The always enjoyable Clarence Kolb's physical comedy in this movie is very impressive. The pratfall he takes when his character slips on the wet floor, and the backwards, stumbling trip down the staircase would be impressive for a young actor, let alone a gentleman who was 64 years old when this film was made.
I thoroughy enjoyed his work in this movie, and I, to, was amazed at the physical comedy he undertook. While I felt that the movie was too similar to "My Man Godfrey", and wasn't very original, the writing was good, and the acting was extremely entertaining. Clarence Kolb and Billie Burke were perfect foils for each other in this move, and they really made it work.
shareThe last five minutes of the film were funnier than most of the rest of the film put together. Although I did like "Get off the rug" and "you too".
>>Oh, well that's different. Nevermind!<<
I had the same reaction to Clarence Kolb's amazing performance. At first I was convinced a double must have been used for the fall and the drunken trip up and down the staircase, but the way the shots were done seems to rule that option out. He was a physical comedian in the same league as Buster Keaton. As another viewer posted also, the chemistry with Billie Burke was perfect. The film itself was a sweet bit of fluff, but Kolb and Burke stole the show.
shareKolb was a Vaudevillian who specialized in that sort of thing in his youth, but you seldom get to see him do it in movies! I, too, was very impressed by him.
The staircase scene floored me! I would have sworn they used a double for that scene until he turned around at the end. Wow! Bravo Clarence.
shareUntil I saw this one, I thought Kolb's most featured performance in movies was as the Mayor in "His Girl Friday" with such hilarious zingers at the expense of Gene Lockhart as "Pete, it frightens me what I'd like to do to you!" and "As an afterthought, I want your resignation" and "So do you what, you hoo-doo?" I have a habit of perking up whenever he shows up in an old film simply because I grew up whiling away hours amused at Kolb's Mr. Honeywell of Honeywell & Todd on TV's "My Little Margie." "Albright, you're fired!" was like his trademark. I was surprised and pleased to see a thread here already going and just about him, surprised because I was sure I'd be the first and only one to start one.
shareI came to this page just to see if anyone else was amazed at Kolb's physical prowess in this film. My jaw hit the floor when he turned to the camera at the end of the drunken staircase scene. I was SURE it was a stuntman when he started stumbling backwards down the stairs--a very dangerous stunt for ANYBODY, regardless of age. His other pratfalls are equally impressive and left me with the impression that he was an "old pro" at Vaudeville physical comedy. Bravo indeed!
shareI loved him as Mr. Homeywell on My Little Margie. He and Mrs. Odetts were my favorite characters. He was 77 when he was on that show and Mrs Odetts (Gertrude Hoffman) was 80!
shareI could not agree more with this string of comments. Clarence Kolb did a great job.
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