A Southern Yankee [My Hero] *** (1948, Red Skelton, Brian Donlevy, Arlene Dahl) – Classic Movie Review 7890

Director Edward Sedgwick’s 1948 slapstick comedy A Southern Yankee [My Hero] stars Red Skelton as Aubrey Filmore, a silly St Louis bellhop who becomes a silly Yankee spy after being mistaken for The Grey Spider in the American Civil War.

With a story by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, and a screenplay by writer Harry Tugend, this is a far less funny reworking of Buster Keaton’s 1926 all-time silent great The General. Brian Donlevy plays Kurt Devlynn, Arlene Dahl plays Skelton’s love interest Sallyann Weatharby and George Coulouris, Lloyd Gough and John Ireland also star as various soldiers. Coulouris is Major Jack Drumman, aka The Grey Spider, Gough is Captain Steve Lorford and Ireland is Captain Jed Calbern.

As it was spun off from The General, humiliatingly Buster Keaton was dragged in uncredited to provide jokes to beef up the script, and his old director Edward Sedgwick was brought out of retirement to orchestrate the comedy action. However, both were probably grateful for the work.

A Southern Yankee is okay if you find Skelton funny, and he does work hard for his laughs, though he is very much to taste.

Also in the cast are Minor Watson, Charles Dingle, Art Baker, Reed Hadley, Arthur Space, Addison Richard, Joyce Compton, Paul Harvey, JeffCorey, Cliff Clark, Dick Wessell, John Hilton, David Sharp, FrankMcGrath, David Newell and William Tannen.

Byron Foulger, Edward Gargan and Bert Moorhouse had their scenes deleted.

Cinematographer Ray June shoots in black and white.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7890

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