The Show-Off

If you were to research the Internet Broadway Database you would find that after George Kelly's The Show-off made its debut in 1924 on Broadway for 571 performances, you will also find it had many revivals. I daresay some stock company is doing it somewhere as I write these words. I'm surprised someone like Steve Martin hasn't seen the possibilities of yet another screen version.

After a silent version and another talkie for MGM in the middle Thirties starring Spencer Tracy, Red Skelton took the part of the lovable inept blow-hard J. Aubrey Piper. This version is considerably expanded from the play and from the other screen versions. For one thing, the original play takes place in the living room of Piper's in-laws. For another these folks seemed to have moved up a notch or two in economic status. And of course Piper and his long suffering wife are already married in the play.

Here Marilyn Maxwell is set up on a blind date with Red Skelton and the heart has its reasons because they're married soon enough. That's much to the chagrin of her parents George Cleveland and Marjorie Main who can't figure what she sees in him. It's like what does Alice see in Ralph Kramden, but there it is.

In fact and especially when Spencer Tracy plays it, the character is so much like Ralph Kramden it's frightening. But also he's like Phil Silvers Sergeant Bilko with this incredible need to be 'on' all the time. I couldn't stand living with someone like that.

Skelton wreaks havoc on all around him and has this compulsion to just keep talking and bragging when the smartest thing to do is do nothing and shut up. But that's a policy alien to his nature. Of course through some incredible coincidences, it does all work out for Red, Marilyn and the rest.

When I did the review of the Spencer Tracy version I said that this was a part Jackie Gleason was born to play. As it turns out he did make an a television version of The Show-off. I do so hope that is preserved on some kinescope, somewhere. Skelton does just fine, but if there was ever a part for Jackie Gleason, this is it.

Skelton recreates the role of J. Aubrey Piper from the Broadway production of George Kelly's play by the same name. Skelton, whose medium was comedy and in his younger days, could do a prat-fall as good as Peter Sellers, made his fortune with a face that seemed made from putty and that marvelous element necessary to all good comedians, timing. Marlyn Maxwell, the gorgeous blond who stole our hearts in the Lemon Drop Kid with Bob Hope, another great comedian, singing "Silver Bells," and giving us another musical icon for the Christmas season, was very good in comedy roles, usually as the ingenue or naive girl-friend. There are some others in the excellent film, which might seem a bit slow and tedious to today's audiences, Marshall Thompson, Leon Ames, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and Marjorie Main-- well known to us as Ma Kettle. The plot works around a guy who believes his own BS. Potential tragedy follows as the innocent Amy Fisher, against all the warnings and misgivings of her family, marries the loud-mouthed bragadaccio, Piper. It was a good play, a bit time-worn, and it was a good movie. Skelton is excellent as the hapless Piper and Maxwell (who once angrily retorted to someone who had compared her to Marlyn Monroe, "I'm the blond with her clothes on.") is great. No video, no DVD. Look for it on the late night show.

This is the fourth version of "The Show-Off". I've seen the original 1926 version with Ford Sterling (it was excellent) and the 1934 version with Spencer Tracy (it was NOT). I was curious what Red Skelton could do with this same material. I have not seen the 1930 version and as far as I know, it's not available...which isn't at all unusual for early films as many of them no longer exist due to the decay of nitrate film stock. If I ever find a copy, I'll try to review that version as well.

Aubrey Piper (Skelton) is a dreamer. But he not only dreams of better things but is an inveterate liar--painting a glowing picture of himself and career that just isn't true. Unfortunately, Amy Fisher (Marilyn Maxwell) has fallen for him and believes his many, many lies. So, after she marries him she learns the truth. He is NOT the big-shot he pretended to be and is just a big jerk who constantly annoys everyone around him, except for his incredibly long-suffering wife.

Like the 1934 version, this film makes a fundamental mistake in making Skelton's character too unlikable to the point where you would like to see him killed...slowly and painfully. I think in hindsight that had they toned down his boorish behavior even more and made him less obnoxious it would have worked better. This is especially true because Skelton's film success usually was because he played such nice and likable guys...but not here. He is a bit more likable than the Spencer Tracy version...but still not enough. Better than 1934....not nearly as good as 1926.