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The Inspector General

  • 19491949
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
Danny Kaye in The Inspector General (1949)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer0:53
1 Video
10 Photos
ComedyMusicalRomance
A town's corrupt officials think a fool is actually an investigator in disguise.A town's corrupt officials think a fool is actually an investigator in disguise.A town's corrupt officials think a fool is actually an investigator in disguise.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Henry Koster
  • Writers
    • Philip Rapp(screenplay)
    • Harry Kurnitz(screenplay)
    • Nikolay Gogol(suggested by a play by)
  • Stars
    • Danny Kaye
    • Walter Slezak
    • Barbara Bates
  • Director
    • Henry Koster
  • Writers
    • Philip Rapp(screenplay)
    • Harry Kurnitz(screenplay)
    • Nikolay Gogol(suggested by a play by)
  • Stars
    • Danny Kaye
    • Walter Slezak
    • Barbara Bates
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 44User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:53
    Watch Trailer

    Photos10

    Danny Kaye and Barbara Bates in The Inspector General (1949)
    Danny Kaye in The Inspector General (1949)
    The Medicine Man (1930)
    Danny Kaye and Barbara Bates in The Inspector General (1949)
    Danny Kaye, Alan Hale, Lew Hearn, and Sam Hearn in The Inspector General (1949)
    Danny Kaye in The Inspector General (1949)
    The Inspector General (1949)
    The Inspector General (1949)
    The Inspector General (1949)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Danny Kaye
    Danny Kaye
    • Georgi
    Walter Slezak
    Walter Slezak
    • Yakov
    Barbara Bates
    Barbara Bates
    • Leza
    Elsa Lanchester
    Elsa Lanchester
    • Maria
    Gene Lockhart
    Gene Lockhart
    • The Mayor
    Alan Hale
    Alan Hale
    • Kovatch
    Walter Catlett
    Walter Catlett
    • Col. Castine
    Rhys Williams
    Rhys Williams
    • Inspector General
    Al Bain
    Al Bain
    • Villager
    • (uncredited)
    Benny Baker
    Benny Baker
    • Telecki
    • (uncredited)
    Oscar Blank
    • Villager
    • (uncredited)
    George Boyce
    • Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Chet Brandenburg
    Chet Brandenburg
    • Sentry
    • (uncredited)
    Leonard Bremen
    Leonard Bremen
    • Lieutenant
    • (uncredited)
    Harriett Brest
    • Villager
    • (uncredited)
    Albert Cavens
    Albert Cavens
    • Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Dick Cherney
    • Sentry
    • (uncredited)
    Robert Cherry
    Robert Cherry
    • Peasant
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Henry Koster
    • Writers
      • Philip Rapp(screenplay)
      • Harry Kurnitz(screenplay)
      • Nikolay Gogol(suggested by a play by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Nikolay Gogol's play, "The Inspector General" opened in St. Petersburg, Russia. in April 1836.
    • Goofs
      When Yakov first reads the note from Leza we can see it says "They are trying to kill you. Don't go near the barn." Later, when the woodchopper reads it he says "Don't go near the barn. They are trying to kill you."
    • Quotes

      Georgi: Be big, be strong, be firm, says Yakov! But if it doesn't work - whose neck will they jerk? Whose block will they knock off? Not Yakov. Be an Inspector General... What does an Inspector General do, inspect generals? No. An Inspector General generally inspects, that is... they expect him to inspect generally; if they're inspecting an Inspector General. But an exceptionally generous Inspector General who made an exception and had no inspection, would cause suspicion, which in my condition, I couldn't accept... Thank you. However... If people are suspecting, now expect - without detecting, an imposter who's not posted as a pedigreed inspector... could this palpable imposter stay a gypsy, an accoster, could he possibly get past them by his posture? In two words - un-likely. So, it is not a question of, to flee or not to flee, but to be or not to be, and if so... How? Should I be elegant? Should I be arrogant? Should I be smart? A roaring Russian Hussar, or very British empire? Or like the KGB in Nice, who already eats the cheese, while he says, 'No thank you please.' Be smart! I must examine every side of me; the long, the narrow, the wide of me, The Dr. Jekyll and the Hyde of me. If I value my anatomy, the skinny and the fat of me, how shall I start to play the part? Should I be elegant? Arrogant? Or smart?

    • Connections
      Edited into Your Afternoon Movie: Inspector General (2022)
    • Soundtracks
      The Medicine Show
      (1949) (uncredited)

      (aka "Yakov's Elixir")

      Music and Lyrics by Sylvia Fine

      Played by Musicians at the Medicine Show

      Sung by Danny Kaye

      Variations played in the score

    User reviews44

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Pleasant Farce With a Fine Cast
    A pleasant farce with a fine cast, "The Inspector General" gives Danny Kaye a chance to show off his many talents, and also tells a story that is quite humorous as long as you do not take it too seriously.

    Kaye plays Georgi, an illiterate traveling huckster who helps his boss Yakov (Walter Slezak) sell useless medicines to gullible peasants. (The sequence where they try to sell their "elixir" is one of the movie's best scenes.) Georgi visits a small town, where through a series of coincidences, he is mistaken by the town's leaders for the Inspector General, an important official with sweeping powers to punish and reform. Half of the town fawns on him, while the other half panics over what he will discover in his "inspection". Kaye just wants to leave town before they figure out who he really is, but plenty of complications arise that keep things going for quite a while.

    Kaye gets to sing, dance, and generally entertain the audience. The supporting cast is filled with fine character actors like Gene Lockhart, Elsa Lanchester, and Alan Hale, who add to the humor. Not a lot of big laughs, but a steady stream of good-natured comedy all the way through.

    This is an enjoyable movie recommended for anyone who likes musical comedy.
    helpful•27
    5
    • Snow Leopard
    • Jun 12, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 31, 1949 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Happy Times
    • Filming locations
      • Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $2,873,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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