Country Gentlemen (1936) Online

One does not watch an Olsen and Johnson film for the plot, one watches their films for the sheer insanity of the goings on. The jokes are full of puns, both visual and verbal, and very witty interplay that often comes so fast that you have to pause a moment to truly comprehend what you've just seen and heard.(At the top of their form there were/are few comedians who can top their word play) Here Olsen and Johnson are up to their usual tricks with the plot having the pair fleeing from the law in a big city when their stock fraud is discovered. Despite professing the desire to go straight they are soon up to their old tricks in a small country town.

While not as fast faced and rapid fire like some of their other films this movie is still quite enjoyable thanks to really clever writing. The jokes keep you amused even when the plot seems to take a well worn course. Actually other Olsen and Johnson films suffer from weak plot, but they have better pacing. In their better films like Hellzapoppin, there seems to have a joke every couple of seconds and you don't mind the slow pace or weak plot because you're simply laughing too hard. This isn't to say that the film is bad, its not, not even by Olsen and Johnson standards, it just not the best work they've done.

Definitely worth seeing, especially if you've never seen an Olsen and Johnson film before. These are two of the best screen comedians that have ever danced across the silver screen and any opportunity to see them work their magic is always welcome.

Vaudeville partners Ole Olsen (as "J.D.") and Chic Johnson (as "Charlie") consider going straight. But, they stick together for a new money-making scheme. On the road, they pick up runaway Sammy McKim (as Billy Heath), and are jailed for kidnapping. But, the boy's mother is beautiful ex-silent screen co-star Lila Lee (as Louise), closing in on her retirement from the movies. Presently trying to manage a hotel, Ms. Lee vouches for the conning "Country Gentlemen", and gives them room at the inn. Far from great material for the cast, but you get to see them try. And, under-appreciated Joyce Compton (as Gertie) has a featured role.

*** Country Gentlemen (11/9/36) Ralph Staub ~ Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Joyce Compton, Lila Lee

One dose of these 2 is enough for me. There's another O & J film included in this Mill Creek comedy collection, but no thanks. Hope and Crosby, also wise-cracking would-be con artists in their Road pictures, show by contrast how inferior Olsen & Johnson are as film comedians.

Watched this film just to see Joyce Compton in one of her dumb blonde roles. She's fabulous. But it was irritating to watch O & J routinely belittle and mistreat her. Shockingly, they drove away from the café, miles from their destination, leaving her behind in the dust. However, to her character's credit, she takes no notice of their meanness, catches up to them, and continues to be loyal to these louts. Also enjoyed seeing Lila Lee, a major star in silent films, in a sizable support role.

10 stars for Compton. Zero stars for the 2 stars.

After a few features and shorts over at Warner Brothers, the comedy team of Olsen and Johnson (once called the poor man's Abbot and Costello because of their attempts to rival them at Universal) tried two films at second string studio Republic with weak results. They are a duo of shyster con-men kicked out of the city for an apparent oil scam, and so they head to the country with their dumber than dirt secretary Joyce Compton and her huge Great Dane Prince (playing a pooch named Fluffy). There, the scam starts all over again, but they appear to be on the up and up, with support from a respected citizen from the small borough (Lila Lee) who tries to hold off the townsfolk from trying to string them up when it appears that the boys have run off with the money. Pedestrian comedy is abound, and there are only a few mildly amusing moments with the duo, Ms. Compton, Fluffy and a run-away boy (Sammy McKim) all trying to squeeze in one car. The streamlined feature seems to be short a reel, apparently chopped down for T.V. viewing at the expense of some possibly important footage which tied everything together; T.V. editors back in the day seemed to do this a lot with old movies. While their Warner Brothers films and shorts had the type of gags that Olsen and Johnson were famous for (they were certainly around long before Abbott and Costello), the cut material could possibly be censored material that the editors found offensive or possibly extraneous, or most likely, just laziness on the part of those who had the power of the scissor. But with one more feature to go, it wouldn't be long before the two comics headed back to Broadway and had a success that later worked on film and is what they are best remembered for.

