ALL OVER TOWN (Republic Pictures, 1937), directed by James Horne, stars the comedy team of Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson in their second feature for the studio, following COUNTRY GENTLEMEN (Republic, 1936). Although popular vaudeville headliners having appeared in some early sound comedies for Warner Brothers (1930-1931), which hardly matched their stage successes, ALL OVER TOWN is no exception. Due to low-budget scales and some forced humor, ALL OVER TOWN is often regarded to be slightly better than most. As much as the premise does show great promise, considering its fine character types as James Finlayson, Franklin Pangborn and Fred Kelsey (notable for playing stooge detectives), around for humor purposes, the final results still show weakness in comedy rather than the strength of entertainment value.
Opening title: "Not in the wide open spaces nor in the depths of the vast wilderness -- but in a remote section of Manhattan Island struggle the last of their tribe -- the true vanishing Americans." Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson (as themselves) play vaudeville entertainers from Oklahoma staying at Mother Wilson's Home for Ladies and Gentlemen of Vaudeville Profession. Other than being accompanied by their pet seal, Sally, they are close friends with Don Fletcher (Harry Stockwell), a pianist and composer of numerous unpublished songs. Being behind on their rent owed to landlady, Mother Wilson (Blanche Payson), the trio seek employment at the Eldridge Theater, a theater with a bad reputation of being jinxed and haunted due to an unsolved murder of actor, Ramsey Taylor. Having inherited the theater from her now deceased father and heavily in debt, Joan Eldridge (Mary Howard) hires Olsen and Johnson and their seal for an upcoming show, especially after being lead to believe they are oil millionaires who could finance the show. William Bailey (Eddie Kane) wants control of the theater for investor, Peter Stuyvesant Phillips (Otto Hoffman), and tries to convince Joan to sell the theater to him. After discovering Olsen and Johnson are not millionaires after all, it is Don, believing the show will become a success, who advises Joan to have her production crew to rehearse without salaries. Further hi-jinx prevail when Bailey is shot and killed, having Olsen and Johnson to endanger themselves by doing a radio broadcast hoping to expose the murderer, regardless of the fact that they have no idea who the killer is. Featuring D'Arcy Corrigan, Stanley Fields, John Sheehan, Lew Kelly and Gertrude Astor in supporting roles. Olsen and Johnson are credited for composing a song they perform titled "McDougal's Mackerel."
As much as director James Horne had worked wonders with Laurel and Hardy comedy/western of WAY OUT WEST (MGM, 1937), it's a pity he didn't do equal justice to Olsen and Johnson's ALL OVER TOWN. Considering the fact the Olsen and Johnson failed to have a cult following due to frequent television revivals of other comedy teams as Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers or Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, what maybe sets Olsen and Johnson back is Chic Johnson's constant high-pitched laugh and forced humor, which grows tiresome very quickly. When their pet seal, Sally, gets more laughs than the Ole and Chic, something is definitely wrong.
This material of murder and comedy makes one think about WHO DONE IT? (Universal, 1942), one of Abbott and Costello's best comedies, compiled with character types (William Bendix and Mary Wickes), fast-paced chases around the radio studio, and a surprise finish. A pity ALL OVER TOWN didn't provide enough workable gag material to make this a laugh-out-loud classic comedy. It's been said that Olsen and Johnson's latter production, HELLZAPOPPIN (Universal, 1941) showed the comedy team at their finest. Yet, the only Olsen and Johnson Universal comedy of three to have played on cable television in recent years was CRAZY HOUSE (1943) on American Movie Classics in the 1990s.
A public domain movie title formerly distributed on video cassette, and later DVD, ALL OVER TOWN can be found in two versions: its original 62 minute edition (minus Republic Pictures logo) or shorter 52 minute reissue released through Hollywood Television Service, the print used for television broadcasts in the 1960s to fit into one hour time slots with commercial breaks. (** seals)
Opening title: "Not in the wide open spaces nor in the depths of the vast wilderness -- but in a remote section of Manhattan Island struggle the last of their tribe -- the true vanishing Americans." Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson (as themselves) play vaudeville entertainers from Oklahoma staying at Mother Wilson's Home for Ladies and Gentlemen of Vaudeville Profession. Other than being accompanied by their pet seal, Sally, they are close friends with Don Fletcher (Harry Stockwell), a pianist and composer of numerous unpublished songs. Being behind on their rent owed to landlady, Mother Wilson (Blanche Payson), the trio seek employment at the Eldridge Theater, a theater with a bad reputation of being jinxed and haunted due to an unsolved murder of actor, Ramsey Taylor. Having inherited the theater from her now deceased father and heavily in debt, Joan Eldridge (Mary Howard) hires Olsen and Johnson and their seal for an upcoming show, especially after being lead to believe they are oil millionaires who could finance the show. William Bailey (Eddie Kane) wants control of the theater for investor, Peter Stuyvesant Phillips (Otto Hoffman), and tries to convince Joan to sell the theater to him. After discovering Olsen and Johnson are not millionaires after all, it is Don, believing the show will become a success, who advises Joan to have her production crew to rehearse without salaries. Further hi-jinx prevail when Bailey is shot and killed, having Olsen and Johnson to endanger themselves by doing a radio broadcast hoping to expose the murderer, regardless of the fact that they have no idea who the killer is. Featuring D'Arcy Corrigan, Stanley Fields, John Sheehan, Lew Kelly and Gertrude Astor in supporting roles. Olsen and Johnson are credited for composing a song they perform titled "McDougal's Mackerel."
As much as director James Horne had worked wonders with Laurel and Hardy comedy/western of WAY OUT WEST (MGM, 1937), it's a pity he didn't do equal justice to Olsen and Johnson's ALL OVER TOWN. Considering the fact the Olsen and Johnson failed to have a cult following due to frequent television revivals of other comedy teams as Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers or Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, what maybe sets Olsen and Johnson back is Chic Johnson's constant high-pitched laugh and forced humor, which grows tiresome very quickly. When their pet seal, Sally, gets more laughs than the Ole and Chic, something is definitely wrong.
This material of murder and comedy makes one think about WHO DONE IT? (Universal, 1942), one of Abbott and Costello's best comedies, compiled with character types (William Bendix and Mary Wickes), fast-paced chases around the radio studio, and a surprise finish. A pity ALL OVER TOWN didn't provide enough workable gag material to make this a laugh-out-loud classic comedy. It's been said that Olsen and Johnson's latter production, HELLZAPOPPIN (Universal, 1941) showed the comedy team at their finest. Yet, the only Olsen and Johnson Universal comedy of three to have played on cable television in recent years was CRAZY HOUSE (1943) on American Movie Classics in the 1990s.
A public domain movie title formerly distributed on video cassette, and later DVD, ALL OVER TOWN can be found in two versions: its original 62 minute edition (minus Republic Pictures logo) or shorter 52 minute reissue released through Hollywood Television Service, the print used for television broadcasts in the 1960s to fit into one hour time slots with commercial breaks. (** seals)