Movie Review: The Inspector General (1949)

Hello, everyone!

I hope that you are all having a nice September so far! It has been very rainy here, which I love because I can sit inside and write movie reviews...

For today I thought I'd review a comedy with the famous star Danny Kaye! I hope you enjoy!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

The Inspector General (1949):

Based on: Suggested by a play by Nikolai Gogol.
"'To whom it may concern.' What a silly way to start a letter."
After a fake travelling salesman is found out, his assistant, Georgi, has no where to go. Hungry and thirsty, he arrives in town and gets thrown in jail just because they are "cleaning up". The jailers accidentally get the idea that he is the inspector general, who is going from town to town making sure things are in order! Georgi confused, agrees because he is so hungry. His greedy former boss, Yakov, who knows that he is a fraud, convinces him that if the people find out he isn't real they will kill him. Georgi likes a girl that he has met here, and actually wants to help, but what will happen if the people try to get rid of him?
"Things are not as bad as you thought, oh no, they are much worse."

Genre: Comedy.

Length: approx. 102 minutes.

Costumes: 7, a few are a little low, but there are some pretty fancy ones!

My favorite: I like one of Leza's that is blue, but this red one is nice, too!

Script: 10, no bad words!
"Maybe I can't read or write, but I'm not illiterate."

Crew:

Directed by: Henry Koster.

Written by: Philip Rapp, Harry Kurnitz, & Nikolai Gogol.

Starring:
Danny Kaye as Georgi.

Walter Slezak as Yakov.
Barbara Bates as Leza.

Gene Lockhart as The Mayor.

Alan Hale as Kovatch.

Walter Catlett as Colonel Castine.

Elsa Lanchester as Maria.
Rhys Williams as Inspector General.

Cinematography: 7, just regular.

Cinematography by: Elwood Bredell.

Music: 8.

Music by: Sylvia Fine (lyrics and music) & Johnny Green (score).

Quotes: 8, "We shall see what we shall see."

Notes: There are a few Hamlet references.

Storyline: 7, there is drinking, and some suggestive things (thanks, Maria).

Good For: People who like Danny Kaye (that's me), people who like comedies.

Age Range: Any age would like it, I think! The first time I watched it I was with my 90+ year old grandma, she liked it, and I liked it, too!

Overall Score: 8.

Bonus thoughts:
My favorite thing about this movie is definitely Danny Kaye. He is so great to watch, and super funny! I love the part where he imagines giving himself advice. The romance between Leza and Georgi is very sweet, too.


Thanks for reading! Have any of you seen this?

MovieCritic