Although Jack Benny's film career takes a back seat to his radio and later TV success, he did quite well in the medium...until 1945's THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT. That film was SO bad that Jack bemoaned it to a thousand more laughs on his radio show than the film itself ever achieved. Or was it? The first time I caught it on television in the early 1970s, having heard little to nothing of its reputation as perpetuated by its star, I loved it! I've loved it every time I've seen it since, in fact! And here, in this contemporary magazine review, we see that, in fact, it was NOT wildly reviled at all! If you get a chance, see it! I highly recommend it!
If you have a chance to see it, it's on DVD under the hugely-popular Warner Archive label.
ReplyDeleteSteve...I just now have run across your blogs. We share the same birth year; we certainly seem to share some of the same touchstones as well. I've loved Jack Benny since I was 4 or 5; these days, I often listen to him on my mp3 player while at work. I suppose Jack always used the film as grist for his comic-mill because it didn't do very well at the box-office. I have seen it 6-8 times and it has never failed to put a smile on my face. :)
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