Tom Gillispie: comedies

I just watched two of my all-time favorite movies courtesy of the Netflix DVD division. The first was Teahouse of the August Moon, starring Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford and Eddie Albert, among others. The other was We're No Angels, starring Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov.

Teahouse has several bust-out-laughing moments, especially the one where Captain Fisby (Glenn Ford) is talking to Col. Purdy III (Paul Ford) on the phone. Lotus Blossom (Kyo Machiko) spends several minutes battling with Fisby, trying to take off Fisby's shirt while Fisby tries to keep it.

Purdy suggests physical education for the locals, and Fisby, who is defending himself under the table, says he didn't think they needed it.

Another laugh-out-loud moment comes when Sgt. Gregovich (Harry Morgan) gets drunk while busting stills. Never have I seen a better drunk on celluloid. And Brando provides plenty of smile-out-loud moments as Sakini, the Okinawan interpreter who out-thinks the American soldiers at every turn.

I laugh and smile at the same places every time.

We're No Angels starts out with three convicts on Devil's Island who want to rob and do ill to a kind and honest family around Christmas; then their thinking changes, and they wind up helping the family. It's hard to explain in one paragraph, but it's one of my favorite Bogart movies. And I think it's Bogey's best light-comedy movie, ahead of Sabrina.

If I remember correctly (you can look it up), the convicts are trying to defend the family from Basil Rathbone.

I've probably seen Teahouse 10 or 15 times over the years, but that was only the third time I'd ever seen Angels. I need to get my own DVD copy of each.

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