..............BUT THEN AGAIN, none are examples of that virtue. But we must consider both the genre, the sub-genre and the purpose for which the comedies were intended. We also should factor in the general successes of episodes, the longevity of the series and the recognition attributed to its star by the movie going audience.
WE MUST NEVER make any "Apples to Oranges" comparisons, lest we prejudice the chance of any objectivity.
IN ACTUALITY, ONE of these JOE Mc DOAKES comedies is a one reel, short cut to laughs; designed to be easily added to any theatre's programming. Having just half of the running time of the usual comedy short, this flexibility of schedule manipulation renders it both an advantageous addition and yet heavy on the comic material in regards to the laughs per minute of film footage ratio. That's a criteria term that we just coined. (That means 'made up', Schultz!)
AS IS THE usual case, this short takes a close look at certain universally recognized human foibles. In this particular it is a tendency for us to substitute certain truly unimportant or artificial cultural phenomena in our way of life for that which is truly important and uncontrollable.
GOOD EXAMPLES OF these surrogate activities are professional sports, the daily newspapers' gossip columns and popular broadcast programming; be it on Radio or Television. Any psychologist, even among those ranked as being "amateurs", will agree that these areas of endeavor provide us with harmless substitution for that which is truly serious.
AS AN EXAMPLE please allow us to offer the following. If my Baseball Team (in this case being the Chicago White Sox) does not win the Pennant and has an otherwise horrendous season, life will still go on.
SO AS WE join Joe & Alice Mc Doakes (George Hanlon and Phyllis Coates), we find that they are ardent fans of radio quiz shows. Like so many of us, they seek diversion from the daily rat race by way of entering program related contests by submitting their telephone number in show related call in contests. As would be the case for anyone, they listen faithfully; both hoping and praying for successful fulfillment.
THIS IS WHERE the typical humor of Writer/Director Richard Bare and (uncredited)Writer & Star George O'Hanlon vigorously kick into high gear. Their wildly exaggerated lampoon of such popular game show and audience participation types as PEOPLE ARE FUNNY, DOUBLE OR NOTHING and TRUTH OR CONSEQUENES are presented in rapid succession. All are easily recognizable and quite enjoyable and (in spite of some others' opinions) very funny.
WHEN WE CONSIDER the evaluation and in the reviewing of this or any other subject, we must consider the particular film's classification. Ergo, both GONE WITH THE WIND and the 3 Stooges' PUNCH DRUNKS may receive high marks; but that's because they're not in competition with each other.
THEN AGAIN, ON a truly serious and sobering note, it is the likes of these simple. little and non-pretentious snippets of film that are most revealing in human frailties; such as greed, selfishness and lack of charity toward others, or neighbors in the Fellowship of Man.
ALTHOUGH WE DID enjoy this installment, it was definitely not one of the best in the series. Gee, this means that the production team was only human! (Is this allowed in Hollywood, good buddy Schultz?)
