Nothing But Nerves

Nothing But Nerves (1941)

** (out of 4)

Decent Robert Benchley short has him playing his usual lecturer as well as our main patient. His alter ego Joe Doakes is a very nervous man who is unable to see the truth because his mind is always racing to the worst thoughts possible. For example, when his maid enters the closet and he doesn't see her come out, instead of thinking that he simply didn't see her come out he fears that something has happened to her. Another example is when the phone rings but when he answers no one is there. Poor Doakes fears that someone is coming after him. This is the type of situations Benchley finds himself in and for the most part not too many of them are funny, although there are a couple gags that work. The best one comes at the very end as Doakes keeps going from room to room to try and escape those after him and finally he winds up in the bathroom where things just get worse. I thought the bathroom jokes were pretty funny and certainly the highlight of the film. The one joke that really falls flat is when Benchley is behind his desk talking and the light keeps going out. This is meant to show Benchley too has a nervous condition but the gag simply doesn't work and becomes rather annoying after the first couple times.