With George O'Hanlon, Phyllis Coates, Emory Parnell, Fritz Feld, DEl Moore, Richard Reeves, Suzanne Ridgeway, Jackson Wheeler, James Seay, Emmett Vogan. *** Stars.
YOU HAVE TO give the production team extra credit for striving to be just a trifle different. (Did we say 'trifle?') Although George O'Hanlon regularly contributed ideas, gags and did some co-writing along with Director, Richard L. Bare, he seldom got credited for doing so. With this episode, he gets recognized in print.
WITH THE FREQUENTLY used subject of matrimonial strife, it has occurred to us that Joe & Wife Alice (Phyllis Coates) had forged a screen image that was oft not unlike the Don Ameche/Frances Langford teaming on Radio as THE BICKERSONS. Of course this was not their only strong suit, but it is a strong one and the similarities are striking.
BUT WITH THIS installment, we see that the envelope being pushed along up to and even beyond its limits. The story has a transfer of personalities, characteristics and behavior between the two. It is as if their total selves have been swapped; with their attitudes, voices and emotional reactions exchanged.
WE CAN OFF hand think of only a couple of similar on screen situations that compare. Although widely separated in chronology, the gags and resulting humor are quite the same in: Laurel & Hardy's 2 reeler, THICKER THAN WATER and Walt Disney Pictures' FREAKY Friday.
THE MAIN DIFFERRENCE and where the story lines diverge are in that this is a married couple and it involves gender identity situations.
BEING THAT THE Korean War was raging, the inclusion of the Military as well as the Selective Service System is neatly brought into the fray as a catalyst in moving the story along to its concluding fade out gag.
WITH THE VERY different view of the roles of the Female & Male of the species, many today would not be so very amused with the resulting gags. But that would not include us. We just clung to our guns sand kept on reading our Bible.
