Review of Turnabout

When a film with fill time plus opening and closing credits time runs 83 minutes there is no room for anything in the final print which does not work in retrospect in the millennium. The film is Hal Roach slick in terms of quality print for the time period technical limitations, brilliant tight ensemble acting and silly screwball comedy approach yet so dated I found it largely unwatchable. Why would a gent changing for his scheduled health appointment be worth screen time in this tightly timed setup or then acting unmasculine in ladies' lingerie? This can be considered an excellent acting job for a talented performer playing a fictitious guy but not necessarily what people want to bring their families to see in the movie house. There is enough star power in the supporting cast, think Mary Astor, Donald Meek and Marjorie Main in prominent supporting roles for their fabulous results in the edited cut to be worth honor and respect - fabulous! By comparison the fine work done by less prominent Hollywood personalities may be excellent in terms of their craft (hats off) but not necessarily post code risqué with too many inherent show business risks to screen it in 1940 to raise the rating to even average.