S J Perelman wrote the play this is based upon along with his wife Laura. While not household names now, they wrote for the Marx Brothers including perhaps the brothers funniest film, Horse Feathers. Here along with Edward G. Robinson, Jane Wyman, and Broderick Crawford along with a great supporting cast, this is a movie that very much reflects Horse Feather's as far as pacing.
Robinson is great at comedies, as he did several of them and all of them are quite funny. He seems to have a straight face mobster type of character yet his timing is flawless for comedy. Crawford is more known as a cop in the 1950's Highway Patrol, but as con Jug Martin, he cuts it up pretty well with Robinson. Jane Wyman whose married to 3rd Husband Ronald Reagan at this point, is pleasant in this film. For Wyman this is already her 55th role in a busy career.
The plot has to do with ex-cons planning to go from the basement of a luggage store underground to a bank vault and steal plenty of money. What happens instead is by accident and a lot of help they become successful businessmen on the up and up.
The important thing here is the laughs with a great script and capable cast.
Robinson is great at comedies, as he did several of them and all of them are quite funny. He seems to have a straight face mobster type of character yet his timing is flawless for comedy. Crawford is more known as a cop in the 1950's Highway Patrol, but as con Jug Martin, he cuts it up pretty well with Robinson. Jane Wyman whose married to 3rd Husband Ronald Reagan at this point, is pleasant in this film. For Wyman this is already her 55th role in a busy career.
The plot has to do with ex-cons planning to go from the basement of a luggage store underground to a bank vault and steal plenty of money. What happens instead is by accident and a lot of help they become successful businessmen on the up and up.
The important thing here is the laughs with a great script and capable cast.