Another one of many wacky bottom of the bill comedies that often feels like an overstuffed two reeler. It's the usual batch of whack-a-doodles from Universal's contract players seemingly having a wonderful time in this nonsense about a phony robot (with Shemp Howard inside the huge costume) that looks like its inventor, Mischa Auer. As Howard has a penchant for blondes, no non-brunette or redhead is safe, and that puts the film's heroine (Una Merkel) in jeopardy, making her milquetoast boyfriend (Stuart Erwin) stand up and take notice. Merkel's the secretary for patent maker William Crawley, dealing with the constant disorder in the office concerning all of the wild inventions that pass their way.
Getting many laughs, ableit with some stereotypical black characterizations, are butler and maid Mantan Moreland and Hattie Noel who act towards Auer's robot with typical fright, although Noel is very funny calling the creature, "Frankentin" and playing a practical joke on Moreland that backfires on her. She's also stereotypically lazy, although if I could take a siesta while a robot vacuums and does laundry, I'd take advantage of that too.
It's obvious that the robot is a fake, but this is so harmless and silly that you may find yourself unable to resist it. Ironically, Frawley has an ex-wife named Ethel, played by the svelte and much younger Astrid Allwyn, unfortunately for her also a blonde. Directed by veteran comedy guru Edward F. Cline, this just flies by, providing a nice mixture of farce and screwball without ever coming off as too stupid to tolerate.
Getting many laughs, ableit with some stereotypical black characterizations, are butler and maid Mantan Moreland and Hattie Noel who act towards Auer's robot with typical fright, although Noel is very funny calling the creature, "Frankentin" and playing a practical joke on Moreland that backfires on her. She's also stereotypically lazy, although if I could take a siesta while a robot vacuums and does laundry, I'd take advantage of that too.
It's obvious that the robot is a fake, but this is so harmless and silly that you may find yourself unable to resist it. Ironically, Frawley has an ex-wife named Ethel, played by the svelte and much younger Astrid Allwyn, unfortunately for her also a blonde. Directed by veteran comedy guru Edward F. Cline, this just flies by, providing a nice mixture of farce and screwball without ever coming off as too stupid to tolerate.