St. Benny the Dip

In his characteristically bemused and half-faltering voice, Roland Young reads the majestic opening of Genesis to a handful of charity cases in a nobly spacious but dilapidated old building still remembered for its better days. He and his comrades, the script reminds us, are just three people in a city of eight million, and the city is visually portrayed in towering terms of expressionism; but the eccentric trio still nurses hopes of turning the game in their favor. It turns out that Man proposes, but God disposes. A wise priest is on hand waxing philosophical and poetic about the situation, and in addition along comes a woman-- Nina Foch-- whose own definition not about fame (which she seized at but lost) or about globetrotting or getting rich quick but about a successful domestic life. A comedic situation arises from the contrasting lures of a quiet, productive lifestyle versus an independent and unrestrained one. Dick Haymes sings an unexpectedly bluesy hymn in one of his last movie roles, and fellow actors Roland Young and Freddie Bartholomew are winding up their big-screen careers as well, adding unintentionally and retroactively to the movie's elegiac quality.

Regarding the previous comment about being unable to see St. Benny the Dip as a parody of Les Miserables, I, too, do not see a parody. I do see, however, an homage to Les Miserable. There is in both works the common theme of redemption. In the same way the priest in Les Miserables covers for Jean Valjean and gracefully provides for him, so, too, does the priest in St. Benny the Dip provide for our three scoundrels, and that gracious act in the same way begins the process of redemption. True, Jean Valjean was not the scoundrel that Benny, Matthew, and Monk are, but they, like Valjean move from outside the law to inside the law.

Grace begets grace.

This film is a pleasant surprise from cinema's greatest liar, Edgar G. Ulmer. (His claims for his career in interviews seem now to be regarded as largely preposterous -- many flat out lies, much inflation of his contributions...) But this is a nice, competent little comedy built from crime story elements, and quite enjoyable. Part of the surprise is the far-better-than-just-decent cast: Dick Haymes (ok -- none too great -- in the title role), Nina Foch, excellent as The Girl in The Story; Lionel Stander, as always both lively and believable, and Roland Young, looking sadly worn out. Below the title, there is Oscar Karlweis, a most appealing Viennese actor (and important on Broadway as Jacobowsky in the original production of "Jacobowsky and the Colonel," in the role Danny Kaye played in the film), Jean Casto (her only film role; she originated the role in "Pal Joey" (1940) that made Elaine Stritch a star in the 1952 revival -- which co-starred Lionel Stander!). Uncredited: Dort Clark (of "Bells Are Ringing") and John Lupton (of "Battle Cry"), both in small speaking roles. Lastly, Freddie Bartholomew appears in his final film role -- and, sadly, appears to have completely lost his talent. The role is terrible, and he's awful in it. Smart man to leave the business at this point.

As to the relation of this film to Ulmer's oeuvre -- well, don't make me laugh! But I will say that the absence of Ulmer's musical "genius," that fellow Erdody, is extremely welcome. As always with Ulmer, there is too much score, but this one is not as insufferable as the ones Erdody cranked out.

A sweet, entertaining film.

The flick's got an interesting premise. Three con-men fleeing the cops grab white collar cleric suits and pretend to be men of God. It works. Trouble is they then get mistakenly recruited into serving as real ministers at a newly opened poverty-row mission. Now, in order to keep the cops away, they've got to pretend to be what they're not. Can they do it, given their criminal backgrounds.

Trouble is the storyline fails to develop this suspenseful potential in sustained fashion. Instead, we get a loosely focused series of personality sketches that scatter instead of gel. Thus the premise is unfortunately squandered. Nonetheless, there are two unusual aspects to note: the tricky religious aspect never turns sappy in the sanctimonious manner of the day, while the question of legal justice for the three culprits is left unresolved unless I missed something. So, despite its overall failures, the flick avoids some significant cliches.

In passing. Note presence here of actor-crooner Dick Haymes {Benny} whose promising career was cut short by accusations of dodging service in WWII. Then too there's actor Stander {Monk} who was soon blacklisted for 10 years for defying anti-communist investigations into Hollywood political affairs. But what's the story on youthful Freddie Bartholomew's silly Reverand Wilbur that's disruptive of the flick itself -- must be a backstory behind this his last movie appearance.

All in all, though the story may fail, the movie still has some points of interest. So you might give it a look-see if your goal is more than sheer entertainment.

How is this a parody of "Les Miserables"? I fail to see any similarity other than the fact that both stories deal with sympathetic criminals. There is no chase, no obsessive policeman-the Sgt. isn't really in pursuit of Benny and his gang in the way Javert pursues Valjean. I don't see any true parody here at all but I am willing to listen to counter arguments.

Is it possible that you mean a particular scene? I'm going to go back and watch it again to see if I can catch something I might have missed the first time around.

The movie is pretty lightweight despite its creative team having such a strong pedigree but still, it's pleasant enough. Stander and Roland Young are great as usual and crooner Dick Haymes is likable and believable enough as Benny. It's not "We're No Angels" or "His Girl Friday" but it's not bad.