Air Fright

A TODD & KELLY Comedy Short.

The Girls experience extreme AIR FRIGHT when they are employed to be hostesses on the experimental airplane designed by an eccentric inventor.

This is a funny entry in Hal Roach's almost forgotten series, featuring coolly elegant Thelma Todd & bumptious tomboy Patsy Kelly. Highlight: Slapstick at 5,000 feet.

Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Charlie Hall as the very worried pilot.

A ridiculous premise can be great comedy. The downside here is that we must overlook how obviously unfit Kelly's character is for her job, before the story even begins.

This is problematic because comedy needs an expectation to break, and the expectation is that she will be dangerous to herself and others -- and she is, but often in ways more alarming than amusing.

As a result we have a lot of moments which could be screamingly funny but instead tend to be more worrisome. Good pacing helps, and that improves as the story progresses. Thelma has no recourse but to be the 'straight man' and is excellent; Patsy gets in some good character moments.

Overall, it feels like they were still working out how these two could best shine together, but you can see why: there's definitely something there.

Air Fright (1933)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Hal Roach short has Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly playing stewardesses on an experimental flight, which quickly turns disastrous. Todd has proved to be a funny woman but Kelly is one of the most annoying comedians I've ever seen. There are a couple laughs here but not many.

Top Flat (1935)

** (out of 4)

Hal Roach comedy featuring the team of Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly. This time, Todd moves out to make something out of her poetry and the next time Kelly sees her she is living in a big penthouse. There are a few laughs here scattered around but once again, I just can't laugh at Patsy Kelly. Todd on the other hand is her lovely self.

AIR FRIGHT (1933) is a classic Hal Roach short with Thelma Todd, Patsy Kelly, Wilfred Lucas, Billy Bletcher, and other Roach greats. A real classic with a great and hilarious finale.