A lot of people seem to think that if a film has some humor in it, then it's a comedy. I quite disagree, and this film is a good example. Yes, there's a goodly share of humor here, but really, the film is a fantasy. It's sort of a different take on the old time travel theme, although here it's only a 24 hour trip for a newspaper reporter who gets into some odd adventures through reading the next day's newspaper today (got it?). But rather than call it a comedy, I prefer to look at it as a story that doesn't take itself too seriously.
What makes this picture work so well is the cast. Reportedly, Cary Grant was wanted for the lead, and I certainly can see him in it. But Dick Powell does very nicely. Personally, the Powell films of this time period are improving as he moved from light comedy into drama; you might say that for him this was a transitional piece.
I've never thought much of Linda Darnell, but she does quite nicely here as the corny female half of a fortune telling act, and as the love interest for Powell.
Jack Oakie is quite entertaining as the uncle of Darnell, and the other half of the fortune telling act.
A number of familiar faces fill in the supporting cases, including Edgar Kennedy, but I found John Philliber -- who brings the future newspapers to Powell -- to be most interesting here. I wasn't at all familiar with him, but apparently he did more work in the theatre than in films.
This is a very entertaining film. Recommended. You'll have a few laughs, but if you think about it, it's NOT exactly a comedy.
What makes this picture work so well is the cast. Reportedly, Cary Grant was wanted for the lead, and I certainly can see him in it. But Dick Powell does very nicely. Personally, the Powell films of this time period are improving as he moved from light comedy into drama; you might say that for him this was a transitional piece.
I've never thought much of Linda Darnell, but she does quite nicely here as the corny female half of a fortune telling act, and as the love interest for Powell.
Jack Oakie is quite entertaining as the uncle of Darnell, and the other half of the fortune telling act.
A number of familiar faces fill in the supporting cases, including Edgar Kennedy, but I found John Philliber -- who brings the future newspapers to Powell -- to be most interesting here. I wasn't at all familiar with him, but apparently he did more work in the theatre than in films.
This is a very entertaining film. Recommended. You'll have a few laughs, but if you think about it, it's NOT exactly a comedy.