JohnHowardReid SYNOPSIS: Ex-convict buys a luggage shop next door to a bank. NOTES: The original stage play opened on Broadway at the Morosco on 10 April 1941. Following very unenthusiastic reviews, it closed after only 22 performances. George Mathews, Ruth Weston, Forrest Orr and Phyllis Brooks starred, whilst Shelley Winters made her debut. Romney Brent directed, Courtney Burr produced. This was Robinson's last film for Warner Bros. under his million dollar contract. Thereafter he freelanced.VIEWER'S GUIDE: Despite the censor's "Parental Guidance" rating, I can see no reason to prevent children from seeing this film. Admittedly it's a very noisy farce, but since when have kids been afraid of noise.COMMENT: Plenty of Warner Bros. gloss, including a fine support cast, has gone into this somewhat over-verbose, more than a trifle over-frantic farce. One feels, however, that Robinson is miscast in slapstick comedy. Crawford is also too heavy-handed. The best of the leads are Edward S. Brophy and Jack Carson, both naturally funny men - though Brophy has the lion's share of comic opportunities here. Miss Wyman is okay in the thankless role of the voice-of-conscience, romantic lead. It's a minor but at times reasonably amusing little comedy - "little" in the sense that its one joke is stretched rather thin and doesn't amount to very much. But the director keeps it moving at a commendably brisk pace in order to disguise the film's obvious stage play origins. Too many of the scenes are still set in the luggage shop, but it's an interesting and novel setting nonetheless. The cast is great. What we don't like about the movie is that the plot runs off the rails in the third act. Anthony Quinn's gangster is suddenly introduced and though this does give rise to some amusing scenes and an action-filled climax with lots of extras milling about, the conclusion is both abrupt and unsatisfactory and the Wyman, Carson characters are completely dropped. At this stage in his career, Robinson was heartily sick of straight gangster roles. He had already spoofed the genre in A Slight Case of Murder (1938) and Brother Orchid (1940), both with rather more humorous results than on this occasion.

Alex da Silva Prisoners Edward G Robinson (Pressure) and Broderick Crawford (Jug) are released from prison and team up with Edward Brophy (Weepy). Robinson wants to go legitimate but it doesn't take much to convince him to go back to tried and tested means of making a living, particularly, when a bank refuses to give him a loan. So, they decide to get the money via another route. Literally. They buy a luggage shop next to the bank and plan to tunnel into the bank via an adjoining cellar. Well, their plans change once the luggage shop becomes successful, until a certain escaped hard-man Anthony Quinn (Leo) shows up. The bank robbery had initially been his idea when all were inside jail together.This film is a comedy with a great premise. Once in the luggage shop, Robinson and his gang couldn't give two figs about making any sales and positively loathe the idea of having customers disturb them while they are trying to dig a tunnel to their fortune. Some of the comedic situations are brilliant and just what you wish you could get away with in a real-life sales environment in light of today's politically correct nonsense about the customer always being right. Not here. Ha ha.The cast are good for their roles but I have to drop some marks for the slapstick scenes. Not my thing at all. Quinn plays his role well and is suitably menacing as the villain of the piece, and this contrasts well with the amusing antics of the bungling trio in the luggage shop who end up with a successful business that they didn't want. And they have a brilliant hiding place for a gun. They are sooooo not interested in making a success of the business but fate conspires against them. Entertaining film.

edwagreen An absolute entertaining surprise with Edward G. Robinson, Broderick Crawford and Ed Brophy as 3 crooks who try to go straight after the first two are released from prison.Failing to secure a loan, they manage to buy a failing luggage store owned by Harry Davenport. The store is right next door to a bank that the 3 plan to steal from by digging a hole through the floor.Of course, the business takes off under their leadership along with the help of Jane Wyman, a dead-mobster's daughter who Robinson regards as his own. She falls for Jack Carson, a luggage salesman who has ideas to build up the business.The guys actually want to go straight until Anthony Quinn, the guy who had originally planned the heist from prison, breaks out and forces the trio to go along with his intentions.Even with his usual tough persona,Robinson shows a comic gift and is even outmatched by the hilarious portrayal of Crawford, who does an excellent job in fracturing the English language. We'll be typhoons is one of his malapropisms instead of tycoons!Even though at the very end, we don't know if the 3 can ever go straight, but this comic romp is truly a marvelous adventure inspiring the business spirit in us all.

jesusmariacastillo This film is real hard , not just to get, but hardly ever's shown on t.v. The last time I saw it was about 15 years ago, man,I miss it,It's a shame, because this film will have you rolling in laughter for at least 3/4 of it. The Late Robinson and Crawford took their tough guys characters and turned them into the funniest you've ever seen ! This movie was made when entertainment WAS entertainment. There are no nude scenes, no foul or vulgar language. There is some shooting action, but the main story line here, is the chemistry between Robinson & Crawford. Around the 6th minute after the movie starts, when Robinson's telling Crawford that the warden's neck tie was the hardest to get from him , is hysterical , not to mention when their playing baseball in the prison's yard, or when they're digging a hole in the basement of the luggage store. This is pure clean comedy !