TURNABOUT (1940)

I was excited to finally see this rare comedy-fantasy, despite the fact that it has not been treated well by the few critics who bother to mention it--Leonard Maltin's guide gives it 2 stars but calls it an "incredibly bad comedy." I found it quite entertaining, despite its simplistic and retrograde view of gender politics, though I imagine in its day, it was considered rather risque. Based on a novel by Thorne Smith, who wrote some interesting contemporary fantasy in the 20's and 30's, including the novels that became the TOPPER movies, the high-concept plot is easy to summarize: a husband and wife switch bodies to learn the "grass is always greener" lesson. John Hubbard is an advertising executive who is also a physical fitness buff, making his staff engage in calisthenics with him every morning and getting tossed about in his office by a jujitsu instructor. Carole Landis is his wife who lives a seemingly pampered penthouse life filled with shopping and social engagements. The two bicker constantly, with the latest problem being Dopey, Hubbard's huge Doberman, which Landis wants out of the house. After an argument in which each expresses the wish to live the "easy" life of the other, a Hindu bust in their bedroom comes to life and grants them their wish. The next morning, Hubbard wakes up in his wife's body and Landis wakes up in his body--conveyed by having Hubbard's voice come out of Landis' body and vice versa. This means lots of cheap laughs watching Hubbard prance around, hand on hip, like the worst gay stereotype ever. Yes, it's potentially offensive, but I did find it funny for the most part, and at times, Hubbard generates a comic energy similar to that worked up by Steve Martin when he's channeling Lily Tomlin in ALL OF ME. Landis has a harder time acting butch, not having as many obvious mannerisms to work with. The plot turns into a "Bewitched" episode, with wife-as-husband messing up a major account and husband-as-wife making enemies out of the other executive's wives. When the characters learn that Landis is pregnant, all the mischief is explained away by that, and the executives and their wives learn lessons about their conduct of life just as Hubbard and Landis do. [SPOILER!!] The kicker in the end, when the bust switches them back to normal, is that Hubbard's body is apparently now carrying the baby.

Hubbard, a B-actor who looks a little like Ray Milland, is very good; Landis is less so, but she's still satisfactory. The real gem here is the strong supporting cast. The standouts are Adolphe Menjou and William Gargan as fellow ad execs. Menjou is confident and in control; Gargan, the silent partner, is a bit of a dolt (reminding me at times of Gene Wilder playing Will's boss on "Will & Grace"). Both display fine comic timing, especially in a downright surreal scene in which the two of them destroy a radio that won't stop broadcasting until the very last tube is smashed. Donald Meek is fun as the loyal butler who is left in a constant state of befuddlement by the switched pair; Marjorie Main is a maid, and Mary Astor and Joyce Compton are the executive wives. The scene that caused my jaw to drop the most was a Franklin Pangborn cameo in which he plays a client named Pingboom who comes to see Hubbard while his wife is inhabiting his body. When it seems like Hubbard is flirting with him, Pangborn doesn't seem startled and indeed welcomes it. The scene is fairly subtle but quite funny. Overall, a delightful movie which Turner Classic has rescued from obscurity. Now if only someone would give it a DVD release. [TCM]