If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Crappy film

Admirable film.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

So Bland. Sadly, this one has none of the clever humor and dialogue that some of Red Skelton's other films had. Skelton and Jean Hagen are newlyweds that take on all the typical, responsible duties of husband and wife. Skelton narrates most of this, and as a result, there is just no magic between husband and wife. There ARE some fun names in here that viewers will recognize -- a brief appearance by Mary Wickes and Frank Cady as husband and wife. Wickes was the hilarious maid in Man Who Came to Dinner and Now Voyager... Frank Cady was in Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Also Polly Bergen, in one of her very early film appearances. I think the main problem is that the writer wasn't sure just which category this fell in... was it a comedy or a drama? Not much comedy in here. just lots of arguing. I did catch one spit-take from Skelton... Directed by Don Weis; he directed a few films, but quickly moved into directing television. Probably just as well. Can skip this one. Shown on Turner Classics now and then.

This Red Skelton comedy provides a social commentary of its time that's not as dated as one might think. In fact, it reminded me of a recent "keep up with the Jones" commercial for a financial lending organization at first, with a little bit of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) later. Skelton plays a New York magazine writer named Ben Dobson whose ambitious – one might even say 'social climbing' – wife Martha (Jean Hagen) 'encourages' him to continuously 'evolve' into the husband (for the life) she wants. It was directed by Don Weis and written by Max Shulman. Polly Bergen appears as herself in a restaurant club scene that feels out of place in the story.Ben finds a job working for Mr. Bascomb (Charles Dingle) at Everybody's magazine in New York City; "Everybody loves Everybody's" (a kind of a "Life" magazine). Bascomb is a man of "sound principles", who insists that his employees are as thrifty as he is. During the job interview, Ben more or less goes along with or agrees with whatever Bascomb says and is hired. Ben had been a freelance writer, but this new steady job provides Martha with the opportunity to 'enhance' their domestic situation. First, she manipulates him into having their first child, then (after five years, which pass in less than 10 minutes of screen-time) into moving out of their city apartment to a suburban home with their son Pete (Hugh Corcoran). Willard Waterman plays the friendly and convincing (if conniving) real estate agent Charles McEstway.Once ensconced in Williams Landing, Martha persuades Ben to 'improve' their lives with one purchase after another, and soon the Dobsons are treading on thin ice using credit for furniture, a television set and other home improvements (and plumbing repairs). Ben decided not to tell his boss – Bascomb would surely not approve – about their moving to the suburbs, which leads to an awkward/unusual moment (that may have been funnier at the time of the film's release than it plays today). Ironically, Bascomb wants Ben to write his first article – he'd been a rewriter (e.g. an editor of sorts) all this time – about the folly of suburbia, and going into debt to buy a home and all the associated "things" (pretty current, eh?).While initially reluctant, Ben feels forced into taking the assignment by Martha's never ending desire for more; her "need" for a car convinces him to do it. He decides to accept the role of "Community Chest" collector (this is a dated concept) in order to get to know his neighbors better and learn about how everyone else in Williams Landing is "up to their eyeballs in debt". He figures that after his articles are published, Martha will be so embarrassed – and the Dobsons so ostracized – that she'll have to let them move back to the city.Several comic scenes follow: Ben learns about one neighbor's new addition – an activities room – and another's outdoor grilling/eating patio. His articles are caustic, just the kind of impactful stuff that his boss wants. But when Martha finds and reads them (before they're published), while not happy, she finally understands and agrees to let Ben list the house.However, when McEstway brings a couple (Mary Wickes and Frank Cady) of prospective buyers to see the house, their comments about what the Dobsons have built (and call home) make Ben defensive. His perspective changes, and so does the conclusion of his series of articles; upon reading it, Bascomb is at first perplexed and then angry. But henpecked Ben follows his wife's script (we learn later) to get a promotion and a raise, just in time for the coming of their second child.

Those who are expecting some of Red Skelton's more outlandish comedy routines will be somewhat disappointed in Half A Hero. In this film Red essays a role that just post World War II would have been offered to James Stewart. Who's to say this script wasn't seen by Stewart.Still he and Jean Hagen play a decent post war average couple with her doing the June Cleaver home making and Red working as a writer, or should I say rewriter at a magazine owned by Charles Dingle. One of my favorite character actors, Dingle is at his pompous tyrannical best as Skelton's boss who likes the fact that Skelton and Hagen live in a small New York City apartment and within their means. Listening to Dingle prattle on about that subject I could hear Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter talking about the merits of a thrifty working class.Anyway Skelton and Hagen do move to the suburbs and face the same problems a lot of post World War II young marrieds face, like my parents for instance. Dingle however wants an expose of these people who don't save who will turn the nation into a mass of suburban slums. Skelton tries to give him what he wants, but he's got his own ideas as well.The old and young Jimmy Stewart could have phoned in his performance if he had the lead in Half A Hero. Skelton does all right with the part even if it is offbeat casting. Outside of Dingle in the cast, the best performance is by Willard Waterman as a most unctuous real estate salesman.It's not typical Red Skelton, but it's more than all right.

The problem with this film is that it stars Red Skelton. And, if it's a Red Skelton film, then it must be an uproarious comedy. Right? Well, no. This is one of those films that can't quite decide if it's a drama with some comedy, or a comedy with some drama. And, in my view, that dichotomy is always a problem for a film.Don't get me wrong. I adore(d) Red Skelton since I was a little boy. And I find him rather pleasant in this role. But this is not "The Yellow Cab Man" or "The Fuller Brush Man". This film actually has a pretty serious topic -- a married man gives into his wife and buys a home in the suburbs, only to find himself slowly going broke. Will they lose the house? Will they divorce over it? And then, just to complicate things, his boss at the magazine where he works assigns him to write an article about the "slums of the future" -- the suburbs.Nope. Not really a comedy.Jean Hagen is the wife here, and frankly, I'm not so sure she fared well. She was not very successful as Danny Thomas' wife in his series "Make Room For Daddy" (which began the same year), so perhaps playing a mother/housewife was just not right for her. The other main character in the story is the magazine owner, played by Charles Dingle...not one of my favorite character actors. You'll notice other character actors here, as well.The film has a rather short run time. This is a rare Skelton film I had never seen. Thanks to Warner Archives for releasing it!