Wordiezett So much average

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

utgard14 The third and final movie in the Wally "The Fox" Benton series starring Red Skelton. In this one, Wally and sweetheart Carol (Ann Rutherford) are still trying to get married. Their plans are interrupted by the police thinking Wally is a killer. So Wally, Carol, and Chester (Rags Ragland) all find themselves on the run from the cops. Along for the ride is a reporter (Jean Rogers) trying to get a story.Red's funny as usual. Ann gets less to do and not as many funny lines as the previous two movies. Rags Ragland, the only constant in the series besides the two leads, is hilarious here. The scene arguing with the telephone operator is a hoot. Other highlights are the elevator shaft scene and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Good cast includes William Frawley, Henry O'Neill, Sam Levene, and Ray Collins. Each movie in the series had a second prominent female actress behind Ann Rutherford. This time it's the very likable Jean Rogers. This was Rutherford's last film on her MGM contract. She would continue acting for decades and even have decent roles in a couple of big movies. But, for the most part, her career trajectory started to decline after she left MGM. Which is a shame. It's a fun movie, better than the second but not as good as the first. Skelton fans will no doubt enjoy it.

classicsoncall Well 'screwball comedy' doesn't even begin to define the territory this picture covers, with Red Skelton heading the cast as a radio detective personality inadvertently tagged as a murderer by his chauffeur cum press agent (Rags Ragland). I always enjoyed watching Red's variety shows as a kid, but this is the first movie I've ever seen him in, and it was a pretty good introduction. His comic timing is perfect, and it was cool seeing him do a quick tryout for a character he brought to his TV series by name of Clem Kadiddlehopper. That would have been right after the suitcase stuffing scene when he transforms his hat and face into a goofy caricature of himself.The film is so fast paced and frenetic that it's easy to forget where the whole thing started, but basically, Wally 'The Fox' Benton (Skelton) and his bride to be (Ann Rutherford) get sidetracked by a murder case involving a character who calls himself The Constant Reader. Chronicle newspaper reporter Jean Pringle (Jean Rogers) is hastily assigned to cover the case in progress, and instantly gets caught up in the shenanigans. Along with Rags Ragland, the quartet get involved in some fast paced hi-jinx, including an unbelievably staged elevator scene where the four of them form a human chain swinging for dear life. A little tense for a comedy but it works.As if there wasn't enough going on, the action makes it's way to Ebbetts Field and home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who make an appearance by way of the starting lineup up to bat against Skelton's guise as pitcher Gumbatz of the Battling Beavers. The players, if not the names are virtually unrecognizable today - Billy Herman, Arky Vaughn, Ducky Medwick and Dolph Camilli batting cleanup, while manager Leo Durocher also gets some screen time trading barbs with Skelton. The Beavers were reminiscent of the barnstorming House of David team, with players sporting chest length beards as their signature look.It's almost anti-climactic that the cops finally get their man considering the mad-cap pace that winds up on a ship docked at a Brooklyn pier. The henchman with the high pressure hose on the boat looked an awful lot like Anthony Quinn, but a quick glance at the uncredited cast list reveals it was Mike Mazurki, former pro boxer and wrestler who got an awful lot of parts as a heavy in films during the era.All in all, an entertaining romp that Red Skelton fans should certainly enjoy, with a cast that does a pretty good job of keeping up with the film's manic direction and slapstick timing. To use Red's own words, they all 'dood it' very well.

blanche-2 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.

bkoganbing 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.