The Remarkable Andrew

What a cute movie! I'm not a William Holden fan, but he was such a cute little kid in this one, seeing him perform his morning exercises while singing was enough to win me over. Three years after his splash in Golden Boy, he stars as an accountant in a small town where everyone knows everything about everybody. He's engaged to Ellen Drew but refuses to tie the knot until he's financially secure. Then, when an error in the bookkeeping records pops up, Bill smells a rat.

In a bizarre fantasy twist to the story, General Andrew Jackson pays him a visit. He just steps right out of a portrait and starts talking to him. Brian Donlevy, in a period costume, white wig, and fancy makeup to make his brow and cheekbones protrude, is absolutely hilarious (and handsome) as the no-nonsense, rye drinking general. He doesn't understand modern times and keeps calling on Bill to hang his enemies. Once he even says, "There's only one thing to do. You must challenge him to a duel," with a completely straight face.

This Dalton Trumbo screenplay will have you laughing from start to almost finish. I actually thought the ending was sad, but I won't hold it against the entire movie. It's very entertaining, and both leading men are adorable. I'm sure they were both happy to act in a comedy after all the heavy dramas of the past few years. Highly recommended, especially if you like small town comedies or political satires.