This is a very pleasant picture with a terrific cast. But it has one glaring problem - the comedy sequences are weak at best. D.D. Beauchamp wrote the story and screenplay. Beauchamp had previously written Universal's THE WISTFUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP, but on that picture he had help from the excellent Bob Lees and Fred Rinaldo, as well as Abbott & Costello specialist John Grant. On FEUDIN', Beauchamp was all alone and the comedy sequences are flat as a pancake. In fact, the "gimick" that is employed in the race finale is also very weak. Nor was the director, George Sherman, particularly strong on comedy. His specialty was oaters (of which this is indeed one). The strength of the picture is to be found in the personalities of O'Connor, Main and Kilbride (not playing the Kettles). O'Connor's dance routines are a nice diversion and I'm sure nobody cared that "Me and My Shadow" was written long after this picture is supposed to take place. This could have been a very, very good picture if only there had been some comedy experts on the job. But Universal had recently changed hands and Messrs. Spitz and Goetz were miserly on their non-prestige products. Even Joe Besser has virtually nothing to do that exploited his many comic talents. If you enjoyed this picture, do yourself a favor and seek out THE WISTFUL WIDOW OF WAGON GAP. You'll have a really good time with that one.
Review of Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
