Some time ago I caught Joe E. Brown in another baseball flick, "Elmer the Great". His character Elmer in that one was quite arrogant, and not at all the way I remembered Brown from flicks I caught as a kid back in the Fifties. In "Alibi Ike", Brown brings back that old time magic for me, right down to that siren like "Heeeyyyyy" whenever he gets into a tight spot. And then there's that fantastic double triple loopy windmill windup he makes when setting up to pitch. Man, I could have used that delivery as a Little Leaguer to confound the opposing batters.
In both baseball flicks, Brown's character winds up on the Chicago Cubs, this time by way of Sauk Center. I guess we've all run across someone at one time or another who makes excuses for just about everything, but with Frank X. Farrell (Brown), he just never gives it a rest. Most of the time I had to wonder why too, because a lot of the situations on screen were slice of life stuff, like buying an engagement ring. I guess Ike was so much into the Alibi persona he just couldn't quit. Speaking of which, that was quite the double talk line he threw at the jeweler; I don't remember Brown ever using that before.
After a false start with his gal Dolly, Farrell rises to the occasion on both the ball field and in the romance department. Some of the baseball stuff is just plain silly, like calling all the players around to the pitcher's mound while Ike strikes out the side. There's also a brief interlude involving mobsters attempting to get Ike to 'throw' some games, but it's done somewhat haphazardly and blows by without much consequence. It's the physical comedy that entertains, along with Joe E. Brown's unique facials that make "Alibi Ike" a fun diversion.
In both baseball flicks, Brown's character winds up on the Chicago Cubs, this time by way of Sauk Center. I guess we've all run across someone at one time or another who makes excuses for just about everything, but with Frank X. Farrell (Brown), he just never gives it a rest. Most of the time I had to wonder why too, because a lot of the situations on screen were slice of life stuff, like buying an engagement ring. I guess Ike was so much into the Alibi persona he just couldn't quit. Speaking of which, that was quite the double talk line he threw at the jeweler; I don't remember Brown ever using that before.
After a false start with his gal Dolly, Farrell rises to the occasion on both the ball field and in the romance department. Some of the baseball stuff is just plain silly, like calling all the players around to the pitcher's mound while Ike strikes out the side. There's also a brief interlude involving mobsters attempting to get Ike to 'throw' some games, but it's done somewhat haphazardly and blows by without much consequence. It's the physical comedy that entertains, along with Joe E. Brown's unique facials that make "Alibi Ike" a fun diversion.