Wealthy Sydney Greenstreet poses as his gardener and buys into a gas station with Dane Clark out of shear boredom and decides to play matchmaker with Clark and his pretty daughter, Martha Vickers. But when Greensteret and Clark get into trouble with the law, thanks to the machinations of a protection racket, Greenstreet has lots of 'splannin' to do as his true identity is revealed.
Clark and Vickers are a well-matched screen team, and Greenstreet is perfect in the role of meddling matchmaker usually essayed by Charles Coburn. This old mister fix-it role is a part that goes back to the silent days, and has been the stock in trade of such other actors as George Arliss, Lionel Barrymore and Edward Arnold for years. Greenstreet is very good, particularly in scenes where he fights his butler, doctor, and other advisers who try and control him for the benefits of his health. Alan Hale has a good small role as Greenstreet's gardener who is the only person around him (other than Clark) who just lets him be and doesn't try to control his diet or other desires.
The comedy moves a bit slowly at times and almost seems like a rip-off of "The Devil and Miss Jones" (1941, Jean Arthur and Charles Coburn). It's innocuous entertainment that is fine if you're not familiar with the formula, but may be dull if you are. Still, it's unoffensive and sometimes amusing.
Clark and Vickers are a well-matched screen team, and Greenstreet is perfect in the role of meddling matchmaker usually essayed by Charles Coburn. This old mister fix-it role is a part that goes back to the silent days, and has been the stock in trade of such other actors as George Arliss, Lionel Barrymore and Edward Arnold for years. Greenstreet is very good, particularly in scenes where he fights his butler, doctor, and other advisers who try and control him for the benefits of his health. Alan Hale has a good small role as Greenstreet's gardener who is the only person around him (other than Clark) who just lets him be and doesn't try to control his diet or other desires.
The comedy moves a bit slowly at times and almost seems like a rip-off of "The Devil and Miss Jones" (1941, Jean Arthur and Charles Coburn). It's innocuous entertainment that is fine if you're not familiar with the formula, but may be dull if you are. Still, it's unoffensive and sometimes amusing.