DOUBLE DYNAMITE (RKO Radio, 1951), directed by Irving Cummings, teams popular crooner Frank Sinatra with "double dynamite" co-star Jane Russell for the only time. Playing the romantic leads, they are supported by the wisecracking cigar smoking Groucho Marx, formerly of the Marx Brothers comedy team, in his second solo effort following COPACABANA (United Artists, 1947), and his first as a supporting player.
Set in California during the Christmas season, Johnny Dalton (Frank Sinatra) a young bank clerk working for California Confidity Trust making $42.50 a week, finds he's unable to marry Mildred "Mibs" Goodhug (Jane Russell) because of lack of suitable earnings to support her. Johnny has stiff competition with Bob Pulsifer Jr. (Don McGuire), the bank president's lazy son, who can't keep his eyes off Mibs (and who could blame him?). While Johnny asks J.L. McKissack (Harry Hayden) for a raise, he is refused and later advised in jest by his close friend, Emile J. Keck (Groucho Marx), a waiter at Mr. Baganucci's (William Edmunds), restaurant, to go rob the bank, but Johnny hopes to come up with a better solution without using Emil's other method, gambling. After Johnny saves a bookie (Nestor Paiva), later identified as "Hot Horse" Harris, from a severe beating by rival mobsters in an alley, he takes the young man over to the Style Best Shirt Shop, actually a front for his off track betting establishment set in a secret back room, with a Santa Claus standing outside as a lookout. Showing his appreciation, the bookie offers Johnny $1,000 in cash, which he refuses. Instead, the bookie invests the money on a sure bet for Heavenly Queen, a racehorse, to win, and does. More bets follow before Danny wins take home money of $60,000. Returning to the bank from his lunch hour to break the news to Mibs, he holds back after being told that the bank has a shortage of $75,000, and all employees are placed under suspicion. With Mibs accused of embezzlement, and Danny unable to prove his good fortune now that the bookie and his establishment have disappeared and the shirt shop now run by elderly women, his next problem is what to do with the money? A straight comedy with brief musical interludes composed by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn features: "It's Only Money" (sung by Groucho and Frank Sinatra); "Kisses and Tears" (sung by Sinatra and Jane Russell); and "It's Only Money" (Sinatra, Russell and Groucho).
DOUBLE DYNAMITE might have been a great comedy had it been produced during the the heyday of screwball comedies of the 1930s, for that's where the material would have worked best, with possibilities of Groucho retaining his Emile role, Chico as Baganucci, Harpo as another bank employee; Zeppo or Frank Albertson as Johnny, and Marie Wilson as Mibs. Reportedly filmed in 1948 under the title of "It's Only Money," and withheld release for another three years. By the time DOUBLE DYNAMITE, it's new title, played in theaters, Sinatra's career was declining (with a comeback only two years away), which explains why his name is credited third, following Russell and Marx, instead of first since much of the plot is devoted to his character from start to finish. While Sinatra gets by playing a timid bank clerk, having played shy-types before, it's Jane Russell who seems miscast with her "comic strip" sounding name "Mibs" performing in the Judy Holliday (of "Born Yesterday" fame) manner. Even if Russell changed her hair-color from brunette to blonde, she wouldn't have been as believable as she was convincing playing Calamity Jane in THE PALEFACE (1948) opposite Bob Hope. Russell does have one duet with Frankie from separate beds in separate apartments divided by a wall, but the best moment musically goes to Frankie and Groucho walking happily down the street together singing the catchy tune of "It's Only Money," even with the obvious rear projection backdrop.
In true fashion, Groucho gathers the most attention with his funny lines while Sinatra and Russell carry on the plot with their fair quota of laughs. The screenplay also allows an amusing in-joke worth mentioning where a policeman on a hand radio giving his description report of Johnny Dalton "resembling Frank Sinatra." There are also character types, namely Frank Orth (Mr. Kofer, the Landlord); Howard Freeman (R.B. Pulsifer); Ida Moore (The Sewing Room Supervisor); and Harry Hayden, who all help provide DOUBLE DYNAMITE with some amusing moments during its 81 minutes of screen time.
