Placide et Zoé à New York

Although THE EGG AND I, which came before, introduced Ma and Pa Kettle (Marjorie Main/Percy Kilbride) to film audiences, this is the second of their series as principals. While residing in the modern home that the pair had won in their first solo adventure, Pa wins a trip for both to New York City, with their apparent only problem the locating of a babysitter for the 15 Kettle children, solved when Shotgun Mike Munger (Charles McGraw), a bank robber in search of a hideout is willing to take on this formidable assignment. The Kettles agree to deliver an empty bag belonging to Munger to his "brother" Louie (Gregg Martell) in Gotham, not realizing it contains $100,000 in stolen cash and the fun begins with gangsters tailing Pa and the police keeping a watch on the thugs, all while Shotgun Mike discovers the tribulations of dealing with a surfeit of wild Kettle offspring on the homestead. Veteran Charles Lamont, who wears the director's hat for most of the Kettle titles, is also at the helm of other series efforts for Universal, including several Abbott and Costello larks, and shows a sure hand at briskly moving this type of material. The reactions of the pair to big city life, widely different from their Pacific Northwest roots, forms the core of the comic scenes which comprise the bulk of this feature. Despite the defined character of the scenario, a string of episodic set pieces is primary, some of which are wonderfully funny, while nearly all work well in vaudeville fashion, especially for Kilbride and Main, with their portrayals and timing often borrowing from Laurel and Hardy. Sight gags are in generous supply, frequently presented apace so that the viewer must be alert for them amid the general hilarity. Richard Long acts as Tom Kettle, eldest of the brood, and he and his fiancee Kim (Meg Randall), both regulars of the series, are of particular assistance to their elders in this affair. The cast is well stocked with excellent character performers, notable among them being Martell as the leader of Munger's henchmen, along with Jim Backus as another bandit, and also present are Ray Collins, Bert Freed, Ellen Corby, Emory Parnell and Olan Soule. Special photography by David Horsley adds impact to a comedy that is completely light-hearted, one of the best of the Kettle series.

Ma and Pa Kettle Go To Town seamlessly picks up where The Further Adventures of Ma and Pa Kettle leaves off. This is good and bad.

For someone familiar with the first two movie appearances of the Kettles the continuity is perfect. There are just enough recycled gags to reestablish the unique house the Kettles won in the prior film, but the majority of laughs come from the new situation of Ma and Pa unknowingly smuggling $100,000 in stolen money to New York. There is more development in the subplot of Tom Kettle and his efforts to develop a new incubator for chicken farmers, but it really takes a back burner in this movie.

I expected Jim Backus to be more comedic, but he played one of the crooks fairly straight. The situation was meant to be more funny than the actors.

There is still a fresh feeling to the Ma and Pa Kettle series in Ma and Pa Kettle Go To Town. Had I not seen the previous movie I may not have been able to understand why Ma and Pa Kettle lived in their futuristic house or why the kids were such devils. Go To Town was obviously meant for the audiences that had seen Further Adventures. As much as I liked this movie I would not suggest it as the first movie to see in the Ma and Pa Kettle series.

Ma and Pa Kettle take New York City by storm when they visit their son and daughter-in-law and get mixed up. Ma and Pa Kettle were a popular film series. Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride are ideal as Ma and Pa Kettle. They have fun in the big city from the their small Washington State farm. It's a family, fun and light-hearted film.

I purchased the DVD which contained "Ma and Pa Kettle Go To Town" on deep discount. I have very fond memories of seeing the "Ma and Pa Kettle" movies on Television when I was a child. Of course, the things which make a seven year old laugh and the things which make a 37 year old laugh are often very different. When I watched this movie, though, I was surprised to see that I still found it quite enjoyable. In particular, I was quite impressed at Percy Kilbride's comic skills as Pa Kettle. He had a wonderful deadpan delivery. Marjorie Main gives the same robust performance which she brought to almost all her roles as a character actress, and, as always, it is fun.

In general, don't look at this film for great plot, or production values, but its got wonderful comic acting, and some genuine laughs.

I'm in agreement with the other reviewer who said it's best seeing this film after seeing the previous Ma and Pa Kettle films. The one immediately before has Percy Kilbride winning another jingle contest, this time a trip to New York is the prize.

But only for the adult Kettles, not for the 14 kids still at home. But that problem is solved when they leave the kids in charge of fleeing bank robber Charles McGraw who says he's a poet to Kilbride. I would have thought Marjorie Main had better sense. All they have to do is deliver a black bag from McGraw to one of his friends in New York. A bag that contains the stolen loot from his last job.

I found it hard to believe these people could be such rubes. When rural folks complain about their treatment on the big screen, it's films like Ma And Pa Kettle Go To Town they have in mind. Even Marjorie Main comes off stupid here. One wonders where their adult son Richard Long came from. Either it was the milkman or somebody was left on the Kettle door step.

It's all a comedy of errors about the black bag and of course all ends well. But the writers went overboard making the Kettles out to be so dumb.