A Connecticut Yankee *** (1931, Will Rogers, Myrna Loy, Maureen O’Sullivan) – Classic Movie Review 12,081

Director David Butler’s 1931 Fox Film Corporation black and white comedy A Connecticut Yankee is based on Mark Twain’s 1889 novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and stars Will Rogers, Myrna Loy and Maureen O’Sullivan.

Will Rogers has a big hit as Mark Twain’s Connecticut Yankee, a wireless shop owner called Hank Martin, transported back in time to King Arthur’s court in a reverie after being bashed on the head by a toppled suit of armour. In Camelot, he is welcomed by King Arthur (William Farnum) and can use his modern technical knowledge to stop Morgana le Fay (Myrna Loy) and Merlin (Brandon Hurst) from taking over.

Director David Butler’s 1931 movie is pleasantly daft and easy going, with the part tailor-made for popular homespun star Rogers, who is exuberantly amusing. There is just room left for Myrna Loy as the evil Morgana le Fay, William Farnum as Arthur and Brandon Hurst) as Merlin to make a delightful impression too.

The screenplay by William M Conselman, Owen Davis and Jack Moffitt slightly struggles in places, particularly at the muffled ending, but the film is mostly genial and ingratiating. Maureen O’Sullivan and Frank Albertson are wasted as the young lovers.

It runs 95 minutes or 85 minutes on the 1936 re-release, but the cut version runs to 78 minutes.

The hero’s name is changed from Hank Morgan to Hank Martin.

Many of the actors play more than one role, a character in the real world and one in the dream world, as with The Wizard of Oz.

Fox had produced the 1921 silent adaptation of the novel, but this is the first sound film adaptation of Twain’s novel.

The cast are Will Rogers as Hank Martin, William Farnum as King Arthur/ Inventor, Frank Albertson as Emile le Poulet/ Clarence, Maureen O’Sullivan as Alisande/ Woman in Mansion, Brandon Hurst as Merlin/ Doctor in Mansion, Myrna Loy as Morgana le Fay/ Evil Sister in Mansion, Mitchell Harris as Sagramor/ Butler in Mansion, Heinie Conklin as Sneezing Man, Ralph W Bell, Ward Bond, Rosina Lawrence, and Ivan Linow.

Other versions: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1921, silent with Harry Myers), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1949, with Bing Crosby) and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1989).

The unrelated 1927 Rodgers and Hart musical A Connecticut Yankee was never filmed.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,081

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