The Life of Riley

William Bendix recreates the eponymous Chester A. Riley role that was featured in the successful radio show. Riley is hapless, clueless, full of pretense, always falling short of his own short-lived dreams.

In the film, the primary story revolves around the engagement of his daughter. A mistaken assumption is paired with a dishonest revelation to create what is actually a tragic circumstance, but we know this is a comedy, so the final reel unravels the falsehoods and reveals the happy truths.

Riley is a character you laugh at, but personally I feel rather sad for him. Perhaps he is a little too desperate and his life is so out of his control. Still, the story is meant to be light-hearted--a good-natured ribbing of a fool who always trips over his own intentions.

All production aspects of the film are average and the acting roles offer few opportunities to shine.

I have long been a fan of old-time radio but only discovered the wonderful world of The Life of Riley a few months ago. Ever since, I have made every effort to collect every known available episode of the radio program and of the two different t.v. shows (1949 with Jackie Gleason as Riley and the 1953-58 series with William Bendix). And my collection now includes the 1949 big screen feature film version. I am a huge fan of Jackie Gleason, but William Bendix was the definitive Chester A. Riley. He is in the film version, along with Rosemary DeCamp from the 1949 t.v. show as Peg. Lanny Rees is also Junior Riley as he was in the 1949 t.v. series. Unfortunately, they decided to have Barbara "Babs" Riley all grown-up and chose to replace Gloria Winters from the 1949 show with the older Meg Randall. James Gleason, as another reviewer said, was too old to play Riley's neighbour Jim Gillis. It is wonderful to see the great John Brown reprise his radio and 1949 t.v. show character of Digby "Digger" O'Dell. The film is a very good adaptation and well captures the flavour of the post World War II era. It is a lot of fun for Riley fans and for those soon to be.

"The Life of Riley" was originally a radio show starring William Bendix in the title role. It was so successful that Universal Studios decided to make a big-screen film once again starring Bendix as Chester Riley. But the Dumont Network ALSO wanted to make a weekly TV series...and because Bendix was already starring in the movie, they re-cast the role and now Jackie Gleason was Chester Riley! If this isn't confusing enough, the TV series wasn't originally well received...and eventually it was rebooted with Bendix once again in the lead!

In many ways, Chester Riley from this film reminded me of Ralph Kramden (played by Jackie Gleason on "The Honeymooners" and "The Jackie Gleason Show"). In fact, one of the plots to "The Honeymooners" is very similar to the one in this film. A guy the Riley's knew back when they used to live in Brooklyn contacts them. Chester hates the guy BUT he still invites him over for dinner--hoping to show this guy that Chester is living a better life. Of course, Monahan is rich and very successful and Riley spends much of their evening trying to look like a big man. And, after the evening concludes, Chester swears to his wife that he, too, will be a success and give her everything she wants. Just HOW is he going to do this? And, how is the boss' rotten son going to be part of this?

This is a thoroughly enjoyable film...and makes me want to see the TV series. Well written, well acted...and, most importantly, fun.

By 1949 radio was beginning to give way to television. The golden age of radio was reaching an end. THE LIFE OF RILEY (TLoR)had been on the radio for most of the 1940's and had quite a fan base. In 1953 William Bendix would take his radio show character Riley to television. However in 1949 fans were treated to a movie version of the show.

In typical TLoR fashion Chester Riley (William Bendix)spent most of the show confused as to what was going on around him. Basic elements of the show were present. Riley still worked in an aircraft plant, Riley was busy trying to control Babs dating life and Peg, his wife, showed everyone who really wore the pants in the house. Riley was still the "everyman" struggling to make ends meet and get ahead.

Somethings I didn't care for were the actors who portrayed Riley's children Babs and Junior. They were a far cry from their radio counterparts. Junior was so underused his character was more of a cameo. Gillis, Riley's neighbor, co-worker and friend from Brooklyn, seemed old enough to be Riley's father instead of his contemporary. Allan Reed, the future voice of Fred Flintstone, was in practically every episode of the radio show and often played Riley's boss Mr. Stevenson. It would have been nice if he had been in the movie as the Boss.

Somethings I did care for. The Riley's house was pretty much the way I imagined it to be. John Brown carried on his role as Digger O'Dell the friendly undertaker. The plot stuck close to the radio program.

Lastly, I think it is hard for a radio show to transition to film. The beauty of radio is that every persons imagination will portray what is heard on the radio in their own way. No film or television show can please everyone. Considering what TLoR was up against the end result was not too bad. It's a good view. Any fan of the radio program would enjoy it.

After several years on radio where instead of being a fine character player William Bendix was a star, the Life Of Riley made it to the big screen. The film is a far cry from Chester A. Riley's catch phrase of 'what a revoltin' development this is'. The characters that America loved on radio came to life on the big screen.

Bendix was so popular as the working class Riley who if at times was a bit thick dearly loved his family and they him and he strove always to get ahead. Like with so many it was shoveling against the tide, but working class America loved Chester A. Riley from Brooklyn and his transplanted family in southern California.

Where Riley worked on the assembly line at an aircraft factory where Mark Daniels the boss's son is giving competition to boy next door Richard Long for the hand of Babs Riley played by Meg Randall. Daniels has his own reason for wanting to get married and it ain't necessarily love.

Bendix is having some problems of his own. Visiting from out of town is Bill Goodwin the glad handing, fast talking guy Rosemary DeCamp almost married. Bendix feels so intimidated that he feels he has to put on a big front for Goodwin to show how successful he is. When he takes them to dinner at a French restaurant note how snooty the waiter is and also note those 1949 prices. Enough to make you cry.

The film is an extended version of the half hour radio, later television drama. That's no criticism I still wish ME TV or the TV Land channel would run those Life Of Riley comedies which I remember so well as a lad.

Chester A. Riley, working class hero, we salute you.