So You Think the Grass Is Greener (1956) User Reviews

McDoakes and the Bombshell

[Michael_Elliott · 11 February 2011]

So You Think the Grass is Greener (1956)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Joe McDoakes (George O'Hanlon) is growing tired of his wife constantly nagging at him and while at work he can't help wonder what it would be like married to a blonde bombshell. "Bad Joe" then appears and grants his wishes and Joe gets to see what it's like on the other side of the fence. This later-day entry in the series certainly isn't a masterpiece but there are enough big laughs to make it worth sitting through. These big laughs are mainly in the first half and we get one of the best laughs in the series as Joe is at the table with the paper hiding himself from Alice who keeps on barking orders. I won't spoil what happens in the big twist but it's hilarious. Another great joke comes when Joe is at work and the sexy blonde (Joi Lansing) begins to flirt. Joe's breakdown at work is another very funny moment. The second half of the film deals with Joe being married to the blonde who turns out to be a drunk who stays in bed without making him any breakfast. The jokes here are rather lame and aren't nearly as funny as they should have been but this doesn't keep the short from being worth watching. As usual, O'Hanlon is in great form and Lansing is a doll as well as she was becoming a regular in these later entries.

A great film to show to all newly married men!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 21 February 2018]

This installment of Joe McDoakes is actually not all that funny and yet it's one of the best...pretty strange considering that they are comedies!

The story begins with Alice nagging Joe unmercifully. Once at work, Joe begins to lust after one of the very pretty ladies at work*...and he lets his mind wander about her and her sexy figure. Suddenly, Joe's Guardian ANGLE (yes, angle not angel) arrives to show Joe what life would be like if he continues wondering about life with this sexy co-worker. What follows is a great bit of insight into what life would be like if he divorced and re-married....and I really wish guys would watch this before they ever considered this alternative. Plus, the short might be a great film to show folks in a young married group...to inoculate them against the temptation to seek fulfillment with another woman!

Well made and an interesting plot, that's for sure! Sadly, the real life George O'Hanlon who played Joe McDoakes should have learned from this lesson but ended up married three times.

*Joi Lansing was one of the most beautiful women of her era. Sadly, she died awfully young.

Required Viewing Pre Marriage

[redryan64 · 10/10 · 28 February 2016]

WE RECALL THAT Art Linkletter once on his afternoon daytime CBS TV network show asked a school child on the show's obligatory kiddie interview segment just what the famous saying about "Grass Always Looks Greener On Other Side Of Fence" meant. It was (we believe) a young girl who replied; "It means that they use better fertilizer."

BUT WE DIGRESS. This entry into the MC DOAKES series used the magic potion of the fantasy movie to expand the perimeters of the series. As a sort of MC DOAKESIAN answer to the HERE COMES MR. JORDAN/IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE variety of story lines. They do an excellent job of providing so many opportunities for Joe (George O'Hanlon) to do another character with his other self. He's even presented as his own Guardian Angel.

BUT THIS WOULD not have been enough without providing us with some scenery to show us the relevance of the title and subsequent screen story. This did in the person of starlet, Joi Lansing. She had already been in multiple episodes.

TO US THE most remarkable aspect of this short was the creativity displayed in bringing the viewer some very bizarre, surrealistic and even disturbing dream sequences. They could have been the work of a Salvador Dali or a Rod Serling!

REALLY, HONEST, SCOUTS Honor; we wouldn't kid you about this, Schultz!