Starring Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly.
Featuring Don Barclay, Eddie Baker, and Tiny Sanford.
Directed by Gus Meins.
Synopsis
"What, again? And you promised me you'd be careful"
Thelma and Patsy have purchased tickets to enter a prize draw. The lucky winner will become the owner of a ducky new car. After a young boy (Tommy Bond) from the audience has picked the lucky ticket, the master of the ceremony (Robert McKenzie) reveals the winning number is 108. A disgruntled Patsy rips up her tickets that Thelma - so kindly - let her hold.
The bumbling MC was holding the lucky ticket upside down, so the winning ticket is in fact 801 - one of the tickets that Patsy was holding! After much writhing around on the floor to pick up the shreds of the golden ticket, Patsy and Thelma go up on stage to gratefully accept their prize, only for Patsy to slip. Falling down, Patsy manages to rip off the MC's trousers, revealing his penchant for rather fruity underwear!
As the proud owners of the car, Thelma and Patsy go for a spin in their new ride, only to be harassed by a policeman (Eddie Baker) thanks to Patsy's encouragements to see how fast the car can go. Thelma uses all of her wiles to get out of being on the receiving end of a ticket, which Patsy soon undoes...
The girls carry on, only to be rear-ended when attempting to park. The resulting knock sends their car straight into the front of another car (driven by Don Barclay). Don is not happy that the girls have damaged his car, but Patsy makes things worse by deciding to rip one of the headlights off his car.
The ensuing tit-for-tat eventually involves Tiny Sanford, who is told by Thelma that Don Barclay started all the trouble. Tiny then sets about smashing up Thelma's car (mistakenly believing it to be Don's car), only for a seething Patsy to start throwing an assortment of household items from off of Tiny's van into the street...
By now, not much is left of the girl's car, and they need to push it all the way home. Getting to a hill, the car runs away from them straight into a lake. As Thelma and Patsy gaze upon the waters wistfully, Don Barclay appears, intent on seeking redress for the wrongs done to him. Thelma and Patsy respond by throwing him in the water.
The film ends with Thelma trundling along in Barcaly's car, as an out-of-breath Patsy tries unsuccessfully to hitch a ride with her pal.
Review
"What do I get? Magnolia"
"Beauty and the Bus" was the first short in the Todd/Kelly series after Zasu Pitts's departure. Personally, I think the film is a great showcase for the Todd/Kelly series, and the remarkable slapstick-ability of 23 year old Patsy Kelly.
There's something about Kelly that you can't help but love; she's fiery and spunky to boot, and in many ways, I get the impression that she steals the limelight from her established co-star, Todd, in this film.
Sure, Todd looks as glamorous as ever as the picture begins, but it's Kelly hurling herself down to the floor after slipping on a child's roller-skate that gives the viewer the first laugh of the film. And her feistiness is evident from the moment that she gets up tangled in tickets, putting Charlie Hall in his place for calling her "Madame" along the way. What I call the 'Kelly Scowl' is key to obtaining that feistiness and self-assurance - there's no mumbled "Oh dear" ala Zasu, this woman doesn't need Thelma to bail her out; she can look after herself!
But as you might already know, Kelly's self-assurance of "don't mess with me" just so happens to get Thelma in more trouble than it ought to.
Patsy clumsiness and ability to attract trouble (and cause a fight wherever she goes) might grate Thelma to the extreme - just look at Thelma's expression when they finally get to their seats in the theatre - but it does add for terrific comedy. The Kelly aggression is the kind of aggression that you want to encourage - for example, the old fool with his feet on the back of Patsy's chair - why doesn't he put his feet where they belong?! The viewer often sides with Patsy in such moments, and when she turns round to address the man's insult, you half expect, half want her to lamp him one as he cowers away from her. That's the Kelly spirit!
