Mr. Washington Goes to Town (1942)

African-American comedian Mantan Moreland was a great presence of Golden Age Hollywood cinema. Under-appreciated by some, he's gained a considerable following in recent years, myself included! He appeared in well over a hundred movies, often as a supporting man, but always providing laughs, and a distinctive presence...

Schenectady Washington is a down on his luck bum, currently in jail with his friend Wallingford, when he is told of the passing of distant relative Utica, who has left him the Grand Hotel Ethiopia. Unfortunately the hotel was also left with a looming mortgage. Utica was famously loaded, yet never used any banks, and a scheming associate and his lawyer snoop around to take the money and business for themselves. Meanwhile, Washington and his friend deal with the day-to-day running of hotel life, trying not to lose their minds or life in the process...

Not to be confused with Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (which sure makes this a hard film to google!), Mr. Washington Goes to Town is a film that I thought was lost! I looked high and low for it, along with other Mantan flicks that sound just great! Well sometimes miracles do happen, because it's recently been uncovered for all the world to see, and it lives up to everything I could've hoped!

The plot is basic, set mostly in the one location. It never tries to be complex or anything, it's just a cute little movie. It's often funny, and there are some great comedy setpieces. They are set up very well, with sometimes hilarious payoff. There's even a chase scene right out of Scooby Doo!

The film has a strong cast of characters. Sche...Sch...Schenectady is a hapless and clumsy guy, endearingly so. Despite being the hotel's manager, it's his friend who takes up higher duties while he's stuck as the bellboy. Well, the uniform does look good on him! Wallingford is the straight man, and is ok, even if he gets less to do.

The villains are banker Brutus Blake (also the villain in another Mantan comedy Lucky Ghost), and his lawyer Blackstone. They get some fun moments. Unfortunately they never really interact much with the leads, nor do much villainous, beyond trying to steal the treasure from under the hotel's nose. Brutus' wife is also in the mix, doggedly trying to get as much alimony from her soon-to-be ex as she can.

The staff include a a ditzy maid, and a beautician who's quite friendly with Washington...but is also carrying on with Brutus! The film never comments on it, but she must have a shifty streak to her! It's surprising when she's otherwise played sweet. She does push her luck too far in a funny bit of comeuppance.

The hotel seems a little quiet at first, but this is soon made up for with plenty of guests, each kookier than the last. There's a magician, a devious invisible man who tricks everyone around him, a showman and his light-fingered gorilla partner, and a knife thrower who thinks he's a better knife thrower than he is. This is just to name a few, and  they make for good one/few-scene wonders.

The dialogue is a real hoot, and very quotable.

"I'd rather freeze to death in Florida than drown to death in California."

"My stomach ain't got no memory."

"You ain't only impossible, but improbable!"

Lawyer: "We can get ahold of that place if we use diplomacy."-Brutus: "If we use who?...I told you I didn't want no third party mixed up in this deal!"

"Cleo's the name. I'm a beautician"-Washington: "You don't say so! You is a Beautician? How do you like America?", as well as some amusing follow-up lines.

There's also a mention of Gandhi, which was surprising for an old American movie, particularly since he was still alive when this was made!

The climax is a manic free-for-all, followed by a last minute mad dash to find the treasure, before the sudden reveal that...it was all a dream. You're kidding me! Again?! I was briefly pissed off about this, especially at the lack of resolution. The bad guy probably gets the hotel, and the safe is left unopened with no treasure found. But as soon as I stopped and thought, it actually made perfect sense! Let's be real, this wasn't exactly a normal film! There are invisible men, comedy gorillas, and headless ghosts! Of course it's all a dream! And who knows, Washington is still headed for the hotel, so maybe reality will play out much the same, but less harried.

The cast here is a good one. Moreland is great as usual, getting across all his classic mannerisms and deliveries, with a great physicality. He turns the simple act of speaking into a riot, particularly his final combination lines. F.E. Miller is a good straight man, and has decent chemistry with his co-star.

Macaeo B. Sheffield and Arthur Ray are a fun villainous double act, while both of Mantan's cinematic love interests are back. Marguerite Whitten is a sight for sore eyes, while Florence O'Brien gives a better performance than in Lucky Ghost, and just as many funny head shakes. There's also Zerita Steptean as the domineering wife, giving three spunky black actresses!

The set is a well designed one, bringing life to the location. While the effects are fun! The invisible man's vanishing act is done with simple cuts, as are other moments, but it's handled well. The gorilla is obviously a suit, as with all old Hollywood flicks, but it's a fun costume. And when there's the headless man. You can tell how it's done, and the head looks amusingly fake in close-ups, but it's still neat to watch, and it's a well-made fake head!

Mr. Washington Goes to Town is a great example of what happens when you throw a bunch of classic black talent into a set for a week and see what happens. It's a fun time, and a good historical watch...