Down Missouri Way (1946)

As Good As It Gets

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

A PRC production means that whatever the premise, it's going to get bottom of the barrel treatment. Actually, the premise here of a movie-making crew worming their way onto an Ozark location shoot is a good one. So it could be Hollywood sophistication versus hillbilly guile if handled correctly. There's some of that, but mostly its forgettable songs (except for the title tune) and dumbed down humor. Also, about every hillbilly stereotype makes an appearance, including Mabel Todd as a Judy Canova-type rural clown. Then too, the movie's concept of a performing mule (Shirley!), may have inspired the highly successful series of the 1950's, 'Francis, the Talking Mule'. But I confess to rather liking the movie, warts and all. There's an underlying good feeling to the nonsense, along with the best joyful hayride sequence that I've seen. Sure, it's bottom of the barrel production values, but the 70-minutes does manage a dollop of charm despite itself. Besides, where else can you catch that cadaverous menace John Carradine actually warble a few notes in his graveyard baritone.

I wasn't around when this travesty came out, but that's a plus really. This isn't a western programmer, but a boring, silly musical comedy. Please! Who thought up this mess? This has to be the worst programmer ever made, by far....bad acting, bad singing, bad songs, silly comedy, simply awful.Eddie Dean was a good singer and a terrible actor, with only passable looks and no charisma whatsoever. He must have loved doing this one, however, since it didn't require him to look like a tough guy, which was impossible, in his case. According to what I've read, this was one of the last of the programmers, which might explain why it was made in the first place.....drag little boys into the theater to see a shoot-'em-up, and sing to 'em. Poor kids wasted their money on this stupid turkey.Fortunately, I only wasted an hour of my time on this film, but still....Johnboy

I'm in shock! I'm watching "Down Missouri Way," from Grade Z studio, Producers Releasing Corporation, aka PRC - and what I can't believe is how much fun, how well written and acted and how professionally produced this delightful, light comedy musical actually is. This is a fun little movie.Martha O'Driscoll owns a special mule that director John Carradine (great as a ham's ham) absolutely must have for his latest film production. It's a thin premise, but who cares. What's important is that heroine O'Driscoll gets her guy, Producer William Wright. PRC cowboy star Eddie Dean, in a co-starring role here gets his girl, funny gal Mabel Todd (who was married to her one-time comedy team partner Morey Amsterdam).Happiness reigns. Fun little film guaranteed to chase your blues away.

That doesn't mean this isn't a terrible movie, though. Carradine gives a (deliberately) hammy performance as a film director trying to make a hillbilly movie in the Ozarks. (He seems to be doing a spot-on imitation of his mentor/idol, John Barrymore.) Just about everything else in this mess is done poorly, though there are a couple of songs that are tolerable (at least, the first time they're sung--the best of them is repeated about four times). The people you've heard of, such as Martha O'Driscoll, make you wonder how they ever got careers. The others make you wonder why they even got this chance! There's a mule that's supposed to be quite talented, but I missed any glimpses of any special ability. There's a moment of Carradine singing during a hayride, and it's interesting, though mainly for the forced enjoyment on the old boy's face. This one is barely tolerable for the avid Carradine fanatic, others should do themselves a favor and have jaw surgery instead.