So You're Having Neighbor Trouble

"So You're Having Neighbor Trouble" is an okay installment in the Joe McDoakes series. However, the laughs are fewer than usual and the ending a bit bizarre...and not really in a good way.

The story begins with Joe in court and the judge (Arthur Q. Bryan*) is listening to the case. It turns out there are two cases against Joe. The first is his fight with annoying Marvin, who they caught throwing his garbage into the McDoakes' can. The second involves some selfish neighbors who party until after 4am...and the noise is unbearable. In both cases, however, the cops end up arresting Joe because they arrive just as he's exacting revenge on these guys.

The laughs are few and the end just seemed more mean-spirited than usual. Not terrible...but you could easily do better.

*Arthur Q. Bryant was the voice for Elmer Fudd...and he looked a bit like Fudd as well!

First George O'Hanlon discovers that neighbor Rodney Bell has been dumping his trash in O'Hanlon's cans, leaving George the issue of lugging them back and forth. Then he is kept awake all night long by neighbor Paul Newlan throw parties that keep him and wife Phyllis Coates awake in the wee hours. Worse, in court, the judge is Arthur Q. Bryan, and he's NOT using his Elmer Fudd voice.

Can it get any worse? Of course it can. This is, after another episode of the Joe McDoakes series, written and directed by Richard Bare. This isn't the funniest of them all; it's not even above average for the series, but it should bring some smiles to your face.

ON THE OLD ratings scale, we'd have to put this somewhere South of the Equator. As is the norm, we enjoyed the short, even though it would have to be classified below the usual, expected set of standards. Anyone who knows the JOE Mc DOAKES credo of rapid fire, somewhat exaggerated and everyday possible situations is prepared for what is to come and reacts as expected.

AS FOR OUR long standing that the Mc DOAKES Series is really a sort of live action, flesh & blood cartoon. This is supported by the brief, one reel, approximately 10 minute running time; which is the same as the typical theatrical cartoon. The exaggerated mugging and overall "ham" style of acting are further supports these alleged similarities of ours.

AS FOR THIS episode, the cast is primarily made up some of the usual participants. This assertion is bolstered with a simple survey of the cast. In it we have: Phyllis Coates (wife Alice), Rodney Bell (Marvin), Paul Newlan*(Grogan), Chet Brandenburg (Bus Driver), Richard Reeves (Cop)and, last but no least, Arthur Q. Bryan. He was the veteran character actor of Radio and the Movies; who incidentally, voiced Elmer Fudd in Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes.

BETWEEN THIS LAST charge and added to the cartoony like fade out gag with the stick of TNT used, Jor's final appearance of this is not unlike those of Wiley Coyote, Yosemite Sam or Roger Rabbit.

NOTE: * C'mon, Schultz! It's Paul Newlan, not Paul Newman!

So You're Having Neighbor Trouble (1954)

** (out of 4)

Weaker entry in the series has Joe McDoakes and his neighbors Marvin and Mr. Grogan in front of a judge after all three had a fight. It turns out Marvin was putting his trash in Joe's cans and Mr. Grogan was having loud parties but when Joe refused to call the cops this backfired. That's pretty much the only "story" here in this rather disappointing entry. It's a real shame this one didn't work very well because normally you had a great comedy on your hands when they teamed up George O'Hanlon and Rodney Bell who plays Marvin. The two had a wonderful chemistry that usually resorted in many big laughs but that's not the case here because the screenplay is pretty flat and nothing funny ever happens. The entire plot with Marvin using Joe's trash cans is just poorly written and doesn't contain a single laugh. The segment with the party isn't much better. The McDoakes series had a few minor entries and this here is certainly one of them so those new to the series will want to check out a different film.