The Unholy Three (1930)

Premiered July 12, 1930.

This film was released 90 years ago today, so we thought it was a good time to post this out-of-season Christmas review!:

A ventriloquist who calls himself Professor Echo (Lon Chaney) works at a carnival where he shows off his voice-throwing skills and rips off the local rubes.

Others who work at the carnival include a strong man known as Hercules (Ivan Linow)...

...and Tweedledee (Harry Earles), who is billed as the "smallest adult in the world"...

...and a professional pickpocket named Rosie (Lila Lee).

When Tweedledee kicks a child during a fight, a riot breaks out and the carnival is shut down.

Echo tells Tweedledee and Hercules he has a new scam that will make them all rich.  He says the three of them will disappear and change their identities.  Tweedledee says plan sounds, "unholy," which prompts Echo to call this crew "The Unholy Three."

Echo also brings along his pet gorilla, which seems to be the only thing Hercules is afraid of.  Echo uses this to his advantage whenever Hercules doesn't fall in line.

Sometime later, the trio opens an exotic pets shop they can use as a front for their criminal operation.

Echo runs the pet shop under his new alias, a grandmother named Mrs. O'Grady.

Tweedledum poses as her grandson Willie.

And Hercules pretends he's Mrs. O'Grady's son-in-law Herman.

Rosie also works at the shop.  Echo has romantic ideas about Rosie, but he treats her with contempt.  Rosie is attracted to a pet shop employee named Hector McDonald (Elliott Nugent) and the attraction is mutual.

On Christmas Eve, Echo, Herman and Willie decide to steal a valuable ruby necklace from one of their customers.  Poor Hector has no idea that he works with criminals and buys a Christmas tree and lots of toys for Willie.  Hector hopes to spend a romantic evening trimming the tree with Rosie.

However, Echo gets jealous and decides stay behind and trim the tree as Mrs. O'Grady.  Hector tells Mrs. O'Grady he plans to ask Rosie to marry him.

Tweedledee and Herman go through with the robbery without Echo.  Herman ends up shooting and killing a man while stealing the necklace.  On Christmas morning, the trio decides to pin the theft and murder on Hector.  They plant the necklace in Hector's closet and he's arrested.

Hector tells the police and judge that Rosie and Mrs. O'Grady will provide him with an alibi.  However, Mrs. O'Grady and Rosie are nowhere to be found.  The Unholy Three have disappeared and are hiding out in a cabin in the mountains.  They've brought along Echo's gorilla and kidnapped Rosie. 

Will Hector be convicted for a crime he didn't commit?

J.A. Morris says:

If the premise for this movie sounds a bit ridiculous, that's because it is!  Prof. Echo needs a money-making scam, so the first idea that pops into his head is to open an exotic pet shop?  However, it's also ridiculously great!  The "Christmas Scam" is a something of a trope in holiday movies and I'm guessing this is one of the first times it's been featured on film. 

The Unholy Three has great historical importance.  It's the only sound film appearance of the great Lon Chaney, a major star of the silent era who today is best remembered as the star of The Phantom Of The Opera and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.  It's a shame Chaney died several weeks after the release of this film, because he's great here and he had a scary, menacing voice.

The rest of the cast provide solid support. 

Director Jack Conway makes great use of shadows in several scenes.   Here's a good example of that:

If there's anything wrong with The Unholy Three, it's that there's a (never stated aloud) message that Carnival folks are inherently bad and strange people.  While Echo displays a few, fleeting moments of humanity, Hercules and Tweedledee don't have many redeeming qualities.  They seem to exist merely to steal money and kill people.  I'm sure this was the conventional wisdom about Carnival "freaks" when this film was made, but I still feel like it needs to be called out.

Strictly speaking, The Unholy Three is more of a "Christmas-adjacent" movie than a "Christmas movie," but Christmas plays a very important role in the plot.  The trimming of the tree sets a lot of actions in motion:it causes echo to stay behind, which leads to the robbery turning into a murder, which eventually leads to the framing of Hector.  An important conversation between Rosie and Hector takes place during Christmas dinner.

Christmas is also discussed during Hector's murder trial, so we decided the movie was "Christmas-y enough" for our blog!

The Unholy Three is a fascinating film and a good farewell film for Lon Chaney.  It's especially recommended for fans of Christmas crime films and for those who need a break from predictable holiday entertainment.

J.A. Morris's rating: 

3 candy canes

RigbyMel says: 

The Unholy Three is a strange and gripping film with a "high concept" plot featuring characters from a freak show and elaborate criminal schemes.  It's also historically significant as it's the only talkie the great silent film star Lon Chaney ever did as well as being his final movie.  (He died of lung cancer on August 26th, 1930, seven weeks after The Unholy Three was released.) This movie allows Chaney to show off his considerable acting talents and also demonstrates that, had he lived longer,  he could have continued to be successful in talking pictures.

