THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
US, 1949, 102 minutes, Colour.
Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates, Elsa Lanchester, Gene Lockhart, Alan Hale, Rhys Williams.
Directed by Henry Koster.
The Inspector General is one of Danny Kaye’s funniest films. After appearing on stage in the United States, he moved into films with Up in Arms, Wonder Man, A Song is Born and, most successfully, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. He was to make a series of amusing films during the 1950s as well as appear as Hans Christian Andersen.
The film was loosely based on Nikolai Gogol’s play which was filmed in the Czech Republic in 1933, in Russia in 1952 and in Egypt in 1965. It is a film of mistaken identity. The real inspector general is Rhys Williams and Danny Kaye appears as a tramp, Georgi, who is mistaken for the inspector general and feted and feasted by the corrupt mayor. Barbara Bates is the romantic interest and Elsa Lanchester and Walter Slezak enjoy themselves in eccentric character roles.
The film was directed by German-born Henry Koster who moved from Germany to avoid Nazism and began to direct films in the United States in the 1930s including a number of Deanna Durbin films. After some comedies in the 1940s including Music for Millions, The Bishop’s Wife, The Luck of the Irish, he moved into some serious film-making as well as comedies at 20th Century-Fox? in the 1950s and was then chosen to direct the first Cinemascope film, The Robe. He directed a number of Fox Cinemascope films including Desiree, A Man Called Peter, The Virgin Queen, Good Morning Miss Dove and D-Day?, the Sixth of June. During the 1960s he directed several comedies with James Stewart, Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation, Take Her She’s Mine, Dear Brigitte. His final film was The Singing Nun.
1. The impact of a Danny Kaye comedy? How enjoyable?
2. Comment on the particular features of a Danny Kaye comedy and his style? The little man, the laughs, the honesty, the poverty, mistakes, mistaken identity, heroism forced on him, his heroism rewarded? The particular mystique of the Little Man, as illustrated here?
3. A comedy of the late forties, colour, costumes and décor? styles of laughter, song and dance? The impact now?
4. The Russian origins of the story? An entertaining adaptation of a classic story for the 20th century comedian? How effective?
5. The presentation of the social background: Russia, the 19th century, the Napoleonic wars, political corruption, government, snobbery of the aristocracy, the oppression of the poor? How interestingly explored?
6. Touring Russia? The elixir and its promises? Napoleon’s signature? Tricking the people, the vengeance of the people, prison?
7. The character of George: the initial presentation as a comedian, taking part in the advertising, his honesty, fear of prison, charm, honesty as the Inspector General, heroism, winning the heroine?
8. The character of Jacob as a mountebank, taking advantage of George, taking advantage of the citizens and the mayor?
9. How convincingly was the Mayor portrayed? His hold over his relatives? His wife and her snobbery? The real Inspector General and his friend? The serving girl?
10. The high points of the film and the impact of e.g. the elixir sequence and the banquet, the acrobatics?
11. How are values explored and communicated via comedy?
