''It's in the Bag!'' is a 1945

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

featuring

Fred Allen John Florence Sullivan (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956), known professionally as Fred Allen, was an American comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program ''The Fred Allen Show'' (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and for ...

in his only starring film role. The film was released by United Artists at a time when Allen was at the peak of his fame as one of the most popular radio comedians. The film has been preserved by UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Characters and story

flea circus A flea circus is a circus sideshow attraction in which fleas are attached (or appear to be attached) to miniature carts and other items, and encouraged to perform circus acts within a small housing. History The first records of flea perform ...

ringmaster (Allen), Fred Floogle, has strange encounters as he searches for his inheritance, hidden in the seat of one of five chairs. The film is loosely based on the comic novel ''

The Twelve Chairs ''The Twelve Chairs'' ( rus, Двенадцать стульев, Dvenadtsat stulyev) is a classic satirical novel by the Odesan Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov, published in 1928. Its plot follows characters attempting to obtain jewelry hidden ...

'' (1928) of

Ilf and Petrov Ilya Ilf (Ilya Arnoldovich Feinsilberg or russian: Илья Арнольдович Файнзильберг, 1897–1937) and Yevgeny Petrov (Yevgeniy Petrovich Katayev or russian: Евгений Петрович Катаев, 1902–1942 ...

, later filmed by

Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...

as ''

'' (1970). The team of screenwriters included

Jay Dratler Jay Dratler (September 14, 1910 – September 25, 1968) was an American screenwriter and novelist."Jay Dratler, Screenwriter, Dies in Mexico" (8 Oct 1968) ''Los Angeles Times''"Jay Dratler Dies; Wrote for Screen" (October 16, 1968) ''New York Tim ...

Alma Reville Alma Lucy Reville, Lady Hitchcock (14 August 1899 – 6 July 1982), was an English director, editor, and screenwriter. She was the wife of the film director Alfred Hitchcock. She collaborated on scripts for her husband's films, including '' Sha ...

(wife of Alfred Hitchcock) and

Morrie Ryskind Morris "Morrie" Ryskind (October 20, 1895 – August 24, 1985) was an American dramatist, lyricist and writer of theatrical productions and movies, who became a conservative political activist later in life. Life and career Ryskind was born in ...

Binnie Barnes Gertrude Maud Barnes (25 March 1903 – 27 July 1998), known professionally as Binnie Barnes, was an English actress whose career in films spanned from 1923 to 1973. Early life Barnes was born in Islington, London, the daughter of Rosa Enoy ...

plays Mrs. Floogle. Cameo roles are filled by other radio actors who had already, or were beginning to, become known in movies, including

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which ...

Rudy Vallee Rudy or Rudi is a masculine given name, sometimes short for Rudolf, Rudolph, Rawad, Rudra, Ruairidh, or variations thereof, a nickname and a surname which may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Rudolf Rudy Andeweg (born 1952), Dutch poli ...

William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered for his role in ''Wake Island'', which earned him an Academy ...

, Jerry Colonna,

Robert Benchley Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at ''The Harvard Lampoon'' while attending Harvard University, thro ...

John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later ...

Sidney Toler Sidney Toler (born Hooper G. Toler Jr., April 28, 1874 – February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. The second European-American actor to play the role of Charlie Chan on screen, he is best remembered for his ...

. For classic radio fans, the highlight of the film will be Floogle's encounter with

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...

, who at the time was involved with Allen in their famous 'feud', which ran for over a decade. There is an alternative version of the film where Allen's voice periodically breaks in on the action with wisecracks a la the opening credits. This version obscures some of the on-screen dialogue, including the punchline. This version has aired on AMC.

Cast

- Fred F. Trumble Floogle *

- Jack Benny *

- Don Ameche *

- William Bendix * Victor Moore - Victor Moore *

- Rudy Vallee *

- Eve Floogle *

- Parker * Jerry Colonna - Dr. Greengrass - Psychiatrist *

- Jefferson T. Pike * Gloria Pope - Marion Floogle * William Terry (actor), William Terry - Perry Parker * Minerva Pious - Mrs. Pansy Nussbaum * Richard Tyler (actor), Richard Tyler - Homer Floogle (as Dickie Tyler) *

- Detective Sully * George Cleveland - Busby - Hotel Manager * John Miljan - Mr. Arnold * Ben Welden - Monty - Bookie Uncredited character actors alphabetically: * Johnny Arthur - Finley * Jack Baxley - Minister * Brooks Benedict - Headwaiter * Don Brodie - Reporter * Steve Brodie (actor), Steve Brodie - Usher * John Brown (actor), John Brown - Joe, Nightclub Doorman * George Chandler - 1st Elevator Operator * James Conaty - Nightclub Patron * Don Costello - Mickey * Kernan Cripps - Police Turnkey * Mike Donovan (actor), Mike Donovan - Movie Theatre Patron * Jay Eaton - Jeweler * Bess Flowers - Woman in Elevator, and in Floogle's Penthouse * Byron Foulger - Mr. Teckler * Edward Gargan - Chair Delivery Man * Jack Gargan (actor), Jack Gargan - Movie Usher * Dick Gordon (actor), Dick Gordon - Movie Theatre Patron * Frank Hagney - Nightclub Tough in Fight * Harry Harvey (actor), Harry Harvey - Man in Nightclub Kitchen * Olin Howland - Dr. Greengrass's Doctor * Lloyd Ingraham - Frederick F. Trumble * Eddie Kane - Tailor * Kenner G. Kemp - Movie House Patron in Balcony * Mike Lally - Movie House Patron, and Cabbie * Rex Lease - Yacht Salesman * Mary Livingstone - Mary Livingstone (voice only) * Wilbur Mack - Nightclub Patron * Chief Many Treaties - Indian Chief * Thomas Martin (actor), Thomas Martin - Penthouse Guest * Harold Miller (actor), Harold Miller - Nightclub Patron, and Wedding Guest * Bert Moorhouse - Jeweler / Wedding Guest * Horace Murphy - Officer * Forbes Murray - Elevator Rider * Roger Neury - Waiter * William H. O'Brien - Nightclub Waiter * Sarah Padden - Woman in Elevator * Emory Parnell - Mr. Buddoo * Jack Perrin - Policeman * Marshall Reed - Hood in Car * Dewey Robinson - Frogface * Matty Roubert - Elevator Boy in Theatre * Harry Semels - Chef * Dan Seymour - Fatso * Larry Steers - Nightclub Patron / Wedding Guest * Harry Strang - Diner * Charles Sullivan (actor), Charles Sullivan - Nightclub Tough in Fight * Phil Tead - Ninth National Bank Representative * Walter Tetley - 2nd Elevator Operator * Emmett Vogan - Man in Elevator * Harry von Zell - Phil * Max Wagner - Nightclub Tough in Fight * Dave Willock - Stratosphere Balcony Usher * Marek Windheim - Waiter

Reception

At the time of its release in 1945, Bosley Crowther of ''The New York Times'' wrote that, aside from Mr. Allen's comments on the credits at the beginning of the film, which were superlative spoofing and recommended to everyone, it was a "dizzy, bewildering picture...this rat's nest of nonsense defied the sober description of a comparatively rational mind". A more recent, favorable (3 stars out of 4) review by Leonard Maltin states "Story similar to ''The Twelve Chairs'' with flea-circus promoter Allen entitled to inheritance; plot soon goes out the window in favor of unrelated but amusing episodes, including hilarious encounter between Allen and Benny."

References

External links

* * * * {{The Twelve Chairs 1945 films 1945 comedy films American comedy films Films directed by Richard Wallace Films based on Russian novels Ilf and Petrov American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films