Chaney manages to be menacing in old lady drag!

It's also interesting to note that The Unholy Three is a remake of a 1925 silent movie (also starring Lon Chaney and Harry Earles).  The original version is silent and does NOT take place during Christmas.  Remakes have been around pretty much as long as Hollywood has, it would seem!   The addition of the Christmas angle to the remake serves to increase dramatic tension.

Poster from the 1925 version of the film.

Harry Earles, who plays the creepy and merciless Tweedledee/Little Willie, actually grew up as a circus and sideshow entertainer and was a part of several other important early movies such as Freaks (1932). He and his siblings were among the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz (1939).   (Harry is one of the members of the Lollipop Guild.)  The way Tweedledee is written is ... not sensitive.  However, Earles makes it memorable and it's worth noting that he was able to have an acting career in a time when disabled and different folks were really not afforded a lot of  opportunities.

I also find the film intriguing from a material culture angle.  Viewers get extended glimpses of 1920s/30s Christmas decorations and the inside of a pet shop, for example. 

On their return from Christmas shopping, Hector helps Rosie remove her galoshes

There's even a "feather tree" (one of the first artificial Christmas trees), which is a holdover from Victorian Christmas celebrations, in the background of some shots. 

Hector gets ready to feed a cockatiel in the pet shop

It provides us with little glimpses into bygone days and small details that might be unfamiliar to modern audiences.

A feather tree (on the table) as well as a wreath and a paper bell (in the window) are on display in this shot

Christmas is central to the plot as the primary crime - murder, in the course of a robbery - occurs on Christmas Eve and there are tense Christmas morning visits from police, jewels hidden in toys, and even a touch of Christmas romance between poor dopey Hector and soon to be reformed criminal Rosie.

A "cozy" Christmas morning visit from a police detective

The Unholy Three is definitely worth a look  -- especially if one is interested in caper and/or pre-code movies or if one is a fan of Lon Chaney's work!

RigbyMel's rating: 

3 candy canes

Looney Tunes: A Bear For Punishment

Premiered October 20, 1951.

One morning, in the cave of the Three Bears, Papa Bear Henry (Billy Bletcher) wakes up in foul mood.  

Henry lightens up a bit when Mama Bear (Bea Benaderet) reminds him it's Father's Day and gives him a present.

In honor of the occasion, Mama and Junior Bear (Stan Freberg) prepare breakfast in bed for Henry, in spite of the fact that he hates eating breakfast in bed.  Breakfast turns into a disaster due to Junior's clumsiness.

For the next Father's Day "event," Junior offers to give Henry a shave, with a very scary looking razor.

Next up, Mama and Junior insist that Henry sit by a warm fire and read a book.  Junior prepares a pipe for Henry...

...which results in another Father's Day disaster.

Finally, Junior and his mother present a Father's Day pageant for Henry.  Junior reads a poem dedicated to his father.

Mama performs a song-and-dance number for Henry.

None of this appeals to Henry.

The show closes with a march, which culminates in Mama and Junior (forcibly) dressing Henry up as the Statue Of Liberty.

J.A. Morris says:
There's not much of a "story" to speak of in A Bear For Punishment.  It's basically a series of accidents that victimize Henry on Father's Day, when all Papa Bear wants is to be left alone.  However, when a cartoon is directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese, you don't necessarily need much of a story to make it entertaining.

A Bear For Punishment is full of great site gags and excellent voice acting.  Billy Bletcher, Bea Benaderet and Stan Freeberg are perfectly cast in their roles.  Bletcher is especially great as Henry, his anger and disgust are palpable.  

Speaking of voice actors, this is one of the few classic Looney Tunes shorts that doesn't feature the voice of Mel Blanc.  It's also worth noting that this was the last Warner cartoon of the "classic" era to feature the Three Bears.

If you're curious about the title, the phrase "a bear for punishment" is an archaic variation of "a glutton for punishment."

There aren't that many movies, specials or episodes that focus on Father's Day and it's always nice to find one.  A Bear For Punishment is very funny and will be enjoyed by all fans of Looney Tunes and Chuck Jones.  Fathers who couldn't care less about Father's Day will especially enjoy it. 

J.A. Morris' rating:

3 Father's Day ties

RigbyMel says: 

A Bear for Punishment is an enjoyably loony Father's Day cartoon.  

As J.A. Morris mentions above, there are some wonderful sight gags. For example,  Papa Bear appears to turn into a literal "heel" when he realizes that Junior and Mama are trying to celebrate Father's Day with him.   

Note "Kinsey Report" book with pink cover on the floor by Papa Bear's bed.  Also note that his bed appears to be part of a Model-T Ford. 

