WITH A RELEASE DATE of October 5, 1946, this short is just about fully a month older than this reporter. Being the fourth installment of the JOE McDOAKES franchise, it continued to develop the style and individuality that was to become the one which would give the series both familiarity and instant recognition.
IN ONE SENSE George O'Hanlon's bumbling everyman came of age as new additions to the opening were introduced. This is the first of the McDoakes to use the familiar, lively opening music. Although the inclusion of comical title cards were still being employed, and would continue for the full series run, each comedy would now open up with that giant Eight-Ball; with Mr. O'Hanlon popping out from behind it.
ALL OF WHICH marks McDOAKES as now being a series of its own, independent from the 'Hollywood Specialties' anthology series from Warner Brothers/Vitaphone.
BETWEEN THE USE of the expression "behind the 8 ball" and the exasperated expression on Joe's face with the strumming of his fingers on the huge globe; we all knew that we were in for a good time, at Joe's expense, of course!
THE INCLUSION OF this subject of playing the ponies was a natural and one that was bound to be included in the anthology of subject matter. Just about everyone has had some experience with the horse racing bug; whether it be via a trip to the track or by some other less 'respectable' of an encounter. I mean that there are actually men who actually take off track bets illegally; setting up shop in what would otherwise be legitimate business establishments such as tobacco shops, candy stores, news stands, apothecary shops, etc.!
DEVELOPING THE STORYLINE and comical situations that make up the crux of this short is achieved by the giving of just about all of the foibles that could possibly plague a whole troop of pony players; mercilessly bestowing them on poor, old buddy, Joe. Well, that may well be the short-cut to success; but that's just what happened.
THE TEAM OF George O'Hanlon and Writer/Director, Richard Bare, worked very well together. George did a lot of the co-writing of the scripts; although he didn't always receive any on screen credit for this. They knew just how far that they could bring the McDoakes character; without making him seem to be too stupid, lazy or dishonest.
THERE DOES SEEM to be an unusually high number of players in this installment. Those very prominent, though uncredited, include: Richard Erdman, Monte Blue, Fred Kelsey (a semi-regular though in varying roles) and former silent screen comic & Charlie Chaplin foil, Leo White. Jane Harker was Joe's lovely Wife, Alice McDoakes, one lovely lady pf at least three to portray her. Art Gilmore did his usual job yeoman's as the narrator.
INSTINCTIVELY KNOWING THAT one universal ingredient of creating a successful screen comedy, be it short or feature, lies in the ending, all McDOAKES shorts adhered to this axiom religiously. Wrapping it all up and leaving your audience laughing is what your ultimate goal should be.
BEING THAT A GAMBLING problem is at the heart of the short's story; Bare and O'Hanlon bring it all to a crescendo with Joe seemingly suffering a sort of corporal punishment for his gaming misdeeds. Then, a final laugh is extracted from the viewer, all courtesy of the patented O'Hanlon mugging & overacting!
AS FOR A RATING, we give it 888. (That's 3 out of a 4 Eight Ball score!)
IN ONE SENSE George O'Hanlon's bumbling everyman came of age as new additions to the opening were introduced. This is the first of the McDoakes to use the familiar, lively opening music. Although the inclusion of comical title cards were still being employed, and would continue for the full series run, each comedy would now open up with that giant Eight-Ball; with Mr. O'Hanlon popping out from behind it.
ALL OF WHICH marks McDOAKES as now being a series of its own, independent from the 'Hollywood Specialties' anthology series from Warner Brothers/Vitaphone.
BETWEEN THE USE of the expression "behind the 8 ball" and the exasperated expression on Joe's face with the strumming of his fingers on the huge globe; we all knew that we were in for a good time, at Joe's expense, of course!
THE INCLUSION OF this subject of playing the ponies was a natural and one that was bound to be included in the anthology of subject matter. Just about everyone has had some experience with the horse racing bug; whether it be via a trip to the track or by some other less 'respectable' of an encounter. I mean that there are actually men who actually take off track bets illegally; setting up shop in what would otherwise be legitimate business establishments such as tobacco shops, candy stores, news stands, apothecary shops, etc.!
DEVELOPING THE STORYLINE and comical situations that make up the crux of this short is achieved by the giving of just about all of the foibles that could possibly plague a whole troop of pony players; mercilessly bestowing them on poor, old buddy, Joe. Well, that may well be the short-cut to success; but that's just what happened.
THE TEAM OF George O'Hanlon and Writer/Director, Richard Bare, worked very well together. George did a lot of the co-writing of the scripts; although he didn't always receive any on screen credit for this. They knew just how far that they could bring the McDoakes character; without making him seem to be too stupid, lazy or dishonest.
THERE DOES SEEM to be an unusually high number of players in this installment. Those very prominent, though uncredited, include: Richard Erdman, Monte Blue, Fred Kelsey (a semi-regular though in varying roles) and former silent screen comic & Charlie Chaplin foil, Leo White. Jane Harker was Joe's lovely Wife, Alice McDoakes, one lovely lady pf at least three to portray her. Art Gilmore did his usual job yeoman's as the narrator.
INSTINCTIVELY KNOWING THAT one universal ingredient of creating a successful screen comedy, be it short or feature, lies in the ending, all McDOAKES shorts adhered to this axiom religiously. Wrapping it all up and leaving your audience laughing is what your ultimate goal should be.
BEING THAT A GAMBLING problem is at the heart of the short's story; Bare and O'Hanlon bring it all to a crescendo with Joe seemingly suffering a sort of corporal punishment for his gaming misdeeds. Then, a final laugh is extracted from the viewer, all courtesy of the patented O'Hanlon mugging & overacting!
AS FOR A RATING, we give it 888. (That's 3 out of a 4 Eight Ball score!)
