Watch the Birdie

Director: Jack Donohue Jack Donohue

Overview

In this comedy, a photographer (Red Skelton) attends the grand opening of a new building, only to accidentally film evidence of an underhanded scheme that could throw an innocent woman (Arlene Dahl) into bankruptcy. Red Skelton plays the roles of the photographer, his father, and his grandfather.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/12/2012
UPC:	0883316509296
Original Release:	1950
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:11:00
Sales rank:	41,749

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Red Skelton	Rusty Cammeron/Pop Cammeron/Grandpop Cammeron
Arlene Dahl	Lucia Corlane
Ann Miller	Miss Lucky Vista
Leon Ames	Grantland D. Farns
Pam Britton	Mrs. Shanway,Mrs. Shanway
Richard Rober	Hugh Shanway
Dick Wessel	Man Who Undresses
Jacqueline Duval	Starlet
Paula Drew	Starlet
Georgia Pelham	Starlet
Mike Mazurki	Actor
George Stoll	Composer

Technical Credits

Ivan Tors

Devery Freeman

Harry Ruskin

Jack Donohue	Director
Ivan Tors	Screenwriter
Devery Freeman	Screenwriter
Harry Ruskin	Screenwriter,Producer
Warren Newcombe	Special Effects
A. Arnold Gillespie	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

Fans of Red Skelton will enjoy Watch the Birdie, a pleasant little comedic outing that doesn't rank among the funny man's finest. The set- up, taken from Buster Keaton's The Cameraman, is solid enough: would-be photographer accidentally films a business scam, which fact gets him involved in plot complications. But the trio of screenwriters don't really run with the idea. They use it as a springboard for comedic situations which, for the most part, just don't come off as amusingly as they should. There are some genuine laughs, though, starting off with an amusing credits sequence in which Skelton comments amusingly about the people involved. The tiny shared dressing room sequence is also good for a few guffaws, and while the end chase sequence is not as consistently funny as it should be, it does work on the whole. Skelton is in fine form, but also not at his best; even in the sequence where he plays himself, his own father and his own grandfather, which should be a no-brainer, doesn't show off his talents the way it should. The supporting cast is quite good, with Ann Miller scoring well and Arlene Dahl looking quite appealing.