Buck Benny Rides Again

This film was made during the pre-TV era. Hollywood B films filled the theaters every few days with quickly-made comedies and action films that took the place of the eventual sitcoms and action shows that would begin in the 1950s on television. This film is an example. Benny would eventually have his own successful TV show (after several successful years on radio). This is merely an extended skit set in the West. But it is still more entertaining than most modern comedies. The cast of the Jack Benny Show joins him in his adventures.

What makes this film unique is it is one of only two that contained characters from the Benny Radio shows, bandleader Phil Harris, Eddie Rochester Anderson, Dennis Day, and voice cameos with Mary Livingstone and Fred Allen. The plot is a spoof of the radio Westerns of the day. If you are not familiar with Benny's career and the old radio shows you may miss much of the humor in this film. But it is still a fine film if you can find it. I was lucky to find it on Ebay as it is unavailable anywhere else. Ellen Drew is perfectly cast as the Dame who is the object of Benny's facination. Eddie Rochester Anderson sings MY, MY, in the film which became a huge international hit at the time. Benny's next film after this one was " Love Thy Neighbor " opposite Fred Allen, you must have both these films in your collection.

I really wanted to like "Buck Benny Rides Again" but found that it was a seriously flawed film. After all, fans of Jack Benny listened to his radio show and saw him on TV and movies because they liked him and his humor....and the film, instead, is filled with singing and production numbers...too many. It seems that the studio didn't trust Benny and saddled him with singing and dancing. Now I do understand on his radio show there was some singing (with Phil Harris and Dennis Day doing the duties)....but not this much. And, of course, there was no dancing!!

When the story begins, Jack is a big of a jerk...and he ends up getting on the wrong side of a pretty lady named Joan. After hearing her and her sisters sing, he's smitten and wants to have them on his radio show...and go smooching with Joan. But she'll have none of it. So, after learning that she is impressed by he-men, he decides to take them out west and prove to them he is a rootin' tootin' cowboy! But, of course, he knows NOTHING about this and is about as macho as a Hostess Twinkie! What's next? See the film....or not.

As I mentioned above, there was a LOT of singing and dancing in the film. Some of the production numbers were just silly and oddly, they had Rochester sing one number and dance another...and not all that well. He really was wonderful with comedy....period. Overall, a film that sacrifices a lot of comedy for dancing...yes, dancing! What a waste.

By the way, early in the film Rochester says "we have a non-aggression pact". This is an odd reference to a peace pact between Germany and the USSR that had recently been signed...and was promptly ignored in 1941 when the non-aggressive Germans invaded the Soviet Union!

Also, if you are looking for a really good Jack Benny film, try "The Meanest Man in the World" or "To Be or Not to Be".

Buck Benny Rides Again is a treat from the main title and credits announced by an on-screen Don Wilson to the great banter between Benny, Rochester, Andy Devine and of course, Phil Harris. Given ample showcase are the many talents of Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as not only a top notch comedian, but a talented dancer.

The supporting females are all lovely, and of course, despite his many faults, Jack Benny winds up with Ellen Drew in the end!

It is said that Jack appeared with Rochester in a theatre in Harlem when Buck Benny Rides Again premiered...Jack stood by Rochester for years and ignored the color barrier of the 30s, 40s and 50s in show business.

Made the same year is "Love Thy Neighbor" which featured Jack's feud with Fred Allen...they were actually released fairly close together--capitalizing on the height of Jack's popularity just before the war.

As much as I like Jack Benny and Rochester and Fred Allen and all the banter that goes on between them, I love this movie because it is maybe the best, though not nearly prominent enough, appearance by Phil Harris. Not only was Harris a great singer with a wonderful baritone voice. (Harris gave voice to "Baloo" the Bear in Disney's Jungle Book.)

But most of all, I love Harris as a bandleader. I think this was the source of his popularity with the generation who could see him first hand. It's not just that he had a great dance band, it was watching him in action: this man had the greatest moves of any bandleader/singer in history. Kay Kaiser was another practitioner of "bandleader as performer". But Harris was able to meld his singing with his bandleading in a physical manner that must be seen to be appreciated. So if you get the chance, watch this silly, funny romp with Jack Benny and the gang, and especially Phil Harris.