Poor Papa bear would much rather sleep in and/or read his copy of the Kinsey Report (again, a great blink and you'll miss it sight gag), but Junior and Mama have increasingly elaborate plans to celebrate the day.  The song and dance number that culminates with fireworks at the end is hilarious. 

Chuck Jones and company do a great job of contrasting Papa Bear's frustration with Junior's (and to a lesser extent Mama Bear's) steamroller-like testaments to their devotion, which makes for a very entertaining and silly animated short.   

RigbyMel's rating: 

.5


3 and a half Father's Day ties

The Jetsons: "Mother's Day For Rosie"

Premiered October 1, 1985.

It's the day before Mother's Day in Orbit city and the Jetson children are preparing to honor their mother Jane (Penny Singleton).  Her son Elroy (Daws Butler) has composed a poem for the occasion.  Daughter Judy (Janet Waldo) plans to give her mother a plant.  Jane tells her husband George (George O'Hanlon) she doesn't need a present from him because they need to be "sensible."  George happily agrees with Jane.

In the midst of the Mother's Day festivities, the Jetsons' robot maid Rosie (Jean Vander Pyl) feels left out.  She has no recollections or pictures of her mother.  Rosie tears up and blows a fuse when she reads Elroy's poem.

George decides to visit the robot factory so he can take a picture of the "previous model," which would be Rosie's "mother."  The factory's manager (Gregg Berger) can't find the earlier model robot, but says he will call George if it turns up.

Elsewhere, Jane and Rosie go shopping and see a synthetic stole at Spacey's department store.  Jane hopes that George will get her the stole as a Mother's Day present.  When Rosie points out that she told George not to buy her any presents, she can't recall saying that.

While George is at work, Jane calls his boss Mr. Spacely (Mel Blanc) on the visiphone.  She asks him to tell George that the stole at Spacey's is the best gift in the universe...but asks Spacely NOT to say that she said that.  This leads to confusion at both ends, so Spacely asks George to buy the stole for Mrs. Spacely.

Will George be able to get a picture of Rosie's mother?  Will he get the stole for Judy?  Will Mother's Day be a disaster for everyone?

J.A. Morris says:
This Mother's Day episode was part of the 1980s revival of The Jetsons, not the original 1962 series. All the original voice actors returned, so it feels very similar to the earlier episodes.

There aren't many Mother's Day episodes or specials, so we were glad to discover "Mother's Day For Rosie."  It might seem like a just another silly cartoon, but this episode brings up a serious topic.  Like Rosie, a lot of people have difficulties on Mother's Day because their mother has passed away or they never knew their mother, or they wanted to be a mother, but could not.  Even though Rosie is a cartoon robot, her emotions feel real.

Having said that, "Mother's Day For Rosie" has some problematic aspects that were probably outdated even in 1985.  Jane explicitly states to George that she doesn't want him to buy Mother's Day present...then she gets upset when he doesn't buy her anything.  It feels like a "women, amirite?" joke about stereotypes.

George doesn't come off very well either in this episode.  At one point he calls himself "the biggest idiot in the universe" and that's pretty accurate.  Maybe the creative team thought making both Judy and George look made things "even."  However making the mother come off as materialistic and scatterbrained isn't a very good look for a Mother's Day episode.

A note about the voice actors:
Before we watched this episode for reviewing purposes, I didn't know that Judy is voiced by Penny Singleton.  Her other famous role was playing Blondie, title character from the comic strip of the same name, in twenty-eight feature films and she also played Blondie on radio for eleven years.

Penny Singleton in a publicity still from the movie Blondie On A Budget.

I enjoyed the parts that dealt with Rosie's, and it was nice to hear the original voice actors, but the rest of the episode isn't very good.

J.A. Morris' rating:

.5

2 and a half Mother's Day bouquets

RigbyMel says:

I remember watching the 1980s version of The Jetsons but I don't have any recollection of this particular episode.   As J.A. Morris says, there are not all that many Mother's Day episodes out there, so it's nice to find this.   It's also nice to know that the voice actors are pretty much the same voice cast from the original 1960s series. 

It's kind of sweet that George decides to go out of his way to find Rosie the Robot's "mother" for her when he realizes she is sad.  The sitcom miscommunication not saying what you really want stuff re. Jane is somewhat less endearing.   There is definitely a very 1960s notion of what constitutes gender roles in the "nuclear family" of the Jetsons' future in evidence.  

Considering that "Mother's Day for Rosie" is a 22 minute cartoon, there is a fair amount of filler in the episode that has little or nothing to do with the main story.  There's a scene that focuses on a robot dog at the robot store and another extended scene showing Jane and Rosie experiencing several virtual reality type travel scenarios at a travel agent's office.  

"Mother's Day for Rosie" is certainly an enjoyable bit of retro-futurism with a Mother's Day theme,  but it's probably not a classic for the ages. 

RigbyMel's rating:  

2 Mother's Day bouquets