The moments before the draw for the car takes place also reveals another side to the Todd/Kelly partnership - that of "tough love". For all Kelly's brashness, it's evident that she cares a great deal about her partner, even if Todd is only ever lukewarm to her "pal" in this film. The pet names that Kelly creates for Todd - "I'm your palsy-walsy, toots" indicate the warmth of friendship on one side of the relationship, even if all Kelly gets from Todd is "magnolia" - nothing.
The manager of the theatre (Robert McKenzie) adds some great comedy with his somewhat creepy character, awkwardness, and absentmindedness - even nervousness - as he is belittled by the little boy who comes up to draw out the ticket. If the little boy is "young America", he's certainly "old America".
When the winning ticket is announced, it's hilarious to see the joy on Thelma's face compared with Patsy's cross-eyed look of horror. Near fainting - and for once, stuck for words - there's nothing else for Thelma to do but shove her friend on the floor to get searching for that lucky ticket that has been ripped up! And the viewer can have a good laugh as Patsy squirms around on the floor, telling "big boy" to "call off his dog" - his big foot - in the process.
The climax of the gag is also nice, and even unexpected, with Patsy stumbling up onto the stage, slipping, and pulling down the manager's trousers in the process. From her seat within the barrel, complete with lollipop in hand, and the familiar Kelly Scowl evident, you know that there's going to be a lot more mishap in this short...
I find the next scene, with Todd and Kelly in their new car, to be filled with some great comedic touches. The ecstatic looking Kelly and the edgy looking Todd have some funny verbal sparring, and Thelma even receives quite a whack across the chest thanks to "girl scout Kelly."
When pulled over by the policeman (Eddie Baker), Todd is on top form when playing the part of the flirt. Hearing Eddie Baker ask, "Where's the fire?", only for Thelma to reply, "In your eyes you great big gorgeous policeman" always makes me snort laugh. If this policeman can't tell that he's being had then he's stupider than he looks *nods*.
And the look on Thelma's face when he walks away...priceless!
But of course, there's no getting away from trouble with Kelly around, and when thesap -policeman- pardon me friends, pardon me, loses his book, it's a treat to hear him lambasted by an irate Patsy. "It's men like him that make it unsafe for sweet little girls like me."
The car crash scene, with an "insipid" Don Barclay is wonderful. In many respects, his character makes this scene so successful, as he's easily dominated by both Thelma and Patsy (and then Tiny Sanford). He strikes me of the Wilde-an bohemian, and appears a man fascinated by language (even if his use of it confuses and irritates Thelma and Patsy), and a man totally unable to stand up to massive Tiny Sanford.
And do I spot Charley Chase in the background (when Patsy is about to stomp on Don Barclay's car's bodywork)?
The ensuing Tit-for-Tat is marvellous slapstick, with Kelly admirably battling "King Kong" herself by launching chairs down to the road below. You have to hope that the returning Officer Baker's threat to hang whoever caused the ruckus is an empty threat...because Patsy's retort, "who wants to make something out of it" would mean that the odds wouldn't look good for Baker!
At first, I thought that the girls pushing their car down a hill where it speeds away into a nearby lake, was a trifle predictable - but still funny - and how does Kelly run so quickly in those heels?! - but to have Don Barclay appear and be the victim of the first time that Todd and Kelly work together successfully to accomplish something, well, that was a funny moment indeed.
And you can't help feeling sorry for Patsy at the end, her futile cries of "how's about it, palsy-walsy?" fall on deaf - or fed-up - ears, as Thelma speeds away in Don's car that they've stolen. "Oh, toots!"
I like "Beauty and the Bus" - Todd and Kelly have a good on-screen chemistry that compliments both characters that they play. It's just a funny short; short, sweet, but feisty.
The moments before the draw for the car takes place also reveals another side to the Todd/Kelly partnership - that of "tough love". For all Kelly's brashness, it's evident that she cares a great deal about her partner, even if Todd is only ever lukewarm to her "pal" in this film. The pet names that Kelly creates for Todd - "I'm your palsy-walsy, toots" indicate the warmth of friendship on one side of the relationship, even if all Kelly gets from Todd is "magnolia" - nothing.
