The Great Gildersleeve might be a metaphor for The Fabulous Fool, because every day in Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve's life seems to be a bad day, a catch phrase for all of the regular characters in this series. In this film, Gildersleeve (Harold Pearcy) has to deal with the machinations of a determined spinster (Mary Field) and the presence of the world weary governor (Thurston Hall) desperate for a rest. Hiding his frustrations with his trademark laugh, Gildersleeve deals with family issues without accepting the fact that even his 13 year old nephew (forgotten pre-teen singing star Freddie Mercer) has more common sense than him.
The two plots intertwine here with Pearcy determined to find a way to get out of his engagement to Field (something she assumed because of Pearcy seen buying a ring by some gossipy old biddies) and his determination to keep governor Hall safe from prying eyes. Pearcy picks up visiting Aunt Jane Darwell in Mercer's newspaper delivery scooter (complete with sidecar) that gets loose, sending portly Darwell sailing on her way as the sidecar speeds up, runs a race backwards, and falls through floors, with only his pride hurt. Lillian Randolph gets some good lines as the loveable housekeeper, a black domestic character missing many of the typical stereotypes, and thus quite unique. I wasn't thrilled by the plot resolutions (especially since Fields' character, a judge's daughter, disappears from the rest of the series while the judge remains), but did find a few genuine laughs.
The two plots intertwine here with Pearcy determined to find a way to get out of his engagement to Field (something she assumed because of Pearcy seen buying a ring by some gossipy old biddies) and his determination to keep governor Hall safe from prying eyes. Pearcy picks up visiting Aunt Jane Darwell in Mercer's newspaper delivery scooter (complete with sidecar) that gets loose, sending portly Darwell sailing on her way as the sidecar speeds up, runs a race backwards, and falls through floors, with only his pride hurt. Lillian Randolph gets some good lines as the loveable housekeeper, a black domestic character missing many of the typical stereotypes, and thus quite unique. I wasn't thrilled by the plot resolutions (especially since Fields' character, a judge's daughter, disappears from the rest of the series while the judge remains), but did find a few genuine laughs.