It's in the Air

Jack Benny has had a reputation for making pictures no one liked particularly, but I think he is too harshly judged. Perhaps it is his rather nonchalant air and breezy manner which has him virtually walk through each scene flippantly. Here he plays a confidence trickster who eventually comes clean. His sidekick in his nefarious endeavors is Ted Healy, a rather loud-mouthed comedian (who met an unfortunate end two years after this picture was made.)

Benny comes to some place called Desert Springs to do some more trickery. A bevy of local businessmen are also doing a bit of trickery of their own. The gist of it is that Benny is to ride up into the stratosphere in a balloon. The businessmen are going to fund his mission in return for advertising and Benny is to run off with his loot before he makes his ascension. But that would break the production code, so complications ensue.

This has plenty of places where some mirth can be readily attained. It also has a good cast of supporting players led by Una Merkel as Benny's rather attractive and estranged wife, with Grant Mitchell heading the list of businessmen. Nat Pendleton is an IRS agent and there is a brief appearance by Clarence Wilson whose little appearances here and there are always welcome. In the blink or you'll miss them department are Dennis O'Keefe and Shirley Ross.

This was made by MGM. I wonder why Turner Classic Movies never plays it?