This is the third Olsen and Johnson film I have seen recently and it's quite watchable...but nothing more. If you have seen HELLZAPOPPIN (probably their best film), this film and the rest of their films are apparently nothing like it!! HELLZAPOPPIN is crazy and pushes the boundaries of film and it's a shame that they didn't make more like it. COUNTRY GENTLEMEN (and the rest of their films) are much more structured and conventional. In many ways, their films are a lot like lower budget Abbott and Costello movies--though Olsen and Johnson made most of their films before Abbott and Costello came to Hollywood. So maybe that means Abbott and Costello films are like Olsen and Johnson films.

The film begins with the team running from the law, as they'd apparently sold interests in a gold mine that didn't pay off. Unfortunately, in the next locale, their luck isn't any better and they buy an oil well...that also appears to be worthless. The problem is that the nice townspeople have just invested and when they discover the truth Olsen and Johnson will be lucky if the people in this small town don't string them up to the nearest tree!

Unfortunately, the film has a few strikes against it. First, like so many of their films, many of the jokes fall rather flat. Second, the ending is incredibly lame, as it's all way too predictable and convenient. However, in between the film is at least pleasant and breezy--especially since the DVD I found was the shortened 53 minute version. Too short? Maybe, but without the original longer version, it's hard to tell. Also, unlike the last Olsen and Johnson film I saw, ALL OVER TOWN, at least Ole Olsen doesn't use his annoying laughing shtick nearly as much. That laugh could curdle milk!!

We watched this movie only because it was on a Comedy DVD set that my sister received for her birthday- I didn't have high expectations for it but nevertheless I went into it with an open mind... at least until the opening credits! (Ole and Chic both peak their heads out of an office door with the most inane expressions on their faces- I think it was supposed to be funny. It was, but not for the reasons they intended)

There was very little about this movie that was funny- though my siblings and I laughed quite a bit- completely out of sheer disbelief. Some of the gags included Chic and Ole nearly getting into a fist fight with the police until Chic holds up some drinking glasses to his eyes and says "You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you?!"

At another point a mob has bound them to a stick and are carrying them off, tribal/cannibal style, and are planning to blow the duo up. Desperately, one of them yells to the blonde secretary that has been accompanying them on their adventures to "Call me a cop- fast!!" so she calls him a cop. "Okay, you're a cop. Was that fast enough?"

The most enjoyable part of the movie was looking for the gay innuendo- "We're partners! You can't break us up!" "Things go great until you come along and queer things up!", etc. Hahaha!

At one point in their travels they pick up a young boy that's running away from home (people were trusting back then!)Trouble ensues, but when the boy is returned to his mother she is so filled with gratitude that she tells them to come come to her hotel. I was kind of shocked(This movie is from the 1930's after all!)- I thought she was actually inviting them up to her hotel room! But then it was revealed that she was actually the owner of a hotel and she was offering them rooms there.

Also notable is the performance by Fluffy, The Great Dane- formerly known as Prince.

Though the movie packed in a lot of stuff in 60 minutes, it quickly bogged down and was actually kind of boring. One can only take so much of Chic's high pitched giggle which seemed to be the movie's main gag.

Country Gentlemen isn't what Olsen and Johnson are, but what they aspire to be or at least live like. In this film the boys are a pair of con artists leaving Oakland for the sticks with police on their trail.

An innocent run in with young Sammy McKim whom they are mistakenly thought of kidnapping lands them in a rural area far off the beaten path. It's a place that has an army base. But do they try and lie low. They do not, they are soon enough up to their ears in an oil stock swindle.

Ole would probably like to lie low, but Chic apparently can't help himself. They're both in trouble because of him.

I have to say though that Joyce Compton may have had her career role in Country Gentlemen. She's their dumb as a bag of rocks secretary who travels with a large great Dane. The gag is completely lifted from the Paramount classic Six Of A Kind where Burns and Allen also travel with the same kind of dog. As for Compton her performance is a combination of Gracie Allen and Marie Wilson. She's devastating and as far as I'm concerned stole the film from the stars.

It's not a great film, but this should serve as an introduction to Olsen and Johnson.

Movie moves right along and has many one liners. Comedic in nature and keeps one's attention. The story line is about two men who are steps ahead of the law and dissolving their partnership in securities swindles. Interesting that it has a musical soundtrack in the background complimenting the dialog. The two main characters contrast each other with smart and not so smart personae. Gertie plays the persistent female bent on bringing additional struggle and trouble to the partners in crime.

If you like early comedy from a not so known cast, good show to watch.

Film quality is good even. Steak dinner is 60 cents back then.