Main Cast: Charlie Ruggles, Mary Boland, George Burns, W.C. Fields, Gracie Allen
Release Year: 1934
Country: US
Run Time: 62 minutes
Plot
The "six" are Charlie Ruggles, Mary Boland, George Burns, Gracie Allen, W.C. Fields, and Alison Skipworth, who star in this cross-country comedy. Planning a motor vacation to California, J. Pinkham Whinney (Ruggles) and Flora Whinney (Boland) advertise for a couple to help drive and share expenses. That couple turns out to be George Edwards (Burns) and Gracie De Vore (Allen), accompanied by Allen's surly Great Dane. Whinney is driven to near-insanity by Edwards' intrusiveness and stupidity, but the worst is yet to come: thanks to a crooked co-worker, Whinney has been accused of stealing bank funds and is now an unwitting fugitive from justice. Sheriff Hoxley (W.C. Fields, who spends a priceless ten minutes explaining why he's called "Honest John") joins forces with hotel proprietor Mrs. "Duchess" K. Rumford (Alison Skipworth) in hopes of capturing Whinney and claiming the reward. After a zany night of everybody in the cast running in and out of hotel rooms, the real crook is captured and Whinney and Flora prepare to enjoy what's left of their vacation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Six of a Kind has all the ingredients for a classic comedy -- six comedic actors of considerable repute, a director (Leo McCarey) who helmed a number of laugh-out-loud films, and a premise that is ripe for mining laughs. Unfortunately, the results, while amusing, are also rather disappointing. A large portion of the blame rests with George Burns and Gracie Allen. Although this famous team was much beloved on radio and TV, their motion picture appearances were a variable lot -- and this is not one of their better jobs. Partially, it's the jokes, which are not as funny as they need to be, but a greater problem is that the two aren't framed properly, especially Allen, and so end up being more often annoying than amusing. The episodic script also is not as sharp as it needs to be, and McCarey's direction is a bit off. Fortunately, Six does have one true classic routine, W.C. Fields' incredible pool routine, one of the finest bits of comedy ever put on film. Fields is in fine form throughout, as is the ever-enjoyable Alison Skipworth as his partner. And Mary Boland and Charlie Ruggles are as delightful as always, which is saying quite a bit. These four help lift Six out of its rut; if they can't get it to soar, they at least keep it moving along enjoyably. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Alison Skipworth - Mrs. "Duchess" K. Rumford; Bradley Page - Ferguson; Grace Bradley - Trixie; William J. Kelly - A.B. Gillette; James Burke - Sparks; Dick Rush - Steele; Walter Long - Butch; Leo Willis - Mike; Lew Kelly - Joe; Tammany Young - Dr. Busby; Phil Tead - Newspaper Accountant; William Augustin - Cop; Irving Bacon - Hotel Desk Clerk; Harry Bernard - Eyeshade Man; Kathleen Burke - Woman; Neal Burns - Bank President's Secretary; Martin Faust - Porter; Verna Hillie - Bank Safety Deposit Clerk; Sam Lufkin - Hotel Clerk, Glen Falls; Bob McKenzie - Good Time Charlie; George C. Pearce - Tourist; Lee Phelps - Airline Official; Alfred P. James - Tom; Phil Dunham - Drunk; Florence Enright - Tourist's Wife
