The problem with this film is that it stars Red Skelton. And, if it's a Red Skelton film, then it must be an uproarious comedy. Right? Well, no. This is one of those films that can't quite decide if it's a drama with some comedy, or a comedy with some drama. And, in my view, that dichotomy is always a problem for a film.
Don't get me wrong. I adore(d) Red Skelton since I was a little boy. And I find him rather pleasant in this role. But this is not "The Yellow Cab Man" or "The Fuller Brush Man". This film actually has a pretty serious topic -- a married man gives into his wife and buys a home in the suburbs, only to find himself slowly going broke. Will they lose the house? Will they divorce over it? And then, just to complicate things, his boss at the magazine where he works assigns him to write an article about the "slums of the future" -- the suburbs.
Nope. Not really a comedy.
Jean Hagen is the wife here, and frankly, I'm not so sure she fared well. She was not very successful as Danny Thomas' wife in his series "Make Room For Daddy" (which began the same year), so perhaps playing a mother/housewife was just not right for her. The other main character in the story is the magazine owner, played by Charles Dingle...not one of my favorite character actors. You'll notice other character actors here, as well.
The film has a rather short run time. This is a rare Skelton film I had never seen. Thanks to Warner Archives for releasing it!
Don't get me wrong. I adore(d) Red Skelton since I was a little boy. And I find him rather pleasant in this role. But this is not "The Yellow Cab Man" or "The Fuller Brush Man". This film actually has a pretty serious topic -- a married man gives into his wife and buys a home in the suburbs, only to find himself slowly going broke. Will they lose the house? Will they divorce over it? And then, just to complicate things, his boss at the magazine where he works assigns him to write an article about the "slums of the future" -- the suburbs.
Nope. Not really a comedy.
Jean Hagen is the wife here, and frankly, I'm not so sure she fared well. She was not very successful as Danny Thomas' wife in his series "Make Room For Daddy" (which began the same year), so perhaps playing a mother/housewife was just not right for her. The other main character in the story is the magazine owner, played by Charles Dingle...not one of my favorite character actors. You'll notice other character actors here, as well.
The film has a rather short run time. This is a rare Skelton film I had never seen. Thanks to Warner Archives for releasing it!