I guess this was considered "hilarious" back in 1938 but I don't it would be thought of that way today. It's a good example of how humor changes through the decades. A lot of comedies from the "classic era" sound really corny and stupid to us today. I imagine folks will say the same 60 years from now about today's humor.
That isn't to say there aren't some funny moments in this movie. There are, but just not as many as I was expecting after reading the "hype" about the film. The story centers around a crook, "Remy Marco" (Edward G. Robinson supposedly spoofing his role as "Rico" in the 1930 movie "Little Caesar.") Marco is in the bootlegging business. He refers to himself in the third person all the time. When prohibition ends, "Marco" goes legit with his beer business. What he doesn't realize, because he never tastes the stuff, is that his beer stinks. Once the public has more of a choice on what to drink, his brewery sales go down the tubes.
The movie has many sidebars, if you will, such as a big heist, four dead guys in his house, a wise-guy orphan kid taken into Marco's house, Marco's daughter marrying a state trooper, on and on. Those keep things lively.
There are lots of wild and wacky scenes so I can see why this probably was a fun movie for the folks back in the '30s and even for some people today. It is entertaining, I have to give it that, but a little bit too dated for me.
That isn't to say there aren't some funny moments in this movie. There are, but just not as many as I was expecting after reading the "hype" about the film. The story centers around a crook, "Remy Marco" (Edward G. Robinson supposedly spoofing his role as "Rico" in the 1930 movie "Little Caesar.") Marco is in the bootlegging business. He refers to himself in the third person all the time. When prohibition ends, "Marco" goes legit with his beer business. What he doesn't realize, because he never tastes the stuff, is that his beer stinks. Once the public has more of a choice on what to drink, his brewery sales go down the tubes.
The movie has many sidebars, if you will, such as a big heist, four dead guys in his house, a wise-guy orphan kid taken into Marco's house, Marco's daughter marrying a state trooper, on and on. Those keep things lively.
There are lots of wild and wacky scenes so I can see why this probably was a fun movie for the folks back in the '30s and even for some people today. It is entertaining, I have to give it that, but a little bit too dated for me.