The Inspector General

The Inspector General (1949) starring Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates

I’m a longtime fan of Danny Kaye. He’s one of the screen’s greatest clowns. He has room to truly strut his stuff in this wonderful film. The movie begins as Georgi (played by Danny Kaye) is working with his partner Yakov (played wonderfully by Walter Slezak). They are a pair of traveling snake oil salesmen. Georgi, of course, feels quite bad about selling the bogus goods to innocent peasants. And he nearly gets the pair hung. The stage is set with the two main characters: Georgi the nice, sweet, simple, illiterate, dumb-as-a-stump, lovable waif at large in the world. And Yakov, his only friend, who would gladly sell him down the river in a moment. Frankly, Yakov is the finest example of this type of character I’ve ever seen. He’s simultaneously likable and despicable, and a joy to watch.

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