Whistling in Brooklyn

Whistling in Brooklyn was the last of three films that Red Skelton did as Wally 'The Fox' Benton, radio criminologist who keeps getting drawn into these real life mysteries via his reputation. Why he didn't just say that he was just an actor playing a role would have saved him a whole lot of trouble. Then again we wouldn't Skelton's Fox films, made at MGM, and they're pretty funny.

Among other things he never quite gets around to is marrying gal pal Ann Rutherford. If another Fox film had been done I'm sure they'll have not done the deed yet again.

There are some murders going on in Brooklyn, the last one being that of a police detective and after each one someone sends the Brooklyn Standard (Eagle) a note as to where the body is and signs it 'Constant Reader'.

At the same time Skelton and his lunkhead man Friday Rag Ragland whom he picked up from the last Fox movie Whistling in Dixie decide that he ought to give out with the publicity stunt that Skelton is really the Constant Reader. That sets up one long chase where Skelton, Ragland, Rutherford, and snoopy reporter Jean Rogers get to solve it all literally on the fly.

Whistling in Brooklyn is a fast paced comedy that is nice and personal for me and for the aging fans of the former Brooklyn Dodgers. There is an extended sequence where Skelton has escaped from both cops and bad guys and has disguised himself as a member of the semi-pro team the Beavers who are playing an exhibition with the Dodgers and they all wear beards. There was a team called the House of David where the players were just like that, they all looked like Hassidic Jews. It was their gimmick and they were an attraction.

MGM did some location work in Brooklyn and such Dodgers as manager Leo Durocher and players like Arky Vaughn, Joe Medwick, Mickey Owen, Billy Herman and Dolph Camilli played themselves. Skelton disguised himself as the Beavers pitcher and took his place on the mound against these guys and retired the side after hitting the first three batters. You've got to see how he does it.

Later on when he's up pitcher Bobo Newsom administers some chin music to Skelton at the plate. Newsom was almost as natural born a performer as Durocher who with this film started hanging around with show business types the rest of his life. Newsom had some right-handed sidearm delivery as you'll see. Those shots of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Ebbets Field are definite treasures that any baseball fan must see.

To tell the truth, the plot is kind of dopey, but the laughs are real enough. For Skelton and baseball fans, a must.

Another red skelton adventure. when a series of murders are committed, radio personality wally benton (Skelton) gets mixed up in them, and decides the only way to get out of it is to solve them himself. He and Carol (Anne Rutherford) will have to postpone their wedding. and there's a newspaper reporter (Jean Rogers) along for the ride. she was trying to get the scoop on the wedding, but now she's mixed up in it too! and so much screaming and screeching by the girls -- it quickly got annoying. some other fun names in here.. William Frawley (Fred !) is Detective Ramsey, Rags Ragland is Conway. Ray Collins usually turned out to be the bad guy. and somehow, they get caught up in a ball game with the actual players from the Dodgers. it's all silly, the usual red skelton goings on. not bad, but not great. directed by sylvan simon... they made a bunch of films together.

The overabundance of physical comedy in WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN is staggering. Most memorable moment has four of the principals hanging from an empty elevator shaft, each hanging on the the other for dear life and managing, somehow, to swing to safety at another level. It's probably the trickiest bit of physical comedy in the whole film, but the story requires a constant display of these sort of antics from its stars.

Once again, RED SKELTON is "The Fox", this time anxious to clear himself of a murder the mob is responsible for--with Red being mistaken for "The Constant Reader" due to a remark made by his chauffeur RAGS RAGLAND to newspaper reporter JEAN ROGERS. So, instead of going off on his honeymoon with ANN RUTHERFORD, Red is forced to spend the entire film on the lam from the police and the mob until he clears himself after a hilarious ball game at Ebbets Field with the N.Y. Dodgers, including Leo Durocher.

The slapstick is poured on so thick, it almost feels like a silent comedy with Buster Keaton at times. The storyline is slim, the gags fast and furious, and all of it is so far-fetched that it will strain the tolerance of some viewers.

But it does show that Red was a gifted comedian and that ANN RUTHERFORD and JEAN ROGERS were good sports to put up with all the shenanigans and stunts required of the cast--and both of them, by the way, show a flair for physical comedy.

But--not one of the best in the "Whistling" series.

Of course there's a lot of slapstick, juvenile jokes, and near pushing the envelope humor, but more than occasional real zinger routines made me actually laugh out loud, (a real rarity). In all the decades,(too many to tell) I've watched movies, I'd never seen a stunt as good as the one in the elevator shaft. Trick 1943 photography or fantastic stunt doubles, whatever, that was real nail biting entertainment. Rags Ragland had great lines. This must have been his best role. Great to see Ebbetts Field again, especially Abe Stark's sign in right field (Hit sign, win suit). I'm a reanimated Red Skelton fan!

Henceforth, I'm going to be on the lookout for any old Skelton movie.

Released in 1943, "Whistling in Brooklyn" is the last of the films which starred Red Skelton as radio detective Wally "The Fox" Benton who gets involved in real-life murders. All he wants to do is marry his girlfriend (Ann Rutherford), but something always delays the wedding. Jean Rogers as a reporter and Rags Ragland appear in this "Whistling." This film concerns a serial killer named 'Constant Reader' who is killing people in Brooklyn. Wally falls under suspicion and tries to solve the crime and escape the police at the same time.

In one sequence, Wally disguises himself as a ball player on a bearded team playing an exhibition with the Brooklyn Dodgers; he has to go out and play a game, while trying to get a message to the police. Some of the Dodgers appeared - Leo Durocher, Arky Vaughn, Joe Medwick, etc. Fun for old-time baseball fans who remember these players.

Skelton can be corny, and some of his humor in this is groan-worthy. But the pace is fast, there are some funny bits, and when Skelton is being serious, he's actually quite sweet and natural. Ann Rutherford is adorable as his girlfriend.

Good fun.