Le clown

I used to watch The Red Skelton Show every Tuesday night at 9:30, with my dad. And every Tuesday night we'd laugh and hope that Red would perform as Freddy The Freeloader... which he often did.

I only knew Skelton as a comic on TV. When The Clown played at our neighborhood theater, I asked my mom if we could go see it. "Sure can"..says she, and that weekend we were off to the movies.

I walked into the theater fully expecting to leave with a belly ache caused by my laughter. To my great surprise, and later even greater delight, The Clown featured Skelton as a SERIOUS actor. And as a serious actor, Skelton excelled! I've never forgotten his performance.

I only watched about fifteen minutes of this and just exited out. I really thought Red Skelton would be enjoyable in what was to be a dramatic role. I thought it would like watching the likes of Robin Williams or Jerry Lewis - actors known for comedy but are surprisingly good at drama. But no. Sadly, Skelton played it all for laughs, and it failed. The scene where his son is reviving him at the bar was slapstick, as was the scene where he is getting undressed for bed. When he wakes up in the morning with his head stuck in the footboard, that was it for me. Enough already, I was expecting a drama.

Red Skelton does a great job in a straight role as a former vaudeville star, now an alcoholic drifting from one gig to another, and raising a son. Skelton's Dodo depicts an alcoholic quite well - he continually makes promises not to drink, to get steady work, etc. And then sabotages his own efforts, leaving Dink to clean up after him. Dink - a child forced to grow up sooner than he should - adores his father, even though he is frustrated by his behavior as well. The movie is pretty much a remake of Wallace Beery's "The Champ," but even so, the pathos stays intact. This ranks as a minimum two-hanky feature, and is well worth watching.

Dodo Delwyn (Red Skelton) is a drunken struggling clown. He works with his adoring young son Dink. For the former Ziegfeld star, his best days are well behind him. He can't even hold onto a carnival ride job.

It's the classic veteran comedian playing a washed-up performer. Red is doing the serious well. The big turn is when he becomes the receiver. Quite frankly, I didn't know what that meant. It's a good turn. As for the other big reveal, it's a little convenient. I wonder if it would be better for her trying to track them down deliberately. Charles Bronson has an early minor role. It's good that it doesn't get overly-sentimental, but the last bit goes overboard. It doesn't need to go so far.

Reworking of 1931's "The Champ" is a predictable father-son wallow permeated with self-pity...but you have to expect that with this formula. Story of an ex-Ziegfeld comedian who has fallen on hard times provides the perfect opportunity for Red Skelton to stretch some dramatic muscles, and he does not disappoint. Plus, his relationship with young Tim Considine is well-played, and the surrounding milieu of nightclubs and talent agencies is fairly believable. Still, this script really goes out on a limb to give Skelton's Dodo an even break (landing a TV gig!), and the heartache inherent in the finale is telegraphed from miles away. ** from ****