A vacation in the mountains goes awry for frazzled husband Robert Benchley who heads out to nature with a few buddies and an Indian guide who insists that the man so hungry that he could eat a horse will eat beans, and like it. They are stranded indoors and prevented from fishing because of non- stop downpours. It's only moderately funny, rather staid compared to the others in the series. Still, Benchley's delivery is always amusing and that's what counts. This gives us the moral of the story that never leave the wife out of the vacation plans, and always go where she wants to. After all, women do stick together, even if, according to Benchley, one of the women is a mystical creature that only pops in mysteriously at the most inopportune time.
2 Reviews
Another Nice Benchley Short
Michael_Elliott1 May 2011
How to Take a Vaction (1941)
*** (out of 4)
Robert Benchley made several "How to..." movies while at MGM but this one here comes from Paramount, although it follows the same path as those made by him previous studio. This time out Benchley is invited to a cabin in the mountains by a couple friends so he must try to get his wife to left him go. Once in the cabin it does nothing but rain while Benchley explains why vacations are so good even if everything on the screen is going against what he says. This short actually turned out to be one of the best in the series because of how well written the situation and dialogue was. I thought the narration hit all the right marks and I really found most of it funny especially one sequence when Benchley tells us about the wonderful food man can eat while in the mountains yet he doesn't realize that his cook is just making beans out of a can. Another funny sequence happens when the three friends decide to play cards with their Indian guide who knows a few more things than they do. There's no question that some of the jokes fall flat on their face but for the most part the film moves at a very good pace with nice laughs never too far apart. Benchley once again is in fine form as long as you can put up with his style of humor and Ruth Lee is back again as his wife and does a fine job as well.
*** (out of 4)
Robert Benchley made several "How to..." movies while at MGM but this one here comes from Paramount, although it follows the same path as those made by him previous studio. This time out Benchley is invited to a cabin in the mountains by a couple friends so he must try to get his wife to left him go. Once in the cabin it does nothing but rain while Benchley explains why vacations are so good even if everything on the screen is going against what he says. This short actually turned out to be one of the best in the series because of how well written the situation and dialogue was. I thought the narration hit all the right marks and I really found most of it funny especially one sequence when Benchley tells us about the wonderful food man can eat while in the mountains yet he doesn't realize that his cook is just making beans out of a can. Another funny sequence happens when the three friends decide to play cards with their Indian guide who knows a few more things than they do. There's no question that some of the jokes fall flat on their face but for the most part the film moves at a very good pace with nice laughs never too far apart. Benchley once again is in fine form as long as you can put up with his style of humor and Ruth Lee is back again as his wife and does a fine job as well.
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