodwins. He's probably best known for the lupe velez, the mexican spitfire films.