Formerly presented on American Movie Classics prior to 2000, DOUBLE DYNAMITE can be seen on Turner Classic Movies, or obtained through an out of print VHS purchase on E-bay at a higher amount over its normal price. Why not? It's only money!. (**1/2)
Set in California during the Christmas season, Johnny Dalton (Frank Sinatra) a young bank clerk working for California Confidity Trust making $42.50 a week, finds he's unable to marry Mildred "Mibs" Goodhug (Jane Russell) because of lack of suitable earnings to support her. Johnny has stiff competition with Bob Pulsifer Jr. (Don McGuire), the bank president's lazy son, who can't keep his eyes off Mibs (and who could blame him?). While Johnny asks J.L. McKissack (Harry Hayden) for a raise, he is refused and later advised in jest by his close friend, Emile J. Keck (Groucho Marx), a waiter at Mr. Baganucci's (William Edmunds), restaurant, to go rob the bank, but Johnny hopes to come up with a better solution without using Emil's other method, gambling. After Johnny saves a bookie (Nestor Paiva), later identified as "Hot Horse" Harris, from a severe beating by rival mobsters in an alley, he takes the young man over to the Style Best Shirt Shop, actually a front for his off track betting establishment set in a secret back room, with a Santa Claus standing outside as a lookout. Showing his appreciation, the bookie offers Johnny $1,000 in cash, which he refuses. Instead, the bookie invests the money on a sure bet for Heavenly Queen, a racehorse, to win, and does. More bets follow before Danny wins take home money of $60,000. Returning to the bank from his lunch hour to break the news to Mibs, he holds back after being told that the bank has a shortage of $75,000, and all employees are placed under suspicion. With Mibs accused of embezzlement, and Danny unable to prove his good fortune now that the bookie and his establishment have disappeared and the shirt shop now run by elderly women, his next problem is what to do with the money? A straight comedy with brief musical interludes composed by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn features: "It's Only Money" (sung by Groucho and Frank Sinatra); "Kisses and Tears" (sung by Sinatra and Jane Russell); and "It's Only Money" (Sinatra, Russell and Groucho).
DOUBLE DYNAMITE might have been a great comedy had it been produced during the the heyday of screwball comedies of the 1930s, for that's where the material would have worked best, with possibilities of Groucho retaining his Emile role, Chico as Baganucci, Harpo as another bank employee; Zeppo or Frank Albertson as Johnny, and Marie Wilson as Mibs. Reportedly filmed in 1948 under the title of "It's Only Money," and withheld release for another three years. By the time DOUBLE DYNAMITE, it's new title, played in theaters, Sinatra's career was declining (with a comeback only two years away), which explains why his name is credited third, following Russell and Marx, instead of first since much of the plot is devoted to his character from start to finish. While Sinatra gets by playing a timid bank clerk, having played shy-types before, it's Jane Russell who seems miscast with her "comic strip" sounding name "Mibs" performing in the Judy Holliday (of "Born Yesterday" fame) manner. Even if Russell changed her hair-color from brunette to blonde, she wouldn't have been as believable as she was convincing playing Calamity Jane in THE PALEFACE (1948) opposite Bob Hope. Russell does have one duet with Frankie from separate beds in separate apartments divided by a wall, but the best moment musically goes to Frankie and Groucho walking happily down the street together singing the catchy tune of "It's Only Money," even with the obvious rear projection backdrop.
In true fashion, Groucho gathers the most attention with his funny lines while Sinatra and Russell carry on the plot with their fair quota of laughs. The screenplay also allows an amusing in-joke worth mentioning where a policeman on a hand radio giving his description report of Johnny Dalton "resembling Frank Sinatra." There are also character types, namely Frank Orth (Mr. Kofer, the Landlord); Howard Freeman (R.B. Pulsifer); Ida Moore (The Sewing Room Supervisor); and Harry Hayden, who all help provide DOUBLE DYNAMITE with some amusing moments during its 81 minutes of screen time.
Formerly presented on American Movie Classics prior to 2000, DOUBLE DYNAMITE can be seen on Turner Classic Movies, or obtained through an out of print VHS purchase on E-bay at a higher amount over its normal price. Why not? It's only money!. (**1/2)