Fit for a King

An amusing comedy which commences with a splendid joke on the audience and then gathers pace as it moves with admirable celerity to an ingeniously staged, all-out slapstick action climax.

The screenplay provides plenty of comic opportunities for Joe E. Brown, who even gets a chance to demonstrate both his famous yell and the acrobatic skill he developed in his vaudeville tumbling act. In many scenes Brown is particularly well supported by Paul Kelly, of all people, who here displays an outstanding comic ability as a straight man I'd not even suspected. Helen Mack, as usual, makes a delightful heroine and we enjoyed John Qualen, Halliwell Hobbes and the rest of the welcome faces in the support cast.

Edward Sedgwick handles the whole affair with both acumen and pace, assisted by excellent photography and snappy film editing. Although produced independently, production values are mighty impressive with Brown cavorting to great effect with props galore amidst hordes of extras in eye-catching sets.