Une fille dans chaque port

The racehorse in A GIRL IN EVERY PORT isn't the only thing that's lame. The plot, scripting, pacing and every other facet of this film follow suit. Even the title is misleading, as the ship never sails anywhere, and the only girl involved to any great extent is a stunningly moronic Marie Wilson. This film proves that labored, unfunny "comedies" were being produced long before the current spate of mindless garbage began spewing from our television and movie screens. The characters in this film all appear to have IQ's somewhere in the single digit range. It is indeed sad to see so many talented actors tangled up in this unfortunate yawner. Avoid this film at every opportunity.

Groucho Marx made this film for his friend, producer Irwin Allen and they would work together again with co-star Marie Wilson in the overblown epic comedy THE STORY OF MANKIND. A GIRL IN EVERY PORT is an unfunny comedy starring funny people (William Bendix included) that perhaps were a bit beyond their prime (products of the studio system which had fallen apart they were dumped into TV with some success and took what ever they could get in low-budget theatrical garbage like this). Irwin Allen, who showed greatness in adventure and science fiction just didn't have the knack for a full blown comedy and had the good sense to quit producing comedies after making just a couple (though some would argue Irwin Allen's LOST IN SPACE became a camp comedy after the first year). Marie Wilson (best known as MY FRIEND IRMA) starred in another horse racing comedy called SWEEPSTAKES WINNER (1939). If you can catch that film on TCM it's a lot funnier and a much better year for movies.

After years of knowing about this movie, I just now finally watched this online. It stars Groucho Marx without either of his brothers with William Bendix, Marie Wilson, and Don DeFore, the latter two I previously saw in My Friend Irma when DeFore was potentially romantically paired with the other leading lady, Diana Lynn. The movie's about a couple of sailors dealing with a horse. I think that's all I'll say about the plot which can be quite confusing but is still quite funny considering some of the lines and the delivery of especially Groucho. By the way, this was only the second of producer Irwin Allen's movies starring that Marx brother, the previous one being Double Dynamite. He'd cast Groucho one more time in The Story of Mankind which also featured his siblings Harpo and Chico, all in separate segments.

Groucho Marx and William Bendix play two navy buddies, Benny Linn and Tim Dunnovan, who get a race horse that turns out to have a twin.They try to make a little money with the help of the twin horses.Chester Erskine's comedy A Girl In Every Port from 1952 isn't all that bad of comedy, if you ask me.It has got Groucho Marx in it, who can safe any movie.If course this doesn't reach near the classic stuff he did with his brothers Harpo and Chico, but he still gets to deliver some witty lines that safe a lot of this movie.William Bendix doesn't stay too much behind.He and Groucho make a great team.Marie Wilson plays Jane Sweet, a dumb blonde and isn't at all dumb in her role.Don DeFore does also good job as Bert Sedgwick.This movie may not be a masterpiece, but pretty good anyway.It made my Sunday afternoon a little better.

In many ways, the plot to "A Girl in Every Port" plays like an Abbott & Costello movie. William Bendix plays Tim...a rather dim sailor who is bossed around by his friend, Lucky (Groucho Marx). As for Lucky, he's a con man...and a fast-talking one at that.

The story begins with Lucky and Tim, once again, in the brig on the ship where they serve. It seems that despite being real rogues, the US Navy is apparently hard up and this alone would explain why they weren't discharged. After Tim foolishly buys a bum horse with his inheritance, their captain gives them time off duty to get Tim's money back for the horse. However, instead of just asking for the money, the scheming Lucky comes up with a plan to not only get Tim's money back...but a bit more for their trouble. This plan includes the help of a ditzy blonde (Marie Windsor) and her lookalike horse.

When the film was made, Groucho was 62 years-old...way too old to be a common seaman in the Navy. But considering how silly the plot is, this is the least of the plot problems in the film. Switching horses like they do isn't possible due to tattoos and other means the racetracks have to make sure horses aren't switched. But again....with a comedy like this, you can overlook all this.

So is it any good? Well, Bendix is just okay...and he doesn't really contribute a lot to the story. Instead, the movie seems much more a Groucho vehicle and he dominates the film. As for Marie Wilson, she's not as one-note and annoying as she often could be with her dumb blonde routine. The best thing the film has going for it, apart from Groucho, is energy and silliness. Not a great comedy but a very enjoyable one.