The Reformer and the Redhead (1950)

Producers: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank. Copyright 7 March 1950 (in notice: 1949) by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. New York opening at the Capitol: 8 April 1950. U.S. release: 5 May 1950. U.K. release: 18 September 1950. Australian release: 1 September 1950. 8,086 feet. 90 minutes.SYNOPSIS: When her father is fired as director of the local zoo, a fast-talking redhead seeks to engage an upcoming lawyer who is running as the reform candidate for mayor.PRINCIPAL MIRACLE: Those lions come mighty close to Mr Powell. Are they extra tame or is he extra brave? Or maybe doubles were used? Or special effects?COMMENT: Unlike some of Panama and Frank's other ventures, this one is consistently amusing as it manages to deftly intertwine three main plots (the zoo dismissal, the mayoral race, the hardcase boy meets oddball girl) plus a few subsidiaries (will poor, downtrodden Marvin get his $10 raise? will the hero's cynical partner see the light of reform? is the newspaperman friend or enemy? will the hero overcome his fear of Herman, the pussycat lion?) and yet also introduce a couple of nice running gags (that monkey is a wonder). With a rich-in-incident script like this, it's hard to go wrong, except maybe in the choice of players. But here everyone is perfectly cast. Powell takes to the lawyer as to the orphan born, Miss Allyson seems a natural chatterbox, while Cecil Kellaway provides a steadying influence and Ray Collins the forked tongue. Produced on a sumptuous budget with all the largesse at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's command, The Reformer and the Redhead, despite its unpromising title, delivers first-rate comedy, both visual and aural,

Mild comedy played in straight fashion by fine cast. The plot's rather contemporary in its concern for wild animals and exposing political skullduggery. And, by golly, Allyson's headstrong zoo keeper is going to take down crooked politician (Collins) before he does more to glorify trophy hunting. Trouble is her potential ally, the politically ambitious Powell, can't seem to decide which side he's on. Maybe Herman the lion can help him decide. He certainly has Powell clambering over the furniture in acrobatic fashion. Then too, Allyson's winning ways are hard for any guy to ignore, even if the actress allowed herself to be deglamorized.Real life husband and wife, P&A, get center stage, while Wayne gets the many snappy throwaway lines, along with an amusingly bookish Marvin Kaplan. Also look for cult figure Tor Johnson as the mountainous Finnlander next to Powell in that well-crafted scene. Expert writers Panama and Frank come up with a witty script that's mostly amusing, but it's clear they have the two serious targets in mind, even if the animal scenes are likely the movie highlights. Though there's the physical comedy, neither direction nor editing goes for bouncy type humor, relying instead on script and situation for the chuckles. Nonetheless, I love it when Wayne wonders what Powell sees in the shapely Allyson, and Powell archly replies there's "a couple of reasons". Of course, this was back in the day when such innuendo was cutting edge.Anyway, it's a consistently amusing 90-minutes thanks to shrewd MGM craftsmanship. Then too, a special award should go to the kings of the jungle who perform brilliantly. I just wonder what the sets were like during filming. Also, a special nod to P&A who don't mind getting upstaged or sharing the spotlight. True professionals.

Pleasant little comedy about politics with Dick Powell the reformer and June Allyson the spunky redhead. He's running for mayor and ties in with the crooked Ray Collins until he uncovers some dirt about him and exposes him. She's the daughter of a zoo director (Cecil Kellaway) who gets fired for crossing Collins. Not quite a screwball comedy since the politics angle anchors this one in a sense of reality.Allyson and Powell are terrific together, with an easy-going charm and banter that probably reflects their married life together. Also on the plus side are funny supporting turns by David Wayne and Marvin Kaplan (who's still with us) as Powell's office associates. Robert Keith plays a gruff reporter, and the always-watchable Kathleen Freeman has a cat fight scene with Allyson. In bits, Mae Clarke as a cashier and John Hamilton as the police captain.Oh and the animals are good too.

The Reformer and the Redhead is a poor man's version of a combination of State of the Union and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on a more local level. Dick Powell is an ambitious attorney who was raised in an orphanage and now aspires to be mayor of his small California town. On the campaign trail he meets June Allyson, redheaded daughter of Cecil Kellaway who was fired from his job as zookeeper.Through them he learns some interesting facts about the creation of the zoo and after some research he uses his knowledge to blackjack the local boss, Ray Collins, to support his candidacy. Of course when that comes to the attention of June Allyson it throws a great big shadow on their relationship.My guess is that Mr. and Mrs. Powell got this one because Tracy and Hepburn turned it down. As well they should have because I don't think that even their presence could have made it a classic. Politics has and always will be the art of compromise. Powell has certain goals in mind for his community and he can achieve them with Collins' support. In the real world, Powell's silence should have satisfied all concerned. It's like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in that just why was it so important for James Stewart to have his national boys camp at that location where it was interfering with some pet graft scheme of Edward Arnold. It's the weakness of that film and it's an even more glaring weakness in this film.In a way The Reformer and the Redhead is also a looking glass version of an aspect of All the King's Men. In that one an upright judge who is now the Attorney General of that state through some diligent research by John Ireland is blackmailed by Broderick Crawford and kills himself. Just what is the role of blackmail in our political system.The more serious questions The Reformer and the Redhead raises are smothered over with some comedy concerning June and Cecil's bizarre collection of ailing zoo animals, including a lion named Herman they keep as a house cat. I can't really blame Powell for that, I have a neighbor who has kept an alligator for one for years. I've seen Albert the Alligator from a very discreet distance.The Reformer and the Redhead is good, not great, but entertaining enough in the comedy department. But it leaves more questions unanswered when dealing with the more serious aspects of the film.