MovieChat Forums > Larceny, Inc (1942) Discussion > Woody Allen must've seen this one...

Woody Allen must've seen this one...

posted 17 years ago by rysiek_kinoman
9 replies | jump to latest

...for he lifted half of his 'Small Time Crooks' from it! The idea of crooks digging a tunnel under a store that becomes successful business is repeated in Allen movie!

Both films are great fun, though.

I love Broderick Crawford in this movie. A moment that cracks me up every time I see it is when Crawford pretends to be a customer finding a $10 bill in a suitcase. He was a marvel of comedy and it's a shame he's being remembered mostly for his serious work as Willie Stark in 'All the King's Men'.

[–] Devans00 17 years ago

They mentioned this situation during the introduction to the movie on TMC. Apparently Allen didn't pay any of the standard fees when you re-use other people's work.

I guess as a jazz musician, he's just used improvisation. Taking what he likes of other people's work and turning it to his advantage.

Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.

[–] monsieurzy 17 years ago

as I recall it also showed up as a plot in a Gomer Pyle episode...one of those ideas (like Dickens's A Christmas Carol) that people "borrow" quite liberally

[–] flan99 17 years ago

Devans

Yes, Woody is an outright THIEF.

[–] monsieurzy 17 years ago

..now that I think about it, wasnt there also a Car 54 Where are You episode with this plot?

check this from http://mywebpages.comcast.net/csmiths/eg_season2.html:

Episode #46 "The White Elephant" 1-6-63

Guest Star(s): Arlene Golonka, Eugene Troobnick, Jake LaMotta, Dort Clark, Teddy Hart, Michael Vale, Joe Marr, Marie Pinckard, Wayne Wilson,
Janet Paul, Jon Richards.

Synopsis: Three crooks rent out an old cafe' to try to drill through
a bank wall next door. Toody & Muldoon think they are actually new
business owners, and try to help them open up their new "business".

and here's the Gomer Pyle episode:

http://www.tv.com/gomer-pyle-u.s.m.c./dynamite-diner/episode/41725/summary.html

[–] hka-3 9 years ago

Thank you! I've been trying to figure out where I've seen this plot before. I've never seen the Woody Allen film and I've seen all the Car 54 and Gomer Pyle episodes, so I must have seen it in those TV shows.

[–] janeofthewakinguniverse 9 years ago

Holy cow, monsieurzy! I had totally forgotten about that episode. Thanks for reminding me. It's been several years since I saw it, but I remember it was especially interesting to see because of Jake LaMotta's role. I had recently seen "Raging Bull" at that time and here was the real LaMotta on a TV show.

Morse's Law: There's always time for one more pint.

[–] LCShackley 15 years ago

I thought the same thing as soon as the plot started to unravel.

I do like the Woody movie, tho.

[–] Xcalat3 15 years ago

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] whiskeyTango-06 9 years ago

yes, imdb lists allen's film as a remake of this one.