The manager of the theatre (Robert McKenzie) adds some great comedy with his somewhat creepy character, awkwardness, and absentmindedness - even nervousness - as he is belittled by the little boy who comes up to draw out the ticket. If the little boy is "young America", he's certainly "old America".
When the winning ticket is announced, it's hilarious to see the joy on Thelma's face compared with Patsy's cross-eyed look of horror. Near fainting - and for once, stuck for words - there's nothing else for Thelma to do but shove her friend on the floor to get searching for that lucky ticket that has been ripped up! And the viewer can have a good laugh as Patsy squirms around on the floor, telling "big boy" to "call off his dog" - his big foot - in the process.
The climax of the gag is also nice, and even unexpected, with Patsy stumbling up onto the stage, slipping, and pulling down the manager's trousers in the process. From her seat within the barrel, complete with lollipop in hand, and the familiar Kelly Scowl evident, you know that there's going to be a lot more mishap in this short...
I find the next scene, with Todd and Kelly in their new car, to be filled with some great comedic touches. The ecstatic looking Kelly and the edgy looking Todd have some funny verbal sparring, and Thelma even receives quite a whack across the chest thanks to "girl scout Kelly."
When pulled over by the policeman (Eddie Baker), Todd is on top form when playing the part of the flirt. Hearing Eddie Baker ask, "Where's the fire?", only for Thelma to reply, "In your eyes you great big gorgeous policeman" always makes me snort laugh. If this policeman can't tell that he's being had then he's stupider than he looks *nods*.
And the look on Thelma's face when he walks away...priceless!
But of course, there's no getting away from trouble with Kelly around, and when the
The car crash scene, with an "insipid" Don Barclay is wonderful. In many respects, his character makes this scene so successful, as he's easily dominated by both Thelma and Patsy (and then Tiny Sanford). He strikes me of the Wilde-an bohemian, and appears a man fascinated by language (even if his use of it confuses and irritates Thelma and Patsy), and a man totally unable to stand up to massive Tiny Sanford.
And do I spot Charley Chase in the background (when Patsy is about to stomp on Don Barclay's car's bodywork)?
The ensuing Tit-for-Tat is marvellous slapstick, with Kelly admirably battling "King Kong" herself by launching chairs down to the road below. You have to hope that the returning Officer Baker's threat to hang whoever caused the ruckus is an empty threat...because Patsy's retort, "who wants to make something out of it" would mean that the odds wouldn't look good for Baker!
At first, I thought that the girls pushing their car down a hill where it speeds away into a nearby lake, was a trifle predictable - but still funny - and how does Kelly run so quickly in those heels?! - but to have Don Barclay appear and be the victim of the first time that Todd and Kelly work together successfully to accomplish something, well, that was a funny moment indeed.
And you can't help feeling sorry for Patsy at the end, her futile cries of "how's about it, palsy-walsy?" fall on deaf - or fed-up - ears, as Thelma speeds away in Don's car that they've stolen. "Oh, toots!"
I like "Beauty and the Bus" - Todd and Kelly have a good on-screen chemistry that compliments both characters that they play. It's just a funny short; short, sweet, but feisty.
Watch it
"Quiet! Quiet! Pipe down! Pipe down!"
"Beauty and the Bus" is available on DVD, beautifully restored by the German Filmmuseum as part of their "Female Comedy Teams" set.
Here's the link: Female Comedy Teams DVD
I have the same filmmuseum DVD as you. I just wish they released a few more of these Pitts and Kelly films. While I love that Kelly does a lot more physical comedy than is typical of Hollywood women in the 1930s, I think I still prefer the Pitts shorts. Looking forward to an eventual review of 'Asleep in the Feet' - my personal favourite of the bunch.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that one day the complete Pitts/Kelly/Todd/Kelton/Roberti set is released. And in the meantime, I'll enjoy watching "Asleep in the Feet!"
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