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| A surprisingly racy poster, considering Reagan and Lynn don't share a bed. |
Universal
April 5, 1951
Comedy
DVD
C+
This isn't as bad as its reputation but neither is it an under-rated gem. Reagan isn't plausible as a psychology professor who blames environment on crime, or really as a romantic lead (at least in this movie), but he's serviceable, especially since he mostly has to act mad at a "monkey." (Like just about all '50s and '60s movie "monkeys," it's a chimp.) The then-40-year-old-but-passing-for-maybe-30 is paired with a nanny played by Diana Lynn (then 24 but still recognizable as the lovably clear-headed kid sister in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek). The best comedic performances here are from then-not-so-old reliables Herb Vigran and Jesse "Maytag Repairman" White, both playing cops in this movie and showing up on just about every sitcom for the next two decades after. Note that the movie contains a reference to Harvey, which came out the previous December. And this story inspired 1965's Monkey's Uncle, which I also gave a C+ (https://reviewingeverymovieiown.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-monkeys-uncle.html)
Frederick De Cordova directed this film, which is part of the reason that Johnny Carson used to mock the movie on The Tonight Show, which De Cordova produced. That and "Ronald Reegan" (as the trailer pronounces it) went on to a career in politics.
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