One Exciting Week

ONE EXCITING WEEK is a pleasant and often very funny comedy from Republic Pictures. Directed by William Beaudine who, for a chance, had a fine cast and good production values at his disposal, the film is a somewhat typical change-of-identity swindle picture. Jerome Cowan plays it broader than usual and his co-horts, Pinky Lee and Shemp Howard, are the chief laughmakers. Al Pearce of radio fame ("I hope I hope I hope") is a low-key comedian and works well surrounded by expert farceurs. Also a delight is Mary Treen as Al's fiance. There are three musical numbers, including a nice re-tread of "Bounce Me Brother With a Solid Four" sung by a Chinatown chanteuse. This film has been out of circulation for decades and I had never seen it when I bought a beautiful 16mm print. A very nice surprise. Hope Olive Films, who releases most of the Republic titles these days, digs this one out of Paramount's vault (they own it).