The Good Humor Man

The Good Humor Man (1950)

Genres - Comedy  |   Sub-Genres - Crime Comedy, Slapstick  |   Release Date - Jun 1, 1950 (USA - Unknown), Jun 1, 1950 (USA)  |   Run Time - 79 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Review by Craig Butler

While not really a classic, The Good Humor Man is a surprisingly engaging little slapstick flick. It doesn't have that extra dimension of humanity observed that give extra sparkle and depth to the best works of slapstick comedians such as Charlie Chaplin, but as an innocent, enjoyable little paean to the joys of unpretentious physical humor, Good Humor is hard to resist. Yes, the screenplay is silly and contrived -- but it KNOWS that it's silly and contrived. Writer Frank Tashlin is only interested in using the plot as a springboard for some outrageous gags. Not all of them work, but all of them were worth trying, and the ones that do work land with a bang. Credit must also go to director Lloyd Bacon, who knows how to set up the pieces unobtrusively for especially good effect. And special credit also goes to Jack Carson, a character actor who at times can be quite annoying but who is both appealing and charming here. His timing is excellent, he has a dangerous double take and he knows how to play the "grown-up innocent" to a "t." Throw in a good supporting cast, including an especially good George Reeves, and the result is a film that's just a lot of fun.