The Worst Film Ever

brilliant actors, brilliant editing

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Uneven comedy that benefits from Jack Carson's mugging skills but that's about all. The plot's darn near incomprehensible in its three main threads. The comedic thread where Carson and Wyman take on servant's duties they're totally unprepared for is promising. The second thread about his detective work is okay. But the third, about supposedly pseudo-Nazis is a gesture to the time and very poorly managed. Overall, the comedy's left mainly to Carson and not the movie itself. Then too, director Godfrey doesn't seem very engaged, as though the script and Carson should be enough. Check out director Alan Dwan's thematically similar Getting Gertie's Garter (1945) for an edifying contrast. Nonetheless, there are some amusing bits— the bed bouncing test that's also innuendo, Carson and Wyman preparing the world's worst fancy meal, and Carson showering in the girl's quarters where towels magically appear. Too bad Carson's largely forgotten. He was a fine all around actor, as adept at drama as he was at comedy. The movie, however, is far from his best.

Walter (Alan Hale) and Vivian are goofy rich folks who cannot keep servants. When Walter decides to try to pick servants himself, things get goofy. After meeting Detective Jerry Curtis (Jack Carson) while in jail together, Walter decides Jerry would be the perfect servant along with his 'wife' (Jane Wyman...and they don't realize she is only Jerry's girlfriend). So, in an insane plot twist, he hires the pair on the pretense that he wants them to protect him at the estate because someone wants to do him harm! There is no crime...so Walter hires some actors to pretend to be house guests and then has Walter investigate while posing as hired help. Does any of this make sense? Nope....not at all. Nor does it make sense that some of the 'actors' might just be Nazi spies!!Overall, this is a better than average mystery film because it offers so many novel plot elements. It also has some nice laughs and is a very nice time-passer.

Exhibit A that the screwball comedy was still alive in 1944. Maybe not exactly well, but energetically kicking. Jack Carter's dynamism and Jane Wyman's comic versatility keep one involved in this fast-paced romp, even though the plot is nearly incoherent. The framing device is a wealthy December-May couple, delightfully played by Alan Hale & Irene Manning, desperate to obtain household help for their country estate. Throw in Jack Carter as an incompetent & feckless would-be detective, stringing along his quizzical fiancée Jane Wyman.Carter & Wyman's bumbling as butler and cook are hilarious, underscored by Manning as their ditzy boss. A comical, but not exactly comical development involving Nazi spies--or are they?--gets hopelessly garbled. A strange plot device in 1944. Yet the charm of the principal actors makes for an entertaining time.

This is one of those movies from the first half of the 20th century that is based on a concept that a 21st century viewer can't relate to without some sort of explanation. Much of the conflict revolves around the idea of: "Oh, dear, they think we're married and they expect us to sleep in the same room, but we're not married and therefore we can't possibly sleep in the same room. Whatever will we do?" It wasn't even the idea of having sex outside of marriage that was so horrifying. It was just being in the same room. Maybe an audience in 1944 would have understood that, but in 2005 the reaction is "Who the hell cares if they're married? You don't plan to have sex, don't have sex. Keep your clothes on if you want to. But shut up already about whether you're married or not." It's just too stupid for anybody to care about.