Symphonie en 6.35

A star studded cast -- Granger, Demarest, Lon Chaney, Allen Jenkins, Sheldon Leonard, Elisha Cook, Marvin Kaplan. Some bigtime hollywood names here. Bill brings a stray dog home after shopping for an anniversary gift for his wife, but she thinks the dog IS the gift. and this dog is special.... it's been trained to work for the mob. and they want it back ! it does get a little annoying. Bill spends a whole lot of time talking to the dog to get him to leave the bedroom, but for some reason, the dog doesn't seem to understand. that got annoying after a while. Fun premise, but so much time spent on stupid minor things. Script could have been so much better. just one mis-understanding after another. Demarest and Jenkins are the cops trying to railroad Bill (Granger). It's okay. Directed by George Beck... this was the one and only film he directed.

One of the best supporting casts of familiar character players this side of a Frank Capra film is the best thing that Behave Yourself has going for it. When any of them are on the screen they make up for the fact that leads Farley Granger and Shelley Winters have absolutely no chemistry between them.

Behave Yourself finds Farley Granger getting adopted by Welsh terrier named Archie who follows him home. The dog has been trained as a courier among groups of gangsters, but he decides he likes Mr. Average Guy Granger instead. When he gets home the wife thinks that the terrier is an anniversary present. But now all kinds of strange and sinister people are contacting Granger about the dog. The police have taken an interest in him as well.

Any film that has Francis L. Sullivan, Sheldon Leonard, Hans Conreid, Marvin Kaplan, Lon Chaney, Jr., Elisha Cook, Jr., William Demarest, Margalo Gilmore, etc. is worth a look. But the core of the film, the leads just aren't up to the light touch this comedy needs.

The plot's something about a go-between dog that gets lost from its two smuggler gangs and finds a home, sort of, with a young couple.

Granger strives mightily to put the mad in madcap, but unfortunately it's too mightily. His incessant mugging in the latter half not only gets tiresome but amounts to unfunny desperation. Actually, the real problem with this misfire--as others point out--lies with director-writer Beck. In short, the screenplay is much too congested, probably to insert the many first-rate supporting players who could have provided real laughs if properly directed and defined. Instead, the likes of Leonard, Conreid, Cook, Jenkins, are largely wasted by a turgid screenplay. Only grouchy Demarest and sarcastic Gillmore manage to register. Winters' comedic talents are also largely wasted as the neglected wife, a role a hundred lesser actresses could have filled.

Looks like the producers were intent on promoting Granger's career since he monopolizes the screen time. Looks also like he was trying to expand his range into comedy. Too bad the package doesn't work. At the same time, judging by his credits, the actor quickly returned to drama, and being the bobby-sox idol he was so good at. Anyway, I hope they gave Archie triple treats for his lively tail-wagging turn. He may not be a glamorous Lassie, but he'll sure do.

Channel 31 is not a television station typically known for its quality programming, but, after first introducing me to 'His Girl Friday (1940)' some time last year, it can now add a second commendable achievement to its résumé. I'd just emerged from my bedroom in the morning when my father clicked over to the neglected station, and a vaguely familiar face {whom I would later identify as Farley Granger} was being troubled by an adorable little Welsh terrier named Archie. If I'd known that it was a movie I probably would not have continued watching, but, as fate would have it, I thought it was an ancient television comedy series, and so I figured it'd all be over in half an hour. Needless to say, by the time the thirty minute mark came and went, I was too engrossed in the amusing story that was unfolding, and 'Behave Yourself! (1951)' proved to be quite an enjoyable viewing experience.

Unfortunately, in rising from bed a few minutes too late, I had missed the opening few scenes of the film, and so it took me a while to piece together the various puzzle pieces of the plot. William Calhoun "Bill" Denny (Granger) is a clumsy husband who is followed home one day by an intelligent dog, which is mistaken for an anniversary present by his wife, Kate (Shelley Winters). Meanwhile, for reasons I never really worked out, a cohort of gangsters are attempting to retrieve the dog, which somehow holds the key towards $100,000 in counterfeit banknotes. As Bill tries everything he can to return the dog to its original owner, he also finds that he has about the worst luck in the world, continuing to arrive at apartments just minutes after somebody has been murdered in there. The gangster comedy notably boasts an assortment of familiar faces, including Lon Chaney Jr. and Elisha Cook Jr., both playing characteristically-shady characters.

Though undoubtedly lightweight, 'Behave Yourself!' is an enjoyable comedic twist on the gangster genre, with Farley Granger doing a surprisingly good job as the leading klutz. The film is full of small amusing details, such as the icily-sarcastic remarks of Bill's mother-in-law (Margalo Gillmore), the chief detective repeatedly referring to Bill as "O'Denny," and the continual confusion as to who the hell this Archie character is. Of course, it's the young canine performer who really steals the show, demonstrating an assortment of clever tricks and flawless comedic timing, in the same way that Asta dominated the 'Thin Man' films. Though it's not very well known, George Beck's comedy is presumably in the public domain, and so shouldn't be all that hard to find. If you're ever in the mood for something silly and entertaining, this one is a good bet.

What talent, Shelley Winters, Farley Granger, William Demarest, Lon Chaney, Jr., Hans Conried, Elisha Cook, Jr., Allen Jenkins, Sheldon Leonard, Francis L. Sullivan, King Donovan. What an idea for a funny movie, having a stray dog get a newly married couple who have to live with the wife's obnoxious mother into all kinds of murder and intrigue. What a talented dog, Archie, right up there with Asta. What fine cinematography by James Wong Howe highlighting Wilshire Blvd in the early 1950's. Then what went wrong? One thing is a lack of comedy timing by Farley Granger who even overacts at time. Apparently he was using Jerry Lewis as his model, but was unable to come close to Jerry Lewis' élan. Other weaknesses involve the script and direction, by the same person, George Beck. In more capable hands Farley Granger could have been restrained and, given his acting ability, could have turned in a good comic performance. The script? With some revision it could have been a winner. As is, the best performances are by Elisha Cook, Jr., Hans Conried, and Shelley Winters, with the standout being by an uncredited canine who must have had a gifted trainer. This comedy is worth seeing if you don't expect too much.