The Golden Age of Comedy
There is nothing deep or profound to say about these films and their stars. We've listed names that a conversantly knowledgable person should know, shown in a variety of styles. Don't take of any of these seriously. It's just pure fun. Our tribute to The Thin Man series will give you a good idea of what we mean. Funny moments. Sometimes said with a straight face, sometimes with a sarcastic sneer. The humor often lies in the fact that "the best laid plans of mice and men" backfire. Sometimes it's like the silliness of The Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo & Chico, in case you didn't know). Abbott & Costello aren't favorites of ours, but their Who's on First is still popular with the young crowd. "The Bride Came C.O.D." is funnier than ever, if you're familiar with Cagney & Davis and realize how out-of-character they are here. And what a shame that Rosalind Russell's "Woman of Distinction" hasn't been converted to DVD yet.
Fun Moments in Hollywood Comedy
"Bringing up Baby" is a "screwball comedy" starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, with an underlying theme that spoofs science and its theory of evolution. The scientist (named Huxley) has this huge dinosaur skeleton built. During the story, he receives "the last bone", but he doesn't know where it goes. One has to ask how he knows that it's the last bone, if he doesn't know what's missing. Very funny.
"Lady, Be Good" is a comedy about a husband-wife pair of songwriters. In minutes, and with almost no effort, they manage to write tunes that took both the Gershwins a lot longer to come up with. Eleanor Powell has some great dance numbers, and the rest of the cast is superb.
"Solid Gold Cadillac" is a tongue-in-cheek comedy, starring Judy Holliday, that pokes a finger at corrupt corporate power. George Burns is the narrator, and the moment when the big-wigs start to enter the room is worth the price of the show.
The "Wesley movies" (On Moonlight Bay and By the Light of the Silvery Moon) are packed with funny people. Most importantly, though, is that you get to watch Billy Gray as Wesley Winfield. If he doesn't carry the moment away for you, then perhaps you'd better try our Drama page.
(Faces in the filmstrip: Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, The Marx Brothers [Groucho, Harpo and Chico], Lucille Ball and Danny Kaye.)
