THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S clips

[Brent Walker]

Last night I watched a movie I saw when it came out and hadn't seen since (41 years later), THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S. Besides doing a fairly decent job of capturing an era, and offering the likes of Norman Wisdom, Bert Lahr, Herbie Faye and "Old Philosopher" Eddie Lawrence, there were a few silent film and newsreel clips interspersed.

I saw a flash of Charley Chase in BROMO AND JULIET, and what looked like it might be SGT. HOFMEYER. However, it looked like it might have been Gordon Griffith in the kiddie racer, rather than Paul Jacobs, and since I was too tired to rewind (or dig for my tape of SGT. HOFMEYER) it might even have even been the Keystone Kiddie film THE RACE.

At the beginning montage, there was a building climber with his back to the camera wearing a white shirt that read "Safety Last Inc." I assume this might have been Bill Strother, and that might have been a climb he did post SAFETY LAST.

[Richard M Roberts]

Last night I watched a movie I saw when it came out and hadn't seen since (41 years later), THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S. Besides doing a fairly decent job of capturing an era, and offering the likes of Norman Wisdom, Bert Lahr, Herbie Faye and "Old Philosopher" Eddie Lawrence, there were a few silent film and newsreel clips interspersed.

I saw a flash of Charley Chase in BROMO AND JULIET, and what looked like it might be SGT. HOFMEYER. However, it looked like it might have been Gordon Griffith in the kiddie racer, rather than Paul Jacobs, and since I was too tired to rewind (or dig for my tape of SGT. HOFMEYER) it might even have even been the Keystone Kiddie film THE RACE.

At the beginning montage, there was a building climber with his back to the camera wearing a white shirt that read "Safety Last Inc." I assume this might have been Bill Strother, and that might have been a climb he did post SAFETY LAST.

I've always loved this flm. I remember the Chase clip, but I don;t recall the Kiddie race footage as being anything but newsreel looking. I'll pull my print or video copy and take a look (even though Ralph Rosenblum's stroby editing and title sequence is my least favorite thing about the film).

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Brent Walker]

It was quite a contrast watching Jason Robards steal the show, obviously having a blast playing the cad of a straight man, only months after seeing his father underwhelm the screen opposite Sally Eilers and Thelma Todd in TRIAL MARRIAGE at Cinecon. Though Jason Sr. was miscast in TRIAL MARRIAGE, and was better later as a character actor in talkies than a silent film lead, the Robards is definitely a case where talent level went up with the next generation.

[Gary Johnson]

I always found Alan Alda's dad rather underwhelming.
Was George Gershwin really that bland in real life?

Gary J.

[Richard M Roberts]

It was quite a contrast watching Jason Robards steal the show, obviously having a blast playing the cad of a straight man, only months after seeing his father underwhelm the screen opposite Sally Eilers and Thelma Todd in TRIAL MARRIAGE at Cinecon. Though Jason Sr. was miscast in TRIAL MARRIAGE, and was better later as a character actor in talkies than a silent film lead, the Robards is definitely a case where talent level went up with the next generation.

Jason Robards Sr was a very good actor, the problem in TRIAL MARRIAGE was that he had the thankless part, he dumps Thelma Todd for Sally Eilers, then is too stupid and haughty to realize Sally Eilers is on the level with him, what audience member is going to sympathize with anyone that dense? Robards Sr 's problem was that he took these kind of parts and played them earnestly, and these kind of actors tend to go down with the ship when the films a stinker. I call it Richard Burton syndrome.

Jason Robards Jr is terrific in MINSKYS, he sings ans dances, and holds his own with a hyper-scene stealer like Norman Wisdom. But the truly brilliant five-minutes of that film is Jack Burns as the Candy-Butcher. If anyone was ever truly born to play that part.

RICHARD M ROBERTS