The Great Gildersleeve (1942)

You don't have to be an old-time radio buff to enjoy films like this. If you're simply an admirer of good comedy, that's enough.

All the GILDERSLEEVE films made by RKO in the 1940s were thoroughly enjoyable, and this first one of the series was one of the very, very best. Of course it all hangs on Harold Peary's performance as the blustering Throckmorton Gildersleeve and he doesn't disappoint for a single moment. His performance is fresh, original and warm and he brings to the part a believability that rises above the occasional well-handled slapstick interludes. Peary was one of a kind and, as they say, we shall not look upon his like again.

Jane Darwell, fresh from her Oscar-winning performance in John Ford's THE GRAPES OF WRATH, added solid support as Aunt Emma, while the rest of the cast (which included some of the original radio stars) added much to the fun.

This pre-babyboomer piece of Americana is highly recommended for its wit, its charm and its evocation of the better USA that once was. Let's hope Warner Brothers (who now own the RKO films) will get these onto blu-ray or DVD real soon.